[RichardB]

We are attaching a new san to our environment and it needs additional device drivers, whats the correct way to installed them on your virtual io server (we are currently running 1.5.2.0)

Also fixes, we need IZ28970 fix is there anyway "supported" way to install just that fix on a virtial io server or do we have to upgrade the whole ios level to one that includes that fix? and how do I find out which fixes are in which ios versions?

[JanWillem]

Hi,

You can install storage drivers using oem_setup_env, that gives you root access on the vio server. Check on the VIO page on the IBM internet wether these drivers are supported by the VIO server

You cannot install specific AIX Apars on VIO servers. There are special Apars for the VIO servers, but these are usually E-fixes. Go to a higer release of the VIO server code.

Is this Apar applicable to a VIO server?
VIOS 1.5.2.11-FP-11.1 SP-01 is from december 2008. When was your Apar released?

Cheers,
Jan Willem

[RichardB]

Originally Posted by JanWillem

Hi,

You can install storage drivers using oem_setup_env, that gives you root access on the vio server. Check on the VIO page on the IBM internet wether these drivers are supported by the VIO server

You cannot install specific AIX Apars on VIO servers. There are special Apars for the VIO servers, but these are usually E-fixes. Go to a higer release of the VIO server code.

Is this Apar applicable to a VIO server?
VIOS 1.5.2.11-FP-11.1 SP-01 is from december 2008. When was your Apar released?

Cheers,
Jan Willem

yes its in that release - thanks, but it looks like our new san is only supported in v2.1 so it looks like Im upgrading our vios, and firmware, should be fun.

[ross.mather]

Also remember that any LPAR using a new device needs the relevant device driver installed as well.

If it helps, I;ve been using VIO 2.1 for 8 months or so and its been fine. Do remember that ou'll need to follow a migration path for the VIO (uses different media from a fres install) when you upgrade.

[RichardB]

Originally Posted by ross.mather

Also remember that any LPAR using a new device needs the relevant device driver installed as well.

the san only attaches to the vio, so we wont need to install drivers anywhere else, all the disks a vscsi in the destination lpars.

[ross.mather]

Originally Posted by RichardB

the san only attaches to the vio, so we wont need to install drivers anywhere else, all the disks a vscsi in the destination lpars.

This is eactly the case I'm talking about. For proper working of the VIO Client LPAR you need to install the Storage device drivers in the LPAR as well.

This allows the LPAR to make best use of the SAN devices features. It may work without, but the recommendation is to install the driver in the LPAR.

[duke900ssd]

Ross, the device will be seen by the client as a virtual scsi disk, so how would the third party, or IBM, san device drivers recognise the back end storage and come in to play when none of the back end storage specific information is passed onto the client?

I thout that was one of the advantages of virtual storage, it is all presented to the client as a native virtual scsi device.

[RichardB]

Originally Posted by duke900ssd

Ross, the device will be seen by the client as a virtual scsi disk, so how would the third party, or IBM, san device drivers recognise the back end storage and come in to play when none of the back end storage specific information is passed onto the client?

I thout that was one of the advantages of virtual storage, it is all presented to the client as a native virtual scsi device.

Thats how I understood it as well.

[ross.mather]

The practicalities - of espcially EMC storage - have forced many of us to have to do this in the recent past. It may be different now as I've only used IBM Storage in the last 2 and a half years, but if you do hit problems you should at least consider the device driver install at LPAR level.