Hpux install

[Roger Baptiste]

Hi,

I have a production server running on hpux 11.00. I need to upgrade the O/S to 11i . I am considering the option of breaking the root mirror (vg00 is mirrored ) and installing 11i o/s on the secondary disk of VG00, This way, if there is any problem in the 11i install, i can switch back to booting from the primary disk on 11.00. The server has external storage connected to it and i need to ensure the VGs of these disks are also imported properly in 11i.

Is this plan correct? If so, can you please point me to the details(commands) on implementing this plan.

thanks
RB

[Jim Mallett]

Roger,

I went through somewhat the same thing a while ago, although it doesn't add details you can read it here:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=54597
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=191717

Prior to doing anything, do your homework!
Be sure to have a good backup and Ignite.
Get a hard copy of any critical system information (ie: disk paths, ioscan, etc). It is possible for the paths to change.

Create mapfiles of your existing data VGs, use the -s option because this will allow the discovery of the PVs by VGID when you are ready to import. That way if the paths change you shouldn't be impacted. Once created, get a copy of each of these mapfiles off onto another system.
# vgexport -p -s -m /tmp/mapfile vgXX

Unmount the file systems:
# umount /mountpoint (for all non VG00 file systems)

Deactivate the VGs:
# vgchange -a n vgXX (all non VG00 VGs)

Export the VGs:
# vgexport vgXX (all non VG00 VGs)

Remove the VG00 mirror (you need to do this for all logical volumes on vg00):
# lvreduce -m 0 /dev/vg00/lvolX

The above can be scripted (not my preference):
VOL-`ls /dev/vg00 |grep -v group | grep -Ev '^r'
for vol in $VOL
do
lvreduce -m 0 /dev/vg00/$vol
done

Then remove the mirror disk(s) from VG00:
# vgreduce /dev/vg00 /dev/dsk/cXtXdX

Again, make sure you get any important info printed or off to another system. I would also identify the disk with 11.00 on it and when you shutdown to install 11i, pull the disk out and store it till you're comfortable with the 11i install, so you don't inadvertantly write to it.

Install 11i. You pretty much get walked thru this. Too much variables to cover here, you should know what your desired setup is. Once you're up and patched, then you can reimport your data VGs.

# mkdir /dev/vgXX
# mknod /dev/vgXX group c 64 0x0X0000 (X = unique!)
# vgimport -s -m /tmp/mapfile vgXX

You may need to adjust /etc/fstab. I don't have my notes from the upgrade but I think the only big issue I hit was dead gateway detection. There were some small bugs as far as software goes, but nothing that I couldn't clear up in a day.

If I missed anything, I'm sure somebody can fill in the gaps.

HTH... Jim

[Jim Mallett]

I guess I posted a similar question twice, here's a link to it:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=77723

I only add it because it's good to see varying opinions.

Jim

[Sundar_7 · Accepted solution]

That sounds like a plan.

1) Download cfg2html from the net and create system software/hardware configuration list. Print this list

2) Create a recovery tape using make_recovery

3) Execute Ignite-UX print_manifest command and get a hard copy of this file

4) Export all the volume groups and keep a copy of the map files in the 11.0 root disk

# vgexport -p -s -m /root/MAP/vg01.map /dev/vg01

5) Take a note of the minor number of the volume groups minor number

# find . -name group -exec ls -lrt {} \;

6) Break the mirror

# lvreduce -m 0 /dev/vg00/lvol1 /dev/dsk/

execute the above lvreduce command for all the vg00 logical volumes

7) remove the disk from vg00

# vgreduce /dev/vg00 /dev/dsk/

8) Reboot the system

Boot using the 11i CD

9) Select the approriate disk at the instalation menu

10) Once 11i is installed, interrupt the autoboot and change the primary path to the 11i disk.

11) Boot the system.

12) Import and mount the 11.0 VG00 temporarily in the 11i system

# mkdir /dev/vgOLD
# mknod /dev/vgOLD/group c 64 0x010000
# vgimport /dev/vgOLD /dev/dsk/

13) Mount /dev/vgOLD/lvol3 in /mnt

12) Create the directory/group file for the volume group in the /dev directory

# mkdir /dev/vg01
# mknod /dev/vg01/group c 64 0xXX0000

refer the minor number from the output that you have

Import the volume groups from the map files kept in the 11.0 disk

# vgimport -s -m /mnt/root/MAP/vg01.map /dev/vg01

13) Copy /mnt/etc/fstab to /etc/fstab- Create the mount points.

14) Copy the network configuration file and other important configuration files from the 11.0 /root mounted on /mnt. Format of the almost all OS core files are compatible between 11.0 and 11i

15) Install any softwares/patches etc.

16) Execute all other customization taks

17) Deactivate 11.0 VG00 and export the VG out of /etc/lvmtab.

You are good to go :-)

-- Sundar.

[Sridhar Bhaskarla]

Hi Roger,

If you are planning to 'update/upgrade' to 11i, then your process looks good. There have been many posts on splitting the mirror and booting from it in case of backouts. Search the forums and you should find them. With updating you don't need to worry about LVM configuration.

If you are planning to 'fresh install' 11i, then you simply reduce the mirrors and install 11i on the unmirrored disk. In case of issues, simply boot from the other disk and establish fresh mirroring.

In either the case, I would take the following precautions

1. Prepare couple of make_tape_recovery tapes.
2. Take good backup of the data.
3. Copy important confiugration files such as /etc/passwd,/etc/group, /etc/inetd.conf, /etc/hosts, /etc/rc.config.d/netconf etc., and map files of the VGs generated by -s, -f with -m options.

-Sri