OS upgrade for Integrity VM and retaining older OS as virtual

[Robert Loureiro]

I have a situation where I am currently running HP-UX 11.31.0809, but would like to install Integrity VM so that I can run both the latest OS version (11.31.1009) along with the current OS. Is there a way to perform this so that I don't lose the current OS installed? Basically, I want to go from
Server with 11.31.0809 to Server with both 11.31.0809 and 11.31.1009. I need to continue to support software running under 11.31.0809, but need to develop the next release of this software on 11.31.1009.

Regards, Rob

[Eric SAUBIGNAC · Accepted solution]

Bonjour Robert,


If I do understand, you would like to virtualize the existing OS ? Yes, it can work. You can do P2V though, in my knowledge, there is no white paper around this subject.

Here is a general guideline to achieve this.

I suppose that your box can access several disks, local or SAN, or anything else that is supported to run HP-UX. I also assume that the OS you want to virtualize is supported (check HPVM guides and RN). I also assume there is not so much features configured that are not supported in a guest. For example, I don't know if a straight access to iSCSI disks is allowed in a guest.

1) First, keep an ignite image of the original system, or a clone, or whatever you want, in case of ... :-(((

2) On the original system from the original disk, I will name it GUEST1 on GUESTDISK1 (not yet a guest, but it will be soon), install latest patches bundles, latest AVIO Guest software and recommended patches in a VM Guest (check HPVM install guide and release notes).

3) Prevent any applications' startup at boot time, any NFS mount, and anything that could generate some problems when you will restart GUEST1 in a none clean environment.

4) Then shutdown GUEST1.

5) On a new disk, install now the latest HP-UX 11.31 VSEOE or DCOE (September 2010) with HPVM 4.20.05 (T2767CC), latest patches bundles, AVIO software and recommended patches in a VM Host. We will call it HOST1 on HOSTDISK1.

6) On HOST1, create virtual switches needed and a VM, named GUEST1. Configure this VM with GUESTDISK1 as a raw device, scsi or avio_stor driver. Both should work since you have installed AVIO software. For the moment, forget other disks that could support others VG.

7) Now boot this virtual machine GUEST1. From the virtual console of GUEST1, boot manually : there is yet no EFI entry to automatically start the OS. If the system doesn't crash, forget next step and jump to step 9

8) May be you will have to re-import vg00. I said maybe, because there is now a feature, configured through "AUTO_BOOT_MIGRATE" in /etc/lvmrc that enables modification of the boot disk's physical location. But I don't know if it will work in this situation.

If you need to import vg00 (system crashed in step 7), boot the guest in maintenance mode (-lm), export vg00 with a mapfile, locate the DSF corresponding to the virtualized GUESTDISK1 then import vg00 from this DSF and the mapfile.

Now activate vg00, switch to root user's environment (su - root), then issue adequate lvlnboot commands :

#lvlnboot -b /dev/vg00/lvol1
#lvlnboot -r /dev/vg00/lvol3
#lvlnboot -d /dev/vg00/lvol2
#lvlnboot -s /dev/vg00/lvol2

Create EFI entry to automatically boot : setboot -p YourRawBootDiskDSF

Now you can reboot the VM and jump to step 10

9) I you didn't had to import vg00, create EFI entry : setboot -p YourRawBootDiskDSF

10) Your system is almost ready but you will certainly have to do some more configuration. For example :

- if needed, attach to the VM others disks, locate their new DSF in GUEST1, then import the others VG
- network, since NIC instanciation as probably changed. For example lan0 became lan4.
.../...
- activate automatic applications' startup and everything you have inhibited in step 3

11) Install in GUEST1 software located on HOST1 in /opt/hpvm/guest-images/hpux/11iv3/hpvm_guest_depot.11iv3.sd


At this time, your original HP-UX 11.31.0809 should be virtualized. You can now create a new VM guest, GUEST2 on a third disk GUESTDISK2, to receive HP-UX 11.31.1009. You can do a clone of GUEST1 then update it to HP-UX 11.31.1009, or do a fresh install in GUEST2.


Well, I know there is not so much detailed "howto", but the exact process totally depends on your configuration. As said at the begin, it is just a general guideline.

HTH

Eric

[Robert Loureiro]

Eric,

Thanks you for all of this info. Since I am a novice at this (this will be my first attempt at a VM), I will take some time to absorb this info and eventually attempt this. I will update this thread with my experiences.

Regards, Rob