Vpar config

[Ravi_8]

Hi all

we are in process of Vpar'ing a rp 7400 m/c,
we have hardware for creating 4 partitions only, later we have plans for using partitions as 2x4 way's(by shutting down 2 vpar's) , 2 way's( 4 vpar's with 2 procesors). does any body done this, If so pls post the procedure you followed and if any problems you faced later on.

request: pls don't post any URL about vpar( i already have)

thanx in advance

[Stefan Farrelly · Accepted solution]

Were running vpars on 7400's. Setting up wasnt too hard, we used the book "HP-UX virtual partitions" by Poniatowski - excellent book, it really helped and made it easier to setup, much better than any HP web documentation.

Problems weve had are;

1. If you update the vpars software you MUST update all vpars, or else you will find things just wont boot, eg;
VPARMGR B.11.11.01.02 Virtual Partition Manager - HP-UX
VPARSBASE A.02.01.00 HP-UX Virtual Partitions - Base Version

2. If you use the command vparmodify to add/modify i/o paths you MUST do a test boot off the primary and mirror disks after. Weve had cases of adding an i/o path, it will boot from primary, but off mirror all the i/o paths change necessitating going to lvm maintenance mode, reimporting vg00, and then reimporting all the other vg's and rebuilding the mirror. Not a nice job.

3. Know your i/o paths. Now when you add new hardware you cant see it in ioscan on any vpar until you work out its io path and add it using vparmodify first! This requires either a good manual or knowledge beforehand of exactly which slot = which io path, or a lot of trial and error!

[Ravi_8]

Stefan
Thanx for ur response,

can we allocate the resource to individual vpar's using the parmgr (GUI) window?

[Stefan Farrelly]

Yes, you can use vparmgr (GUI) to do the same - add/modify cpu/memory/io slots.

[Jean-Louis Phelix]

Hi,

Very detailed answer from Stefan. Just wanted to add that vparmgr GUI doesn't work for the first vpar and also that even if a new HW doesn't appear at ioscan, you can see it anyway as a free resource using vparstatus -A.

Regards.

[Stefan Farrelly]

I just want to clarify Jean-Louis's reply - you can run the vparmgr GUI on all vpars, but you can only do some modify/add functions (with io slots/memory) when the vpar you are doing it on is down.

[Jean-Louis Phelix]

Thanks Stefan,

I just meant that you can't use vparmgr to create the first vpar. This one must be created using vparcreate command. Once it's vpar booted you can use vparmgr on any vpar, you're right.

Regards.

[Ravi_8]

Hi,

I could create the partitions ( first partition using command and second is also using command line)

I booted the machine:
ISL> hpux /stand/vpmon vparload -p vpar1

machine booted without any problem
# vparstatus
[Virtual Partition]
Boot
Virtual Partition Name State Attributes Kernel Path Opts
============================== ===== ========== ========================= =====
vpar1 Up Dyn,Auto /stand/vmunix
vpar2 Down Dyn,Auto /stand/vmunix

[Virtual Partition Resource Summary]
CPU Num Memory (MB)
CPU Bound/ IO # Ranges/
Virtual Partition Name Min/Max Unbound devs Total MB Total MB
============================== ================ ==== ====================
vpar1 2/ 8 2 0 2 0/ 0 2048
vpar2 2/ 8 2 0 3 0/ 0 2048


( i have already loaded hp-ux 11i in another disk 0/8/0/0.9.0 with n/w card at 0/5 and specified these as i/o to vpar2)

# vparboot -p vpar2
vparboot: Booting vpar2. Please wait...

boot fails with error: File address is 0x0000000000020000 and memory address is 0x0000000008000000
vapr2 boot failed

I tried by re-creating vpar's (both vap1 and vpar2), again the same error.

Does anybody has solution

[Jean-Louis Phelix]

Hi,

Did you check logs at vpmon level (log command) ?

Also, are you sure that T1335AC product (vPars) was installed on the second disk ? If not, the second kernel wouldn't be relocatable and this second vPar couldn't boot ...

Regards.

[Stefan Farrelly]

Have you got Pinatowski's book on HP-UX Virtual Partitions ? its all in there in detail.

To create vpars we did;
1. install 11i to one disk.
2. install 11i to a second disk on a different io controller. (so our server is now dual bootable to either disk).
3. install Vparsbase and Vparsmgr software on both, and vpars patches. so theyre the same.
4. Now create your vpars.

[Ravi_8]

waaahhhhoooooo

thanx Jean/stephen

after installing
B6826AA B.11.11.01.05 Partition Manager - HP-UX
T1335AC A.02.01.00 HP-UX Virtual Partitions
VPARMGR B.11.11.01.01 Virtual Partition Manager - HP-UX

from Vpar media on all the partition disks, Vpar's are up and running now

thanx a lot for your info and time, i can have a sound sleep tonight

[Ravi_8]

Hi, guys

thank you for all your support without which i couldn't achive Vpar's.

i am still facing problems:

1) How can i get vpar's console, document says press Ctrl+A. if i press these keys on conole i get
[MON]
vpar1 ctrl+a
[MON]
vpar2 ctrl+a
[MON]
vpar3
[MON]
vpar4 ctrl+a
[MON]
vpar1
but i am not getting prompt for any vpar's other than vpar1 ( i am booting vpar2/vpar3/vpar4 from vpar1 prompt)

2) how can i increase file systems size on each vpar's ( i don't have online JFS)while they are all up.

[Stefan Farrelly]

There is quite a few vpar patches. I think we had problems with the console until we installed them all. Heres what weve got;

# PHKL_26037 1.0 vPar enablement patch, callout migration
# PHKL_26503 1.0 vPar enablement Interrupt Migration EP
# PHKL_26847 1.0 console,chassis code,crash/dump,reboot-RvPar
# PHKL_26979 1.0 vPar enablement patch with kwdb support
# PHKL_27054 1.0 early boot,Psets,vPar,Xserver,T600 HPMC
# PHKL_27056 1.0 par fans,cabtype,sinc,hwpath,cell info,vPar
# PHKL_27091 1.0 Core PM, vPar, Psets Cumulative, slpq1 perf
# PHKL_27096 1.0 VxVM,EMC,Psets&vPar,slpq1,earlyKRS
# PHKL_27151 1.0 Syslog,HighTempAlerts,vPar,IntrMigr,PCI-X
# PHKL_27152 1.0 I/O Cumulative, PA 8700 2.2, vPar, PCI-X
# PHKL_27172 1.0 vPars panic; Syscall cumulative
# PHKL_27992 1.0 PDC_SCSI_PARMS,iCOD,vPars,IPMI


1) Accessing the console for a Vpar isnt easy or quick. You need to be patient when youve hit CTRL-A. It should then echo the vpar name in [ ] so you know which one you are on. Then press enter and you should get the login prompt (works on all ours).

If you say reboot a vpar then when you go to the console you wont see anything until you do a CTRL-A (or a few of them) to get to the vpar you booted - then the screen will play catchup and show you all the startup messages (even though it may have rebooted days ago!).

So trying to remember how many CTRL-A's to press to get to a particular vpar is the tricky thing.

2) Increasing the filesystem without onlinejfs is just like a normal system. Either shut down your apps and try to unmount the filesystem to lvextend/extendfs it, or boot in single user mode and do it that way. No difference because youre on a vpar.

[Stefan Farrelly]

Forgot 1 vpar patch;
# PHCO_28175 1.0 vPar commands man pages patch

[Jean-Louis Phelix]

Hi,

If you are loggued on the lan console, then using CTRL-A should switch you on each console. For example, on my system :

[vpar2]

[MON]

[vpar1]

[vpar2]

Sometimes you don't get the [MON] step (if the monarch processor is allocated to a running vPar). But after each prompt, you are loggued on the console, so I would say that if you don't get anything, then the vPar is hang or something is running on the console.

For the second question, you can extend you fs just on any other system. I mean that you have to boot in single user mode, lvextend and so on ...

To boot a vPar with options, just use for example :

vpar1# vparboot -p vpar2 -o "is"

Then extend your fs.

Regards.

[Ravi_8]

Hi Stefen/Jean

Thank you for your valuable contributions,

All my problems have been solved on Vpar's.

I will be working on this tomorrow also, i may post my doubts again, expect you to reply.

leaving for the day

Good day !!!