AIX

Hi all,

I'm trying to understand the requirements for AIX version matching between a SPOT, LPP_SOURCE and my mksysb images. I have a NIM server installed, and I've used it to install new LPARs both from the LPP_SOURCE and from mksysb files. These were based off 7100-00-01.

Recently I created a new mksysb with updated AIX. I installed 7100-00-01, and patched up to 7100-01-04. Applied all my usual customizations, made a new mksysb and copied that over to the NIM server.

However, I cannot use the new mksysb to install new LPARs because of the version mismatch between the mksysb (7100-01-04) and the LPP_SOURCE (7100-00-01).

Do I need an LPP_SOURCE (and SPOT?) that exactly matches the mksysb? I imagine I'll need to create a new LPP_SOURCE every time I update the source LPARs from which I create my mksysb?

- Mark

Basically: yes.

Yes. In fact you should create a copy of your LPP_SOURCE, update this by installing into it with NIM methods, create a SPOT from it, use this to update your LPAR and then take a MKSYSB from it.

You seem to be a bit unsure about general NIM concepts, maybe i can interest you in a little introduction i wrote once.

If you have LPARs to install on a regular basis and want to install from a MKSYSB resource i suggest you create a "model LPAR", install only the bare minimum you need, take an MKSYSB from this and use it as your "golden image". You don't need to have this LPAR running for the whole time, you can always recreate it from the image, tweak its installation (which includes, but is not limited to version updates) and save a new "golden image" MKSYSB. This makes for very fast installations of very slim systems.

I hope this helps.

bakunin