Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere -based ftserver Systems: Installation and Configuration

Transcription

1 Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere -based ftserver Systems: Installation and Configuration Stratus Technologies R004E-03

2 Notice The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. UNLESS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN A WRITTEN AGREEMENT SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF STRATUS TECHNOLOGIES, STRATUS MAKES NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, INCLUDING WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PURPOSE. Stratus Technologies assumes no responsibility or obligation of any kind for any errors contained herein or in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this document. Software described in Stratus documents (a) is the property of Stratus Technologies Bermuda, Ltd. or the third party, (b) is furnished only under license, and (c) may be copied or used only as expressly permitted under the terms of the license. Stratus documentation describes all supported features of the user interfaces and the application programming interfaces (API) developed by Stratus. Any undocumented features of these interfaces are intended solely for use by Stratus personnel and are subject to change without warning. This document is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved. Stratus Technologies grants you limited permission to download and print a reasonable number of copies of this document (or any portions thereof), without change, for your internal use only, provided you retain all copyright notices and other restrictive legends and/or notices appearing in the copied document. Stratus, the Stratus logo, ftserver, Continuum, Continuous Processing, StrataLINK, and StrataNET are registered trademarks of Stratus Technologies Bermuda, Ltd. The Stratus Technologies logo, the Stratus 24 x 7 logo, ActiveService, Automated Uptime, ftscalable, and ftmessaging are trademarks of Stratus Technologies Bermuda, Ltd. VMware, vsphere, ESX, ESXi, vcenter Server, and vmotion are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. The registered trademark Linux is used pursuant to a sublicense from the Linux Mark Institute, the exclusive licensee of Linus Torvalds, owner of the mark on a world-wide basis. FLEXlm is a registered trademark of Macrovision Corporation. Manual Name: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems: Installation and Configuration Part Number: R004E Revision Number: 03 Software Release Number: Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems, Release Publication Date: December 2012 Stratus Technologies, Inc. 111 Powdermill Road Maynard, Massachusetts Stratus Technologies Bermuda, Ltd. All rights reserved.

3 Contents Preface ix 1. Overview 1-1 Installation Overview 1-2 Installation Media 1-4 Supported Hardware and Firmware 1-5 Gathering Information 1-6 Pre-Installation Checklist 1-9 Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs 1-11 Overview of an Installation Using the VTM Console 1-12 Pre-Installation Checklist for an Installation Using the VTM Console 1-13 Tips for Using the VTM Console 1-13 Beginning an Installation Using the VTM Console 1-14 ftserver System Terminology 1-14 Acronyms and Definitions 1-15 Additional Documentation and Resources 1-16 VMware vsphere Documentation 1-16 Stratus ftserver System Documentation Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-1 Booting the System to Install the Software on Internal Disks 2-2 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks 2-4 Installing VMware ESXi on Internal Disks 2-5 Configuring Network and System Settings for the ESXi Host 2-7 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance 2-10 Deploying the ftsys Management Appliance from vsphere Client 2-10 Configuring Network and Time Zone Settings for the ftsys Management Appliance 2-12 Configuring Automated Uptime Layer for Continuous Uptime 2-15 Contents iii

4 Contents Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation 2-20 Determining the Current IP Addresses for the VTM Ports 2-24 Configuring Static IP Addresses for the VTM Ports Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation 3-1 Connecting the Fibre Channel Cables 3-2 Creating LUNs on the External Storage System 3-3 Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches 3-4 Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System Installing the System Software on External Storage 4-1 Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage 4-2 Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-1 Verifying the Installation 5-2 Configuring System Management Options 5-7 Configuring VTMs for Remote System Management 5-8 Configuring vsphere Client for Remote System Management 5-8 Configuring SSH for Remote System Management 5-9 Configuring Network Interfaces 5-9 Configuring the ASN Modem 5-10 Adding Fault-Tolerant Utilities to PATH 5-11 Specifying the ESXi Host for Execution of VMware Commands 5-11 Configuring VMware Components and Creating Virtual Machines 5-12 Installing the QLogic CIM Provider and vcenter Server Plug-in 5-12 Installing Updates and Patches on the ESXi Host 5-13 Using the ftadmin User Account 5-15 Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance 5-16 Transferring Files Into the Appliance by Using an SCP Utility 5-17 Transferring Files Into the Appliance by Using vsphere Client 5-17 iv Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

5 Contents 6. Configuring the VTMs 6-1 Preparing to Configure the VTMs 6-2 Configuring the VTMs 6-2 Using the VTMConfig Utility 6-3 Configuring Static IP Addresses for VTM Ethernet Ports 6-6 Configuring the VTM Administrator Account 6-7 Configuring the VTMs to Use AD and LDAP 6-8 Displaying VTM Settings with the ftsmaint Command 6-11 Testing the VTM Network Configuration 6-12 Using the VTM Console Configuring ASN Support 7-1 Preparing to Configure the ASN 7-2 Configuring the ASN 7-3 Modifying an ASN Configuration 7-4 Testing the Alert Configuration 7-5 Running the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool 7-6 Preserving Alerts 7-7 Changing Node Configurations 7-8 Configuring Your System for Internet CAC Connections 7-9 Installed ASN Components 7-11 Using Basic ASN Updating ftserver System Firmware 8-1 Preparing to Update Firmware 8-2 Updating BMC Firmware 8-2 Updating the System BIOS Upgrading Automated Uptime Layer 9-1 Upgrade Overview 9-2 Pre-Upgrade Checklist 9-3 Upgrading Your System Software 9-4 Contents v

6 Contents Appendix A. Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-1 Overview of Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-1 Downloading the PowerChute Network Shutdown Software A-3 Connecting a UPS to the ftserver System A-3 Configuring the UPS A-4 Installing PCNS on the ftserver System A-8 Registering the ftserver System with the UPS A-9 Configuring the PCNS User Interface A-11 Verifying the PCNS Configuration A-12 Configuring Virtual Machines for Automatic Shutdown A-13 Protecting Against Data Loss After a Medium Power Loss A-15 Appendix B. End-User License Agreements for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems B-1 Stratus Technologies ftserver Software End-User License Agreement B-2 GNU General Public License (GPL) B-7 GNU Lesser General Public License B-14 Oracle Java License B-24 Index Index-1 vi Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

7 Tables Table 1-1. Installation Media 1-4 Table 1-2. VMware ESXi Installation Worksheet 1-6 Table 1-3. ftsys Management Appliance Worksheet 1-7 Table 1-4. Acronyms and Definitions 1-15 Table 1-5. ftserver System-Specific Documentation 1-18 Table 3-1. Related Documentation for Configuring External Storage 3-2 Table 6-1. VTMConfig Settings 6-4 Table 7-1. Firewall Access 7-10 Table 8-1. BMC Version Requirements for ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems 8-2 Table 8-2. Location of BMC Image Files 8-3 Table 8-3. BIOS Requirements for ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems 8-6 Table 8-4. Location of BIOS Image Files 8-6 Table A-1. Recommended UPS Shutdown Parameters A-4 Table A-2. Recommended UPS Shutdown Behavior Parameters A-7 Table A-3. Recommended UPS Administrator Settings A-7 Tables vii

8 Tables viii Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

9 Preface Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems: Installation and Configuration (R004E) documents how to install VMware ESXi together with Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere and initially configure your ftserver 2700, 4700, or 6400 system. This document is intended for system administrators who install and maintain ftserver systems. To understand the information and procedures in this manual, you need to understand basic VMware vsphere and Linux system administration. Revision Information This document is a revision. It incorporates the following changes: Support for ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 systems. Support for VMware ESXi 5.1 and Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems, Release Updated procedures for installing VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer, particularly for installing the system remotely by using the Virtual Technician Module (VTM) console, as described in Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs on page 1-11 and Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation on page New information about using the ft-verify utility and installing the QLogic CIM provider and plug-in, as described in Chapter 5, Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations. New information about configuring Active Directory (AD) and the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) settings for the VTM console, as described in Chapter 6, Configuring the VTMs. New information about opting in or out of sending basic health information about your ftserver system to Stratus over the ActiveService Network (ASN) in Using Basic ASN on page Updated information about upgrading the BMC and BIOS firmware in Chapter 8, Updating ftserver System Firmware. New information about upgrading Automated Uptime Layer to newer releases in Chapter 9, Upgrading Automated Uptime Layer. Updated information about configuring an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in Appendix A, Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System. Preface ix

10 Preface Notation Conventions This document uses the notation conventions described in this section. Warnings, Cautions, and Notes Warnings, cautions, and notes provide special information and have the following meanings:! WARNING A warning indicates a situation where failure to take or avoid a specified action could cause bodily harm or loss of life.! CAUTION A caution indicates a situation where failure to take or avoid a specified action could damage a hardware device, program, system, or data. VTM NOTE A VTM note provides information about controlling your ftserver system from a remote management system by using the Web-based Virtual Technician Module (VTM) console. NOTE A note provides important information about the operation of an ftserver system. Typographical Conventions The following typographical conventions are used in this document: The bold font emphasizes words in text or indicates the name of a screen object in a Graphical User Interface. For example: Update the BIOS before you install or upgrade the system software. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab. The italic font introduces or defines new terms. For example: ftserver systems use replicated, fault-tolerant hardware to eliminate single points of failure and protect data integrity. x Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

11 Preface The monospace font represents text that would appear on your display screen when working in a text-based console. The monospace bold font represents text you must type in examples that contain both user input and system output. The monospace italic font represents terms in command lines that are to be replaced by literal values. For example: To display the state of a CPU enclosure, type a command in the following format: /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls n If you type /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 0 at the prompt, the following output appears: H/W Path : 0 Description : Combined CPU/IO... The percent sign (%), dollar sign ($), and number sign (#) are default prompt signs that have a specific meaning at the command prompt of a Linux- or VMware vsphere-based system. Although a prompt is sometimes shown at the beginning of a command line as it would appear on the screen, you do not type it. % or $ indicates you are logged in to a standard user account and are subject to certain access limitations. The prompt displayed on the screen depends on your shell environment (for example, csh (%) or bash ($)). # indicates you are logged in to the system administrator account and have superuser access. Users of this account are referred to as root. The # prompt sign used in an example indicates the command can be issued only by root. Syntax Notation This document uses the following format conventions for documenting commands: Square brackets ([ ]) enclose command-argument choices that are optional. For example: cflow [-r] [-ix] [-i] [-d num] files The vertical bar ( ) separates mutually exclusive arguments from which you choose one. For example, the following shows two mutually exclusive, but optional, arguments: command [arg1 arg2] Preface xi

12 Preface The following example shows two mutually exclusive arguments, one of which is required: command arg1 arg2 In either case, you may use either arg1 or arg2 when you type the command. An ellipsis (...) indicates that you can specify the preceding argument as many times as you need to on a single command line. For example: command [arg1 arg2 arg3...] NOTE Dots, brackets, and braces are not literal characters; you should not type them. Any list or set of arguments can contain more than two elements. Brackets and braces are sometimes nested. Getting Help If you have a technical question about ftserver system hardware or software, try these online resources first: Online documentation at the StrataDOC Web site. Stratus provides complimentary access to StrataDOC, an online-documentation service that enables you to view, search, download, and print customer documentation. You can access StrataDOC at the Web site. A copy of the StrataDOC CD-ROM for your system is included with this release. To order additional copies of the StrataDOC CD-ROM or to obtain copies of printed manuals, do one of the following: If you are in North America, call the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) at (800) or (800) , 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are located outside North America, contact your nearest Stratus sales office, CAC office, or distributor; for CAC phone numbers outside the U.S, see Online support from Stratus Customer Service. You can find the latest technical information about an ftserver system through online product support at the Customer Support Web site, Online product support for VMware vsphere products. You can find the latest technical information about VMware vsphere through online product support at the VMware Support Web site, xii Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

13 Preface If you are unable to resolve your questions with the help available at these online sites, and the ftserver system is covered by a service agreement, please contact the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) or your authorized Stratus service representative. For information about how to contact the CAC, see the Web site. Commenting on the Documentation To provide corrections and suggestions on the documentation, send your comments in one of the following ways: By clicking the site feedback link at the bottom of a Help topic. Information to identify the topic is supplied in the StrataDOC Web Site Feedback form. By to Comments@stratus.com. If it is possible, please include specific information about the documentation on which you are commenting: For a printed document or a document in PDF format, include the title and part number from the Notice page and the page numbers. For online documentation, include the Help subject and topic title. This information will assist Stratus Information Development in making any needed changes to the ftserver system documentation. Your assistance is most appreciated. Preface xiii

14 Preface xiv Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

15 Chapter 1 Overview1- The following topics provide an overview of the installation process and provide supporting information for the tasks described elsewhere in this guide: Installation Overview on page 1-2 Gathering Information on page 1-6 Pre-Installation Checklist on page 1-9 Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs on page 1-11 ftserver System Terminology on page 1-14 Acronyms and Definitions on page 1-15 Additional Documentation and Resources on page 1-16 Although you follow the instructions in this manual to install VMware ESXi, see the VMware vsphere Installation and Setup guide for additional requirements and information related to the installation process. Also, be sure to read the VMware vsphere Release Notes and the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E) before you begin an initial installation or a reinstallation of VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer. For information about installing or configuring all other software components of VMware vsphere, see the VMware vsphere documentation. Overview 1-1

16 Installation Overview Installation Overview To prepare for installing the system software on an ftserver system, you must: Install the ftserver system hardware Review the following information: Installation Media on page 1-4 Supported Hardware and Firmware on page 1-5 Perform some pre-installation tasks, as described in Gathering Information on page 1-6 and Pre-Installation Checklist on page 1-9. After you have performed these tasks, you can install the system software on one or more of the following devices: Service disk (validation disk) A service disk is an internal SAS disk drive that contains a bootable copy of the system software for validation and troubleshooting purposes. You must create a service disk for any configuration that boots from external storage. Having this disk ensures that your service representative can provide assistance in a timely manner in the event of a service call. You can create a service disk before or after configuring the external storage system, but by creating this disk first, you can verify that your system hardware is functioning properly before you attempt to connect the external storage system. For information about creating a service disk, see Chapter 2, Installing the System Software on Internal Disks. For information about using a service disk, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). Mirrored internal disks You can create a fault-tolerant production system by installing the system software on a mirrored pair of internal SAS disks, as described in Chapter 2, Installing the System Software on Internal Disks. In this configuration, you may also initialize additional mirrored pairs of internal disks for data (or attach an external storage system for the same purpose after installation). NOTE Although you may create datastores on internal disks, it is best to put your virtual machine datastores on external Fibre Channel storage for optimal performance. 1-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

17 Installation Overview External storage system You can create a fault-tolerant configuration that boots from external storage by installing the system software on a specially prepared LUN of an external storage system. You connect the storage system and prepare the LUN as described in Chapter 3, Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation. Then, install the software as described in Chapter 4, Installing the System Software on External Storage. The software installation process is nearly identical for each type of configuration. The process requires minutes and involves the following general steps: 1. Boot the system from the VMware ESXi DVD to install VMware ESXi. 2. When prompted, reboot the system to start VMware ESXi, then set basic parameters, including the host name and network settings. 3. From vsphere Client on a management system, open a connection to the ESXi host and deploy the ftsys Management Appliance, a virtual machine that contains most of the Automated Uptime Layer components and management software. 4. Start the ftsys Management Appliance, configure its host name and network settings, log on to its system console, and run the ft-install script. 5. Configure settings to establish the connection between the ftsys Management Appliance and the ESXi host, then restart the system. The ft-install script continues to run. It installs Stratus drivers and plug-ins on the ESXi host, and mirrors your system disks, if applicable. 6. Restart the system one more time to enable the Stratus software and automatically restart the ftsys Management Appliance.! CAUTION Chapter 2 and Chapter 4 describe a full installation or reinstallation of VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer. It is assumed that no valuable data exists on the target disk or LUN. The installation procedure will destroy existing data on the target disk or LUN. If you install the software on a shared storage system with existing LUNs, configure the storage system to present a single LUN to the ftserver system to minimize the risk of destroying valuable data on the existing LUNs. For more information, see Chapter 3, Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation. Overview 1-3

18 Installation Overview After you finish the software installation and successfully enable the ftsys Management Appliance, you need to perform some post-installation steps, as described in: Chapter 5, Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations Chapter 6, Configuring the VTMs Chapter 7, Configuring ASN Support Appendix A, Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System Installation Media Table 1-1 lists the installation media that is included with your ftserver system. Table 1-1. Installation Media Media Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems Stratus ftserver StrataDOC (VMware Version) Guest operating systems Contents Stratus fault-tolerant system software and the ftsys Management Appliance. System hardware and software documentation, including this manual, in Adobe PDF and HTML formats. Microsoft Windows or Red Hat Enterprise Linux for installation in virtual machines. For more information about guest operating system support on ftserver systems, search for the Partner Name Stratus in the VMware Hardware Compatibility Guide at The software distribution also includes a printed VMware Software License Activation Code Certificate for VMware ESXi and each VMware vsphere software component that you ordered from Stratus. Before starting the installation process, perform the following procedure to register and download the software for use. To obtain the VMware software that you ordered from Stratus 1. Register your activation code(s) on the VMware Web site, as described on the license code certificates. After you register, you receive a confirmation that contains product license keys (or serial numbers) and Web links where you can download the software that you ordered. 1-4 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

19 Installation Overview 2. Download each of the VMware software components from the supplied Web links. To install your ftserver system for the first time, at a minimum, download the VMware ESXi 5.1 ISO file. You can download any other VMware vsphere software at your convenience. 3. Copy the ISO files to a system that contains a DVD burner, and burn the images to DVDs. See the help for your DVD burning software for more information. 4. If applicable, set up a vcenter Server system to manage the license keys you received during registration, or prepare to enter a VMware ESXi license key in vsphere Client after installation. See the VMware vsphere documentation for more information. NOTE Keep your Software License Activation Code Certificates, license keys, and serial numbers in a safe place. You may need them even after the initial software installation for reinstallation or upgrade purposes. Supported Hardware and Firmware You can install VMware ESXi together with Automated Uptime Layer only on ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 systems. Do not attempt to install this software combination on an ftserver system that does not support it. Automated Uptime Layer works together with ftserver firmware that has been designed to support fault tolerance. Specific Automated Uptime Layer releases may require corresponding updates to the system BIOS or baseboard management controller (BMC) firmware. For more information about your system, including procedures for general system operation and instructions for interpreting the system s light-emitting diode (LED) indicators, see the operation and maintenance guide for your system, as listed in Table 1-5. For information about obtaining the appropriate firmware files for your system and updating the BIOS or BMC firmware, see Chapter 8, Updating ftserver System Firmware. Overview 1-5

20 Gathering Information Gathering Information Before you start the installation process, record the following site-specific settings that you configure during the initial installation process. Optionally, print Table 1-2 and Table 1-3 and use them as worksheets to record each value. Table 1-2 shows the network and locale settings you need for the initial configuration of VMware ESXi. Table 1-2. VMware ESXi Installation Worksheet (Page 1 of 2) Setting Description Entry Root password Password to set for the default root user account of the ESXi host. When configuring a service disk, consider setting the root password to ftserver. Using this standard password makes it easier for the CAC or your authorized Stratus service provider to access your system in the event of a service call. IP address IP address for the VMware ESXi host. You connect to this IP address or the host name of your ESXi host to configure and manage your system. The ftsys Management Appliance also requires the IP address or host name of your ESXi host to manage the continuous uptime of your system; therefore, a static configuration is highly recommended. If you change the IP address or host name of your system after installation, you need to update the configuration of the ftsys Management Appliance as described in the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). (If you still choose to use DHCP, you may skip the remaining settings in this table.) Subnet mask Subnetwork mask for your network. 1-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

21 Gathering Information Table 1-2. VMware ESXi Installation Worksheet (Page 2 of 2) Setting Description Entry Default gateway IP address for the gateway to your network. DNS servers IP addresses for the primary and secondary domain name system (DNS) servers on your network. Specify at least one DNS server. Primary DNS server: Secondary DNS server: DNS suffixes Host name DNS domains that the ESXi host searches for unqualified hostnames. The DNS suffix for your ESXi host is included automatically. Fully qualified host name for the ESXi host. See the description for IP address in this table for related information. Table 1-3 shows the settings you need for the initial configuration of the ftsys Management Appliance and Automated Uptime Layer. Table 1-3. ftsys Management Appliance Worksheet (Page 1 of 2) Setting Installation Text and Description Entry Root password Password to set for the default root user account of the ftsys Management Appliance. When configuring a service disk, consider keeping the root password ftserver, which is set by default. Using this standard password makes it easier for the CAC or your authorized Stratus service provider to access your system in the event of a service call. Overview 1-7

22 Gathering Information Table 1-3. ftsys Management Appliance Worksheet (Page 2 of 2) Setting Installation Text and Description Entry IP address IP address for the ftsys Management Appliance. You can connect to this IP address or the host name of the appliance to configure and manage your system; therefore, a static configuration is highly recommended for ease of accessibility. (Alternatively, if you use DHCP, you may skip the IP address, network mask, gateway, and DNS server settings in this table.) Subnet mask Subnetwork mask for your network. Default gateway IP address for the gateway to your network. Host name Fully qualified host name for the ftsys Management Appliance. For example, ftsysmgt-hostname.xyz.com, where hostname is the host name of the ESXi host. DNS servers See the description for IP address in this table for related information IP addresses for the primary and secondary domain name system (DNS) servers on your network. Specify at least one DNS server. Primary DNS server: Secondary DNS server: Time zone Time zone for your locale. 1-8 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

23 Pre-Installation Checklist Pre-Installation Checklist The following checklist is provided for an initial installation or a full reinstallation of VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer: Check that you have current release notes and installation guides for your distribution. To restore your installation, make sure you have the appropriate version of the release level that you will restore. The Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E), on the Stratus ftserver StrataDOC (VMware Version) CD, and the VMware vsphere Release Notes, in the VMware ESXi distribution, provide the information that you need. You can also find the latest updates online at and Install the system hardware as described in the hardware installation guide for your system (listed in Table 1-5). Ensure that the keyboard, mouse, and monitor are firmly attached to the system for the installation process. Prepare to accept the end-user license agreements (EULAs) that are presented during the installation process. You can read the text of EULAs required for the Automated Uptime Layer installation in Appendix B, End-User License Agreements for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems. You should not perform the installation if you cannot accept the EULAs or are not authorized to accept them. The installation process terminates if you decline a required EULA. Consider whether or not to allow your system to automatically send system health updates to Stratus over a secure Internet connection. You are prompted to enable or disable this basic ASN service during the software installation. However, to realize the full benefits of ASN support, which includes continuous uptime and prompt service in the event of a service call, you must fully configure your ASN connection after the installation, as described in Chapter 7 of this manual and in the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072). If your system configuration includes an ASN modem, consider attaching the modem before the installation process, as described in the hardware installation guide. If the modem is attached, Automated Uptime Layer automatically configures it for use when you configure the ftsys Management Appliance. If you attach the ASN modem after installation, you need to manually configure it as described in Configuring the ASN Modem on page If you are reinstalling a release, back up any data files and prepare backup files to reconfigure the system for security and network operation after the installation procedure is complete. Overview 1-9

24 Pre-Installation Checklist Verify that your BMC and BIOS firmware versions are compatible with the Automated Uptime Layer release you are about to install. The firmware in an ftserver system delivered from the factory does not need updating; however, subsequent reinstallations or updates of VMware ESXi or Automated Uptime Layer may require that you update your system s firmware. If you are reinstalling the system software, update the firmware before you begin the installation process. For information about updating your BMC or BIOS firmware, see Chapter 8. If your system is connected to a first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system, verify that the firmware on your storage system is compatible with the release you are about to install. For information about the minimum ftscalable Storage firmware revisions for this release, see the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E). With the ftserver system halted, detach all peripheral devices from the system, except for a supported external storage system, if it is already connected. Devices to detach include: Unsupported PCI adapters USB devices (except keyboard and mouse) Other serial devices (including external modems) NOTE The installation process cannot accommodate the presence of customer-added or unknown hardware. Add any such hardware, and configure the system to support it, only after completing the installation and verifying that the system functions as expected. Ensure that only the left embedded 1-Gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) port (labeled port 1) in each CPU- I O enclosure has an active network connection for the installation process. The installation process uses these ports to create a default vswitch0 for your ESXi host. You can modify the default configuration or configure the remaining embedded Ethernet ports after the installation, as described in the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). For a diagram showing the location of the embedded 1GbE ports, see the operation and maintenance guide for your system, as listed in Table Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

25 Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs Verify that the upper enclosure is the active enclosure. The installation procedure includes the instructions for making the upper enclosure the active enclosure. If you are reinstalling the system software on internal disk drives, and the Virtual Machine File System (VMFS) datastore on your system disk contains virtual machines or data files, migrate or back up this data to another VMFS datastore before the installation. The data is overwritten when you install VMware ESXi on internal disks. VMware ESXi cannot natively read the Stratus MPM disk format, which is supported only after you install Automated Uptime Layer. If you insert system disks that contain MPM volumes, the ESXi installation program cannot read them and does not offer the choice of preserving existing VMFS datastores. If you are installing or reinstalling the system software on an external storage enclosure, ensure that the installation LUN is at least 25 GB in size. Also, if an existing VMFS datastore on your installation LUN contains virtual machines or data, consider migrating or backing up the data to another VMFS datastore before the installation. When you install VMware ESXi, the installation program creates a 4 GB /scratch partition in which to store the system log files. If there is insufficient space on the installation LUN to create this /scratch partition, the system log files are stored on the system ramdisk, where they will not persist upon reboot. To avoid this problem, ensure that the installation LUN has sufficient space, and, if possible, avoid preserving an existing VMFS datastore during the installation process. Otherwise, if the installation fails to create the /scratch partition, you need to reinstall the system software to correct the problem. Before performing an installation on an external storage enclosure, remove any internal disks (including the service disk) from the system. Then, configure the external storage system as explained in Chapter 3. Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs You can optionally log on to the VTM console from a remote management system to complete the installation. Using the VTM console may be particularly helpful if you maintain several ftserver systems and you prefer to complete the installation from your office or a remote location, though completing an installation is simpler at the local system console. When installing VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer over the VTMs, you use the VTM console only for the installation and initial configuration of VMware ESXi. You subsequently deploy the ftsys Management Appliance and configure the system from vsphere Client and other utilities. Overview 1-11

26 Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs To prepare for an installation using the VTM console, see the following topics: Overview of an Installation Using the VTM Console on page 1-12 Pre-Installation Checklist for an Installation Using the VTM Console on page 1-13 Tips for Using the VTM Console on page 1-13 Beginning an Installation Using the VTM Console on page 1-14 Then, configure the VTMs for remote software installation and complete the installation as described in Chapter 2. See Chapter 6 and Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642) for additional information about configuring and using the VTMs. Overview of an Installation Using the VTM Console To install the system software from the VTM console, you perform the following general steps: 1. Power-on the ftserver system and open the system BIOS setup utility to set boot properties necessary for installation. Then, open the BMC Configuration Menu to display or set the IP addresses for the VTM ports in your system. Power down the system. (If you are installing several ftserver systems, consider completing this step on each system before returning to your remote management PC for the installation.) 2. From a remote management PC, log on to the primary VTM of the system to which you are installing the system software. Set the Remote Media feature of the VTM console as the boot device for your ftserver system. Then, open a Remote KVM session and use the Remote Media feature to connect the VMware ESXi installation media on your PC to the ftserver system. 3. In the VTM console, power-on the ftserver system and monitor the Remote KVM session as the ftserver system boots. 4. After the ftserver system boots from the VMware ESXi media, complete the base system software installation in the Remote KVM session. 5. When the software installation instructs you to remove the installation DVD from the system, disconnect the Remote Media session in the VTM console. 6. Reboot the system to start the newly installed VMware ESXi system software. Continue by deploying the ftsys Management Appliance from vsphere Client Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

27 Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs Pre-Installation Checklist for an Installation Using the VTM Console The following checklist is provided for an initial installation or a full reinstallation of the system software over VTMs: Locate a management PC with a network connection, a Web browser, and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE ). Ensure that your management PC and browser meet the requirements for the VTM console in the Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642). Unless you are installing the system software from ISO image files, verify that the management PC has a physical DVD drive for the installation media. Optionally, reserve two static IP address for the VTMs in your ftserver system (if you do not want to use DHCP). Tips for Using the VTM Console While performing an installation using the VTM console, note the following: Before anyone (including the CAC or your authorized Stratus service representative) starts a Remote KVM session to remotely connect to the console of the ftserver system, make sure that no local users are using the ftserver system s keyboard and mouse. Otherwise, competition for control of the desktop will occur. Log on to the VTM console on the primary, active CPU- I O enclosure (the enclosure on which you will install the software) to use the Remote KVM and Remote Media features. The installation procedure describes how to log on to the primary VTM, and, if necessary, how to force a specific enclosure to be the primary enclosure. Any time the active CPU- I O enclosure changes, the primary VTM becomes the secondary VTM. If the software installation is in progress from a DVD or ISO image file connected through the Remote Media feature, the connection drops and the installation fails. You need to start the installation again, ensuring that you are connected to the primary VTM. Before ejecting and changing the physical media on your management PC, you must disconnect any active Remote Media connections to these devices. Also, you must avoid disconnecting Remote Media when the ftserver system is accessing the media. If applicable, eject the media on the ftserver system before closing the Remote Media connection. If a Remote KVM session appears blank or frozen, you might need to wait a minute or so for the screen to be updated, or close and reopen the Remote KVM session to refresh the screen. For example, when the system first boots and the video subsystem is inactive, the Remote KVM window sometimes displays a previously cached screen. Remote KVM updates the screen within a minute or so. If the screen still does not update, verify that you are logged on to the primary VTM. Overview 1-13

28 ftserver System Terminology For additional notes about VTM console behavior and usage, see the Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642). Beginning an Installation Using the VTM Console To continue preparing your ftserver system and configuring the settings necessary to install the system software through the VTM console, follow the instructions in Chapter 2. VTM NOTE As you perform the installation, VTM notes like this one direct you to complete tasks in the VTM console. ftserver System Terminology Understanding basic ftserver system terminology will help you understand the information and administrative procedures in this manual. Each ftserver system contains two CPU-I/O enclosures. Each CPU- I Oenclosure includes a CPU element and an I/O element, as follows: CPU element 0 and I/O element 10: The upper enclosure, also referred to as CPU-0, I/O-10. CPU element 1 and I/O element 11: The lower enclosure, also referred to as CPU-1, I/O-11. For additional information about the design of your ftserver system, including an overview of system components and customer replaceable units (CRUs), see the manuals described in Stratus ftserver System Documentation on page Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

29 Acronyms and Definitions Acronyms and Definitions Table 1-4 lists definitions of terms and acronyms used to describe tasks for installing, configuring, and upgrading Automated Uptime Layer. Table 1-4. Acronyms and Definitions Acronym ASM ASN BIOS BMC CAC CRU DST EFD EULA FC ftsss HBA HTTP HTTPS IPL IPMI LED LUN Mbps MIB RAIDar RPM Expanded Name ActiveService Manager ActiveService Network Basic input/output system Baseboard Management Controller Customer Assistance Center Customer-Replaceable Unit Daylight Saving Time, or summer time Enterprise Flash Drive End-User License Agreement Fibre Channel ftserver System Software (also known as Automated Uptime Layer) Host Bus Adapter Hypertext Transfer Protocol Hypertext Transfer Protocol (Secure) Initial Program Load Intelligent Platform Management Interface Light-Emitting Diode Logical Unit Number. In this document, LUN and volume are interchangeable terms for addressable storage entities on external storage systems. Megabits per second SNMP Management Information Base ftscalable Storage system management tool Red Hat Package Manager Overview 1-15

30 Additional Documentation and Resources Table 1-4. Acronyms and Definitions (Continued) Acronym SAN SCP SNMP SSD SSH SSL UTC USB VMFS VTM WWN Expanded Name Storage Area Network Secure Copy Protocol Simple Network Management Protocol Solid-State Drive Secure Shell Protocol Secure Sockets Layer Coordinated Universal Time Universal Serial Bus Virtual Machine File System Virtual Technician Module World-Wide Name Additional Documentation and Resources The following resources provide additional information that may be helpful to you in setting up your ftserver system: VMware vsphere Documentation on page 1-16 Stratus ftserver System Documentation on page 1-17 VMware vsphere Documentation Documentation for VMware vsphere is available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and HTML format at the following location: You can also access online Help when you are using the vsphere Client utility Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

31 Additional Documentation and Resources Stratus ftserver System Documentation The ftserver StrataDOC CD provided with your system contains all of the system documentation for ftserver systems that run VMware vsphere. The documentation is provided in PDF and HTML format for viewing and printing. To view the documentation, insert the StrataDOC CD into a management PC or other system that has a Web browser and Adobe Reader (for PDF files). The files must be read directly from the CD. You cannot copy them to a hard drive. To mount the StrataDOC CD on a Windows-based system The CD or DVD drive must be mapped to D: drive. When you insert the StrataDOC CD, it autostarts and StrataDOC opens automatically in your Web browser. If autostart is disabled, double-click the index.htm file in the top-level directory of the CD to start. To mount the StrataDOC CD on a Linux-based system On a Linux-based system, the CD or DVD drive must be mounted to /media/cdrecorder. For example: 1. Insert the StrataDOC CD into the DVD drive of a Linux system. 2. On a system that supports automount, the system software may automatically mount the CD to /media/cdrecorder. If your system does not support the automount feature, or if it automatically mounts the CD to a different location, unmount any existing CD mounts. Then execute commands similar to the following to create a mount point, and mount the CD in the correct location: # mkdir /media/cdrecorder # mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrecorder 3. Double-click the StrataDOC CD on the desktop or in the Computer browser. 4. Double-click the index.htm file on the StrataDOC CD. If applicable, click Display to display the contents of the file. The documentation opens in a Web browser. Note that you cannot access StrataDOC at the local console of the ftserver System because VMware ESXi is not a standard operating system environment and it has no graphical user interface. However, you can use vsphere Client to connect the StrataDOC CD to a virtual machine running the Windows or Linux operating system, and mount it as described. You can also access StrataDOC (VMware Version) online at the following URL: Overview 1-17

32 Additional Documentation and Resources This manual occasionally refers to other documentation that is specific to your particular ftserver system. Table 1-5 lists the system-specific documentation. This documentation is available on the ftserver StrataDOC CD. Table 1-5. ftserver System-Specific Documentation Manual Stratus ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems: Installation Guide (R668) Stratus ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems: Operation and Maintenance Guide (R667) Description Describes how to install and set up your ftserver system. A printed copy of this manual is included in the shipment with your ftserver system. Documents how to operate, diagnose, and maintain your ftserver system. It explains how to remove and replace CRUs and how to interpret system operational status based on the state of the LEDs Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

33 Chapter 2 Installing the System Software on Internal Disks2- This chapter describes how to perform an initial installation or complete reinstallation of VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer on internal disk drives. You install the system software on internal SAS disks to: Create a service disk for systems that boot from external storage systems Configure your system to boot from mirrored, internal disks for production use (with or without external storage systems for datastores) The installation procedure is similar for either case. It lasts minutes and requires the VMware ESXi DVD and the Automated Uptime Layer DVD.! CAUTION The VMware ESXi installation destroys all data on the target disks. Before beginning the installation, make sure that you have completed the tasks in the Pre-Installation Checklist on page 1-9. Then, install or reinstall VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer as described in the following sections: Booting the System to Install the Software on Internal Disks on page 2-2 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks on page 2-4 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance on page 2-10 If you are installing the system software using the VTM console, the preceding installation procedures also direct you to configure the VTM console as described in: Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs on page 1-11 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation on page 2-20 Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-1

34 Booting the System to Install the Software on Internal Disks Booting the System to Install the Software on Internal Disks Perform the following steps to boot the system and to begin installing the system software. 1. Ensure that the system is configured according to the instructions in Pre-Installation Checklist on page 1-9 and that it is powered down. 2. Insert the SAS disks into the internal disk slots of the ftserver system, as follows: If you are creating a service disk, insert a single SAS disk into the upper left-hand slot of the upper CPU- I O enclosure. (A service disk does not require a mirrored partner disk, as it is not intended for production use.) If you are installing the system software onto internal disks for production use, insert a SAS disk into the upper left-hand slot of each CPU- I Oenclosure. Ensure that the disks are a matched pair of the same model, firmware level, and geometry. Unlatch all other internal disks until the ft-install script has run and the system reboots.! CAUTION Insert only one or two system disks in the slots described for the system software installation. Unlatch all other internal disks. Your installation may fail if you install additional data disks (for example, if you are upgrading from a previous release).! CAUTION The SAS disks you install need not be blank, but any data on them will be overwritten by the initialization and installation process. 3. If your system is connected to an external storage system, disconnect the optical Fibre Channel cables from the HBAs at the rear of the ftserver system.! CAUTION If you have already installed software or other data on an external storage system, it is important to disconnect the FC cables to prevent installing the system software over an existing installation. The installation process destroys all data on the target installation disk. 4. Verify that the PRIMARY LED on the upper CPU- I O enclosure is lit, indicating that the upper enclosure is the active (primary) enclosure. Then lift the power-switch cover and press the switch for 2 or 3 seconds to start up the system. 2-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

35 Booting the System to Install the Software on Internal Disks If the lower CPU- I O enclosure is the one whose PRIMARY LED is lit, follow these steps to make the upper enclosure the active enclosure. a. Remove the power cord from the lower enclosure for 10 seconds. b. Reinsert the power cord. c. Lift the power-switch cover and press the power switch for 2 or 3 seconds to restart the system. (Although the upper enclosure is the active enclosure for the installation, both enclosures need to be present and running during the installation process.) 5. Put the VMware ESXi DVD into the DVD drive. The system boots from this DVD. VTM NOTE If you are installing the system software using the VTM console, you connect the remote installation media to the ftserver system in a later step. 6. As the system begins to boot, and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F2 to enter the system BIOS setup utility. The system may require a minute or so to continue scanning option ROMs before displaying the Main tab of the utility. (In the system BIOS setup utility, use the arrow keys to navigate the menu options.) 7. On the Advanced tab, select PCI Configuration and press Enter to view the option ROM settings. Set the option ROM value for any PCI slot that contains a Fibre Channel HBA adapter (boot or non-boot) to Disabled. Disabling these option ROMs prevents the system from booting from an external storage enclosure. 8. In the PCI Configuration settings, set the SAS Option ROM Scan value to Enabled. Enabling this option ROM allows the system to boot from an internal disk drive. 9. On the Server tab, select OS Boot Monitoring, and set the value to Disabled. Use the plus-sign key (+) or minus-sign key (-) to change the value. Disabling boot monitoring prevents the system from restarting due to inactivity during the installation. 10. Set the internal DVD drive as the first boot device, as follows: VTM NOTE If you are installing the system software using the VTM console, skip to step 11. You set the boot device for remote installation in the VTM console in a later step. a. On the Boot tab, select Boot Option #1, and press Enter. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-3

36 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks b. Use the arrow keys to select the DVD-RAM option from the list of boot devices, and press Enter. c. If applicable, select other Boot Option Priorities as described in steps a and b. You can set the boot order for up to four devices. 11. After you have completed all changes in the system BIOS setup utility, press F4. In the Save & Exit Setup dialog box, select Yes and press Enter to save the new settings and continue booting the system. 12. To continue starting the system for installation, do one of the following: If you are performing the installation at the local console of the ftserver system, continue with step 13 of this section. If you are going to perform the installation using the VTM console, power down the system. To remove power, press the power button for two or three seconds, until the system powers down. Then, go to Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation on page 2-20 to configure additional settings necessary for the installation. 13. If necessary, start or restart the system to boot from the VMware ESXi DVD. When the start-up screens and BIOS POST messages are complete, the system boots from the DVD. 14. On the Boot Menu screen, press Enter to select the ESXi nnnnnn-standard Installer (default) and start the installation program. (If you do not make a selection, the installation program starts automatically in 10 seconds.) The ESXi installer begins to load files necessary for the installation. After a few minutes, the installation program displays a welcome screen. 15. Continue with Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks on page 2-4. Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks Installing and configuring the base system software requires about 30 minutes and includes the following procedures: Installing VMware ESXi on Internal Disks on page 2-5 Configuring Network and System Settings for the ESXi Host on page Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

37 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks Installing VMware ESXi on Internal Disks Perform the following tasks to install VMware ESXi. You can typically complete the installation questionnaire and the installation of the required packages for the default configuration in about 20 minutes. 1. On the Welcome to the VMware ESXi Installation screen, press Enter to continue. 2. On the End User License Agreement (EULA) screen, read the VMware EULA. Press F11 to accept the terms of the agreement and continue. After you accept the EULA, the installation program scans the system and displays a table of internal disks that are available for initialization. 3. When asked to Select a Disk to Install or Upgrade, select the first disk in the list and press Enter to continue. NOTE MPM (mpmn) devices represent the internal disks in your ftserver system despite being categorized as Remote Storage in the ESX Installer. The installer considers any disk that uses the Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) transport as remote storage. If the installation program reports that the disk contains existing data, press Enter again to confirm that you want to overwrite the disk.! CAUTION VMware ESXi cannot natively read the Stratus MPM disk format. If you insert system disks that contain existing MPM volumes, the installation program cannot read them and does not offer the choice of preserving existing VMFS datastores. If you have an existing VMFS datastore on your system disk, migrate or back up any virtual machines or data in the datastore before continuing the installation. 4. On the keyboard layout screen, select the type of keyboard for your system and press Enter. 5. On the root password screen, type and confirm your password, and press Enter. (If you are installing the system software on a service disk, consider setting the root password to ftserver.) 6. The installation program scans the system and verifies your selections. On the Confirm Install page, press F11 to start the software installation. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-5

38 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks 7. After several minutes, the Installation Complete screen is displayed. Remove the VMware ESXi DVD from the ftserver system. VTM NOTE If you are performing the installation over a VTM console connection, disconnect the installation media in the Remote Media window on your management PC. 8. Press Enter to reboot the system. 9. As the system begins to boot, and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F2 to enter the system BIOS setup utility. The system may require a minute or so to continue scanning option ROMs before displaying the Main tab of the utility. (In the system BIOS setup utility, use the arrow keys to navigate the menu options.) 10. Set the internal system disk as the first boot device, as follows: a. On the Boot tab, select Boot Option #1, and press Enter. b. Use the arrow keys to select the internal system disk from the list of boot devices, and press Enter. The boot entry for an internal disk drive includes LUN0 and the Product ID for the disk. For example, the entry appears similar to #0B00 ID09 LUN0 SEAGATE ST9146. c. If applicable, select other Boot Option Priorities as described in steps a and b. You can set the boot order for up to four devices. 11. After you have completed all changes in the system BIOS setup utility, press F4. In the Save & Exit Setup dialog box, select Yes and press Enter to save the new settings and continue booting the system. The system starts booting from an internal disk. After a minute or two, the VMware ESXi home screen is displayed. NOTE If the system fails to boot to the VMware ESXi home screen, and displays an error message Two filesystems with the same UUID have been detected, you may have installed ESXi with data disks inserted in your system. To correct the problem, unlatch all internal disks other than the system disks you inserted into upper left-hand slot of each enclosure, then reboot your system. Reinsert the data disks only after deploying the ftsys Management Appliance and configuring Automated Uptime Layer. If the problem persists, contact 2-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

39 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) or your authorized Stratus service representative. 12. Continue with Configuring Network and System Settings for the ESXi Host. Configuring Network and System Settings for the ESXi Host From this section on, the installation procedures in this chapter also apply to systems that boot from external storage, continued from procedures in Chapter 4, Installing the System Software on External Storage. Except where indicated, the steps to configure the ESXi host and to deploy and configure the ftsys Management Appliance on external storage are identical to those for internal disks. NOTES 1. On some systems, the ESXi home screen may display the following message even though your network environment is functioning properly: Warning: DHCP lookup failed. You may be unable to access this system until you customize its network configuration. The following procedure includes steps to correct this problem and restore connectivity. 2. You must set the network settings you plan to use for your ESXi host before you deploy the ftsys Management Appliance. When you configure the appliance, you need to specify the fully-qualified hostname or IP address of the ESXi host that it manages. If you change this hostname or address after installation, you need to update the appliance configuration as described in the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). 1. On the VMware ESXi home screen, press F2 to customize your system. Type your Login Name (root) and Password, then press Enter to log on. After a few seconds, the System Customization utility is displayed. In this utility, use the arrow keys to select the item you want to configure, and press Enter to open the associated configuration page. See the VMware vsphere documentation for more information about configuring these settings. Use the information you collected in Gathering Information on page 1-6 to complete the following steps. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-7

40 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks 2. To verify the configuration of your network adapters, and, if necessary, restore connectivity, do the following: a. In the System Customization main menu, select Configure Management Network and press Enter. b. In the Configure Management Network menu, select Network Adapters and press Enter. c. In the Network Adapters dialog box, locate the first vmnicn adapter in the list that has a Status of Connected. If you properly connected only the left embedded network port of each CPU- I O enclosure, as described in the Pre-Installation Checklist on page 1-9, this first Connected adapter represents port 1 in the upper enclosure. You need to assign the default management network to this adapter. d. If the check box ([ ]) next to this adapter (port 1 of the upper enclosure) is empty, press the space bar to activate the check box (mark it with an [X]). If the adapter is already the active adapter, skip to step e. e. When you are finished, press Enter to return to the Configure Management Network menu, then press Esc. f. In the Configure Management Network: Confirm dialog box, type Y to save the changes and restart the management network. Network connectivity is restored. 3. To set a static IP address for your ESXi host, do the following: a. In the System Customization main menu, select Configure Management Network and press Enter. b. In the Configure Management Network menu, select IP Configuration and press Enter. (These steps describe how to set an IPv4 address. You can alternatively select IPv6 Configuration to set an IPv6 address.) c. In the IP Configuration dialog box, select Set static IP address and network configuration and press the space bar to activate this option. d. Select IP Address and type the static IP address for the ESXi host. e. Select Subnet Mask and type the subnet mask. f. Select Default Gateway and type the IP address for the default gateway. g. When you are finished, press Enter to return to the Configure Management Network menu. You need to configure additional settings in the following steps. Your changes are not saved and applied until you complete step Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

41 Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks 4. To set a static hostname for your ESXi host and specify DNS servers, do the following: a. In the Configure Management Network menu, select DNS Configuration and press Enter. b. In the DNS Configuration dialog box, select Use the following DNS server addresses and hostname and press the space bar to activate this option. c. Select Primary DNS Server and type the IP address for a DNS server. d. Select Alternate DNS Server and type the IP address for another DNS server. e. Select Hostname and type the fully-qualified hostname for your ESXi host. f. When you are finished, press Enter to return to the Configure Management Network menu. 5. To set DNS domains to search for unqualified hostnames, do the following: a. In the Configure Management Network menu, select Custom DNS Suffixes and press Enter. b. In the Custom DNS Suffixes dialog box, type one or more DNS suffixes. For multiple entries, type a space or comma to separate each entry. c. When you are finished, press Enter to return to the Configure Management Network menu. 6. Modify additional network settings, including VLAN settings, as necessary. 7. To begin saving and applying your network settings, press Esc in the Configure Management Network menu. 8. In the Configure Management Network: Confirm dialog box, type Y to save the changes and restart the management network. 9. To test the changes to your management network configuration, do the following: a. In the System Customization main menu, select Test Management Network and press Enter. b. Press Enter to begin the test. The system automatically pings your default gateway and DNS servers, and resolves your hostname. c. When you are finished, press Enter to return to the System Customization main menu. If the test failed, repeat the steps of this procedure to correct your network settings. 10. If necessary, configure additional settings in the System Customization utility. When you are finished, press Esc to log out. 11. At this point, your ESXi host is available for connections from a remote management system. If you have not already done so, download and install vsphere Client or vcenter Server on a management PC. You need one of these utilities to deploy the ftsys Management Appliance in the next installation procedure. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-9

42 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance To download these utilities, open a Web browser and enter the IP address or fully qualified host name displayed on the VMware ESXi home screen. For example: Then, follow the instructions on the Web page and in the VMware vsphere documentation to install these utilities. 12. Continue with Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance. Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance After you install VMware ESXi, you need to deploy and configure the ftsys Management Appliance to install the Automated Uptime Layer software and enable the continuous uptime of your system. Deploying and configuring the appliance also installs some Stratus drivers and plugins in the base VMware ESXi software. As a result, you need to reboot your system to enable these components. Your system is not fault tolerant until this process is complete and the ftsys Management Appliance is running. Deploying and configuring the appliance requires about 45 minutes and includes the following procedures: Deploying the ftsys Management Appliance from vsphere Client on page 2-10 Configuring Network and Time Zone Settings for the ftsys Management Appliance on page 2-12 Configuring Automated Uptime Layer for Continuous Uptime on page 2-15 Deploying the ftsys Management Appliance from vsphere Client! CAUTION You deploy only one ftsys Management Appliance on each ftserver System. NOTE VMware Tools are already installed in the ftsys Management Appliance when you deploy it. 1. Insert the Automated Uptime Layer DVD into the management PC you use to run vsphere Client. 2. Open vsphere Client and connect to the ESXi host. (Alternatively, you can configure and access the host from a vcenter Server system.) 2-10 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

43 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance 3. With your ESXi host selected in the left frame of vsphere Client, click File, then click Deploy OVF Template. The Deploy OVF Template wizard is displayed. 4. Click Browse, browse to the DVD, and open the appliance folder. Select the ftsysmgt-n.n-nnn-ovf10.ova file and click Open. Confirm that you selected the correct file, then click Next. 5. View technical details about the template, then click Next. 6. Read the Stratus EULA, and click Accept. Repeat for each EULA (four total). 7. When you are finished accepting the EULAs, click Next to continue. 8. Specify the host name for the ftsys Management Appliance. For consistency, the host name should incorporate ftsysmgt and the host name of your ESXi host, for example, ftsysmgt--hostname. Click Next to continue. 9. If prompted, specify a storage destination for the ftsys Management Appliance. Select the datastore that is located on your boot disk datastore1 for an internal boot disk or Storage1 for a boot LUN on external storage. Click Next to continue. NOTES 1. Deploying the appliance on the boot disk instead of a shared LUN, for example, prevents the appliance from being moved to a different system by vmotion and other VMware components. The appliance must reside on the ftserver system to function properly. 2. If you are not prompted to specify a storage destination, it is because the datastore on your boot disk is the only datastore available for the deployment, and it is automatically selected. 10. Specify the disk format for the virtual machine datastore. If you do not know which setting to choose, keep the default (Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed), which immediately allocates all of the disk space for the virtual machine (approximately 10GB) rather than allocating disk space on demand. Click Next to continue. 11. If you are connected to the ESXi host from a vcenter Server system, respond to the following additional prompts: a. Specify the manner in which the IP address for the ftsys Management Appliance will be allocated either Fixed, Transient, or DHCP, as appropriate for your environment. The wizard may prompt for additional information depending on your selection. b. Specify the hostname or IP address of your ESXi host, which the ftsys Management Appliance will manage. (If you are connected to the ESXi host from vsphere Client, you can customize these network defaults when you boot the appliance and configure it.) Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-11

44 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance 12. Verify your selections and click Power on after deployment, then click Finish to deploy the ftsys Management Appliance. 13. After a few minutes, the wizard finishes deploying the appliance. Click Close to dismiss the wizard. 14. Continue with Configuring Network and Time Zone Settings for the ftsys Management Appliance. Configuring Network and Time Zone Settings for the ftsys Management Appliance 1. In vsphere Client, right-click the ftsysmgt-hostname virtual machine and click Open Console. If the appliance is still booting, wait for home screen to appear. 2. Click inside the console window to transfer control of the keyboard and mouse to the guest operating system. NOTE After you click inside the console window, you cannot control the mouse on your management PC. To release the cursor and use the mouse again, type Ctrl and Alt together. To type inside the console window again, click inside the window. 3. On the text-based ftsysmgt home screen, select Configure Network and press Enter. The following menu appears. Main Menu 0) Show Current Configuration (scroll with Shift-PgUp/PgDown) 1) Exit this program 2) Default Gateway 3) Hostname 4) DNS 5) Proxy Server 6) IP Address Allocation for eth0 Enter a menu number [0] Type the number that corresponds to the settings you want to configure. 4. To display the current network configuration, type 0. The system displays the default DHCP settings for the ftsys Management Appliance. If you do not want to change these settings, make note of them, then skip to step Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

45 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance To specify static IP settings, continue with the next step. Use the information you collected in Gathering Information on page 1-6 to complete the following steps. 5. To configure a static IP address for the appliance, type 6 and press Enter. The utility displays the following: Type Ctrl-C to go back to the Main Menu Configure an IPv4 address for eth0? y/n [n] Configure a static IP address as follows: a. Type y to configure an IPv4 address. b. Type n to decline a DHCP configuration. c. Type the IP address for the appliance (not the ESXi host), and press Enter. d. Type the subnet mask for the appliance, and press Enter. e. Verify the network settings you specified, then press Enter to save and apply them. The system reconfigures the network and displays the Main Menu. 6. To configure the default gateway, type 2 and press Enter. Do the following: a. Press Enter to select eth0. b. Type the IP address for the IPv4 default gateway, and press Enter to save and apply this setting. The system reconfigures the network and displays the Main Menu. 7. To configure the hostname for the ftsys Management Appliance, type 3 and press Enter. Type the fully-qualified hostname and press Enter. The system immediately reconfigures the network and displays the Main Menu. 8. To configure DNS settings, type 4 and press Enter. Do the following: a. Type the IP address of a primary DNS server and press Enter. b. Type the IP address of a secondary DNS server and press Enter. The system immediately reconfigures the network and displays the Main Menu. 9. To verify your changes, type 0 and press Enter to display the current network configuration. If necessary, repeat the preceding steps to correct any settings. 10. When you are finished displaying or modifying the network settings, type 1 and press Enter to exit the network configuration utility. The ftsysmgt home screen is displayed. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-13

46 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance 11. Optionally, configure the time zone settings for the ftsys Management Appliance. By default, the appliance uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which matches the setting for the ESXi host. If you want to keep this default setting (for example, to ensure that the time stamps for log file entries in the appliance are consistent with those on the ESXi host), skip to step 12. Otherwise, do the following to configure the time zone for the appliance: a. On the ftsysmgt home screen, select Configure Time Zone and press Enter. b. Type the number that corresponds to the continent in which the system is located and press Enter. c. Type the number that corresponds to your country and press Enter. (If necessary you can type Shift together with Page Up or Page Down to scroll through the list.) d. Type the number that corresponds to your time zone and press Enter. e. Verify the time zone settings, then type 1 and Enter to save and apply them. The ftsysmgt home screen is displayed. 12. Continue with Configuring Automated Uptime Layer for Continuous Uptime. You can repeat this procedure if you need to change your configuration in the future. You can also configure the system settings in a Web-based configuration utility at the following URL, where ftsysmgt-hostname is the hostname or IP address of the ftsys Management Appliance: NOTE If you configure a static IP address for the ftsys Management Appliance, and you specify DNS servers that differ from those provided by DHCP in your network environment, you may experience a problem where your DNS server settings change when you restart the appliance or the ESXi host. If this happens, use the Web-based configuration utility to modify and save your DNS server settings (as follows), and they will persist upon reboot. To ensure that DNS settings for the appliance persist upon reboot 1. Open the Web-based configuration utility for the ftsys Management Appliance: 2. Log on as the root user Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

47 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance 3. In the utility, click the Network tab, then click the Address button. 4. Specify the IP addresses for the DNS servers in the Preferred DNS Server and Alternate DNS Server text boxes. 5. Click Save Settings. Configuring Automated Uptime Layer for Continuous Uptime 1. Click inside the console window for the ftsys Management Appliance. On the ftsysmgt home screen, select Login and press Enter. NOTES 1. You can also toggle between the ftsysmgt home screen and the login screen by pressing Alt-F1 to display the home screen and Alt-F2 to display the login screen. 2. If the Alt-F1 combination displays status messages from the console, these message obscure the home screen or command line for the current login session. To resolve this problem, try pressing the arrow keys on your keyboard to select a home screen option (including Login, Configure Network, or Set Timezone). If the options begin to appear on your screen, select the one you want and press Enter. If necessary, press Ctrl-C to return to the home screen. If pressing the arrow keys does nothing or displays command-line history, a login session may be active. Try typing exit and pressing Enter to return to the home screen. 2. At the login prompt, log on as user root with the default password ftserver. 3. Specify a new password for root in the ftsys Management Appliance as follows: a. Execute the passwd command. b. Type the new password and press Enter. c. Type the password again to confirm and press Enter. The system immediately sets the new password. 4. Perform the following steps in vsphere Client to connect the Automated Uptime Layer DVD or ISO file to the ftsys Management Appliance: a. Ensure that the Automated Uptime Layer DVD is in the DVD drive of your management PC. Or, if applicable, locate the ISO file. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-15

48 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance b. Click the connect/disconnect CD/DVD button ( ) in the console window for the appliance. c. Do one of the following: For a physical DVD, click CD/DVD drive 1 and select Connect to X:, where X: is the drive that contains the Automated Uptime Layer DVD. For an ISO file, click CD/DVD drive 1 and select Connect to ISO image on local disk. The media connects to your system in a few seconds. 5. In the console window for the ftsys Management Appliance, execute the following command to begin configuring your ftserver system for continuous uptime: # /opt/ft/sbin/ft-install /dev/cdrom Use the information you collected in Gathering Information on page 1-6 to complete the following steps. 6. Specify the fully-qualified hostname or IP address of your ESXi host, and press Enter. NOTE This setting is important, as it affects the Automated Uptime Layer software as well as commands you execute in the ftsys Management Appliance. You must enter this setting exactly as you intend to enter it in commands and configuration files. 7. Specify the password for the root user of the ESXi host (not the appliance) and press Enter. 8. To continue updating and configuring the ftsys Management Appliance, type y (for yes) and press Enter. The script finishes configuring the ftsys Management Appliance by creating an administrator account, ftsysuser, on the ESXi host and creating a mapping between this user and the root user of the appliance in the credential store. Although you cannot log on to the ftsysuser account, the mapping to this account from the appliance allows you to remotely execute esxcli and esxcfg-* commands from the command line of the appliance without the need to log on to the ESXi Shell. For more information about executing VMware commands in the appliance, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E) Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

49 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance 9. The system prompts, Do you approve of system health information being sent to Stratus over the Internet? Type y and press Enter to enable basic ASN, a functionally limited form of the fully configured ASN product. Or, type n and press Enter to disable basic ASN. To realize the full benefits of ASN support, which includes continuous uptime and prompt service in the event of a service call, you must continue to fully configure your ASN connection after the installation, as described in Chapter 7 of this manual and in the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072). 10. Type y and press Enter to begin installing Automated Uptime Layer components on the ESXi host. 11. When prompted, type y and press Enter to restart the system and to continue the installation process. After your system restarts, the installation program installs and configures additional Automated Uptime Layer components on the ESXi host. On systems that boot from internal disks, if you inserted a system disk in each CPU- I O enclosure, the installation process also mirrors these disks and prepares them for use. (Otherwise, if you are configuring a service disk or a boot LUN on an external storage enclosure, no mirroring is necessary.) You can view the progress of these tasks on the local console display of your ftserver system (or in the Remote KVM console). If applicable, messages and progress bars regarding the pivot process indicate that the system is mirroring the internal system disks by creating an MPM volume on the system disk in the lower enclosure, and copying the data to this disk from the newly-installed system disk in the upper enclosure. NOTES 1. As a result of the pivot process, it is normal for the datastore located on your internal system disks to be renamed from datastore1 to datastore2. If necessary, you can rename it in vsphere Client. 2. While mirroring the internal system disks, if the installation program discovers an existing partition on the target disk in the lower enclosure, the program deletes this partition to ensure the success of the pivot process. If this happens, the console displays the message Clearing partition table on disk: device-name, and the system restarts a second time to initiate the pivot process. No user intervention is required. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-17

50 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance! CAUTION Do not interrupt the Automated Uptime Layer configuration and mirroring process, which may take up to 10 minutes; otherwise, you must restart the installation process from the beginning. Also, interrupting the pivot process could cause boot bank errors during subsequent installations of VMware ESXi on the same system disks. When the configuration process completes, the system restarts again: On systems with mirrored internal system disks, the system automatically switches active compatibility to the lower CPU- I O enclosure (CPU 1, I/O 11), and restarts from this enclosure to complete the pivot process. On systems with a single service disk or a boot LUN on an external storage enclosure, the system still restarts from the upper CPU- I O enclosure. In either case, vsphere Client automatically disconnects the Automated Uptime Layer DVD from the appliance. VTM NOTE On systems with mirrored internal system disks, when the system switches to the lower CPU- I O enclosure, you need to log on to the VTM in the lower CPU- I O enclosure and open a new Remote KVM console to continue monitoring the installation process. The Remote KVM console works only on the CPU- I O enclosure that is currently primary. Although the ESXi home screen in the Remote KVM console on VTM0 displays a message that states it is safe to use the reset or power button to reboot, the system restarts automatically on the lower CPU- I O enclosure (CPU 1, I/O 11). Do not reset or power down the system. Log on to VTM1, open a new Remote KVM console, and allow the installation process to continue. 12. As the system begins to boot, and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F2 to enter the system BIOS setup utility. The system may require a minute or so to continue scanning option ROMs before displaying the Main tab of the utility. (In the system BIOS setup utility, use the arrow keys to navigate the menu options.) 2-18 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

51 Deploying and Configuring the ftsys Management Appliance! CAUTION If your system boots VMware ESXi before you can enter the system BIOS setup utility, restart your ESXi host from vsphere Client. You must enter the utility and enable boot monitoring to ensure continuous uptime. Boot monitoring automatically restarts your system if the operating system ever fails to respond. 13. On the Server tab, select OS Boot Monitoring, and set the value to Enabled. Use the plus-sign key (+) or minus-sign key (-) to change the value. 14. After you have completed all changes in the system BIOS setup utility, press F4. In the Save & Exit Setup dialog box, select Yes and press Enter to save the new settings and continue booting the system. NOTE If applicable, reconnect any network connections, internal data disks, or external storage systems that you disconnected before the installation. Your system software installation is complete, but you still need to perform a few other tasks to configure your system: If you created mirrored disks for production use, perform post-configuration tasks, as described in: Chapter 5, Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations Chapter 6, Configuring the VTMs Chapter 7, Configuring ASN Support Appendix A, Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System If you created a service disk, you must at least configure the ASN on this disk as discussed in Chapter 7. You may also optionally perform the additional tasks discussed in Chapter 5 and Chapter 6. Configuring the ASN on a service disk allows the CAC or your authorized Stratus service representative to provide diagnostic and troubleshooting services. You can do so now or after installing the system software on your external storage system. Either way, it is important to keep the ASN settings on the service disk and external storage system synchronized. By keeping these settings synchronized, you ensure that your service representative can provide assistance in a timely manner in the event of a service call. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-19

52 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation When you finish configuring a service disk, shut down the system and remove the disk from the enclosure. Insert disk filler panels into any empty disk slots in the CPU- I O enclosures to ensure proper airflow during normal operation. NOTE If you leave the service disk in your system, the system may boot from this disk instead of your external storage system. Label the disk Service and Recovery Disk. On the label, consider including the hostname of your system, the version of VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer installed on the disk, and any other pertinent information. Store the disk in a safe place. After creating a service disk, you can: Start configuring your external storage system as described in Chapter 3, Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation. Reboot from an existing external storage system configuration as described in the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation Complete the tasks in this section only if you are performing an installation using the VTM console from a remote management system, as summarized in Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs on page Before you can connect to the VTM console, you need to locate or configure the IP addresses of the VTM ports in the ftserver system. Use the BMC Configuration Menu to view and configure the VTM ports. You access the BMC Configuration Menu while the system is booting. Both BMCs in a system must use the same type of addresses static or dynamic.! CAUTION Before using the BMC Configuration Menu to modify settings, always ensure that both CRUs are fully inserted and connected to power.! CAUTION If you are installing system software remotely over the VTM, be sure that the resolution of the console monitor that is physically connected to the ftserver system to which you are installing software has a screen-resolution 2-20 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

53 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation width of 1600 pixels or less. If its resolution is wider, the VTM console cannot display video. To determine or set the IP addresses for the VTM ports This procedure assumes that you have configured the system BIOS setup utility settings as described in Booting the System to Install the Software on Internal Disks on page 2-2 or in Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage on page If your system is powered off, press the power button to power it on. If your system is powered on, reboot it to access the BMC Configuration Menu. 2. When the Stratus ftserver screen appears, press F4 to enter the BMC Configuration Menu. After a moment, the menu appears. 3. Complete one of the following procedures to collect or set the IP addresses for the VTM ports: To determine the current IP addresses, automatically set by DHCP, see Determining the Current IP Addresses for the VTM Ports on page To manually set static IP addresses, see Configuring Static IP Addresses for the VTM Ports on page After you collect or set the IP addresses for the VTM ports, power down the ftserver system. To remove power, press the power button for two or three seconds, until the system powers down. NOTE If you are installing multiple ftserver systems, consider configuring the system BIOS setup utility settings and collecting or setting the IP addresses for the VTM ports on each ftserver system before returning to your remote management system for the installation. On your remote management system, continue configuring the VTM console as follows. To configure the VTM console for performing a remote installation 1. On your remote management system, open a Web browser and enter the IP address for VTM0, the VTM port in the upper CPU- I O enclosure (CPU 0, I/O 10). The upper CPU- I O enclosure is the one that contains the system disk for installation. You need to log on to this enclosure to use the Remote KVM and Remote Media features and to install the software. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-21

54 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation When you open a connection to the VTM console, some browsers may display a warning message (for example, the message There is a problem with this website's security certificate displayed by Internet Explorer). You can safely ignore the message and continue to the site. 2. On the VTM console login screen, ensure that the device name below Virtual Technician Module is CPUIO 0 (PRIMARY), indicating that the upper CPU- I O enclosure is the primary enclosure. Otherwise, if CPUIO 1 (SECONDARY) is the device name, shut down the system and make the upper enclosure primary, as described in step 4 of Booting the System to Install the Software on Internal Disks on page Log on to the VTM console, as follows: a. Type the User Name and Password. The default username on a new system is ADMIN, and the password is ADMIN. (Change these credentials after the installation. See Configuring the VTM Administrator Account on page 6-7.) b. Click Login. c. If the message The application's digital signature cannot be verified. Do you want to run the application? appears in a dialog box, click Run. If it appears a second time, click Run again. After a few moments, the VTM console appears. 4. At the top of the VTM console, click the Remote Access tab. 5. Under Server Power Status, verify that the system power is off (Power OFF). 6. Click System Operation in the left column of the VTM console, and then click the Remote KVM/Media button. Answer yes to the Java pop-ups and accept Java downloads. 7. Depending on the configuration of your remote management system, the Web browser may display a message about blocking VTM console from downloading files (for example, the message To help protect your security, Internet Explorer blocked this site from downloading files to your computer. Click here for options... ). To use the VTM console, you must download the file to load the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). For example, in Internet Explorer, click the error message and select Download File. 8. If the message The web site's certificate cannot be verified. Do you want to continue? appears in a dialog box, click Yes or Run. If it appears a second time, click Yes or Run again Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

55 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation 9. The Remote KVM/Media window is displayed. Because system power is off, the screen displays No Signal. 10. At the top of the window, click Media(R) and click Remote Media. The Remote Media window is displayed. 11. Do one of the following to specify the installation media: If you have a physical VMware ESXi DVD, insert it into the DVD drive of your remote management system. In the Remote Media window, next to CD/DVD, click Drive, and then select the drive letter in which you inserted the DVD. If you have an ISO image file for the VMware ESXi DVD, click Image, and then click Browse. Locate the ISO file on your system and select it, and then click Open. 12. Click the Connect button to connect the media to the ftserver system. Your media is connected when the button label reads Disconnect. (After the installation, use the Disconnect button to disconnect the media from your ftserver system.) 13. Click Close to close the Remote Media window. 14. In the VTM console, click the Remote Access tab, then click Power Control in the left column of the window. 15. In the Boot device pulldown menu, select Remote Media (CD/DVD). (This pulldown menu is available only if system power is off.) Configuring this option changes the boot device to the Remote Media feature of the VTM console the next time you boot the system. This setting applies to only one boot cycle. Thereafter, the boot device you specify in the system BIOS setup utility takes effect. 16. When you are ready to boot the system and start the installation, click Power ON. The Remote KVM/Media window may take up to a minute to display the Stratus ftserver screen. Thereafter, you can monitor the boot process as you would at the system console. When the start-up screens and BIOS POST messages are complete, the system boots from the VMware ESXi DVD. 17. On the Boot Menu screen, press Enter to select the ESXi nnnnnn-standard Installer (default) and start the installation program. (If you do not make a selection, the installation program starts automatically in 10 seconds.) The ESXi installer begins to load files necessary for the installation. After a few minutes, the installation program displays a welcome screen. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-23

56 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation The VMware ESXi installation now proceeds as described in: For internal disks: Installing and Configuring VMware ESXi on Internal Disks on page 2-4 For external storage: Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage on page 4-5 After you finish installing VMware ESXi, remember to disconnect the installation media from the ftserver system in the Remote Media window. Determining the Current IP Addresses for the VTM Ports When you connect the ftserver system to power and connect the VTM ports to the network, the system automatically contacts the DHCP server in your environment (if present) and sets the IP address for each VTM port. If you want to keep the network settings assigned by DHCP, use the following procedure to display the IP addresses that you will use to connect to the VTM console. Use the BMC Configuration Menu to display the IP address for the VTM ports only if you need to configure the VTM ports before you install an operating system on the ftserver system. (Otherwise, if you have installed the system software and the ftsys Management Appliance is running, follow the instructions in Chapter 6.) You access the BMC Configuration Menu while the system is booting.! CAUTION Before using the BMC Configuration Menu to modify settings, always ensure that both CRUs are fully inserted and connected to power. To view the IP addresses for VTM ports in the BMC Configuration Menu 1. Turn on power to the system, or restart the system. 2. As the system begins to boot and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F4 to enter the BMC Configuration Menu. After a moment, the menu appears. 3. Select BMC Configuration and press Enter. 4. Select Network: CPU I/O module0 (for VTM0, the VTM port in the upper CPU- I O enclosure) and press Enter. 5. Select Property and press Enter. 6. Make note of the IP Address value, and then press Esc to return to the previous menu. 7. Repeat steps 4-6 to view the IP address for Network: CPU I/O module1 (VTM1, the VTM port in the lower CPU- I O enclosure) Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

57 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation! CAUTION Ensure that the IP addresses for the VTM ports are on the same subnet. 8. To exit the BMC Configuration Menu and restart the ftserver system, press Esc repeatedly until the top-level menu is displayed, and then select Exit and press Enter. Configuring Static IP Addresses for the VTM Ports Typically, you can allow DHCP to assign IP addresses to the VTM ports. However, if your environment requires the use of static addressing, disable DHCP for the VTM ports and assign static IP addresses to the VTM ports at the rear of the system. NOTE Only IPv4 addresses are supported.! CAUTION Before using the BMC Configuration Menu to modify settings, always ensure that both CRUs are fully inserted and connected to power.! CAUTION Both IP addresses that you assign to the VTM ports must be on the same subnet. Use the BMC Configuration Menu only if you need to configure the VTM ports before you install an operating system on the ftserver system. (Otherwise, follow the instructions in Chapter 6.) You access the BMC Configuration Menu while the system is booting. To configure static IP addresses for VTM ports in the BMC Configuration Menu 1. Turn on power to the system, or restart the system. 2. As the system begins to boot and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F4 (for the ROM Utility) to enter the BMC Configuration Menu. After a moment, the menu appears. 3. Select BMC Configuration and press Enter. 4. Select Network: CPU I/O module0 (for VTM0, in the upper CPU- I O enclosure) and press Enter. Installing the System Software on Internal Disks 2-25

58 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation 5. Select Property and press Enter. 6. On the Network (Property) menu, select DHCP and set it to Disable. You cannot specify a static IP address if DHCP is enabled. 7. Select IP Address [Required] and press Enter. 8. Specify an IP address at the bottom of the screen, at the Please input IP address prompt, and press Enter. 9. Select Subnet Mask [Required] and press Enter. 10. Specify the subnet mask at the bottom of the screen and press Enter. 11. Select Default Gateway and press Enter. 12. Specify the default gateway for your subnet at the bottom of the screen and press Enter. 13. If necessary, set additional network properties for Network: CPU I/O module0. When you are finished, select OK and press Enter to apply the changes. 14. Press Esc to return to the previous menu. 15. Repeat steps 4-14 to set the network settings for Network: CPU I/O module1 (VTM1, in the lower CPU- I O enclosure), ensuring that you specify an IP address on the same subnet. 16. To exit the BMC Configuration Menu and restart the ftserver system, press Esc repeatedly until the top-level menu is displayed, and then select Exit and press Enter Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

59 Chapter 3 Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation3- To configure your system to boot VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer from an external storage system, you need to complete the following tasks: Connect the Fibre Channel cables between the ftserver system, external storage system, and optional Fibre Channel switches, as summarized in Connecting the Fibre Channel Cables on page 3-2. Configure the external storage system to create a LUN for installation, as explained in Creating LUNs on the External Storage System on page 3-3. If applicable, configure the Fibre Channel switches to allow the ftserver system and external storage system to communicate with each other, as explained in Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches on page 3-4. Configure the external storage system to present the installation LUN to the ftserver system, as explained in Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System on page 3-7. NOTE You can configure your system to boot from an external storage system only if the storage system is connected through Fibre Channel interfaces. For information about connecting an iscsi storage system for data storage, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E), the VMware vsphere Storage guide, and the documentation for your storage system. The steps for each task depend on many factors, including the type of storage hardware you have and, if applicable, your existing storage configuration. For more information about configuring and managing external storage in a VMware vsphere environment, and for specific procedures for configuring your storage hardware, see the documentation listed in Table 3-1. Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation 3-1

60 Connecting the Fibre Channel Cables Table 3-1. Related Documentation for Configuring External Storage Manuals ftscalable Storage G2: Getting Started Guide (R651) ftscalable Storage: Getting Started Guide (R601) ftscalable Storage G2: System Administrator s Guide (R652) ftscalable Storage: System Administrator s Guide (R604) VMware vsphere Installation and Setup VMware vsphere Storage Stratus ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems: Installation Guide (R668) Documentation for EMC CLARiiON and Symmetrix storage systems, and Fibre Channel switches Description Describe how to install and initially configure a Stratus ftscalable Storage system, including the procedure for connecting the Fibre Channel cables between an ftserver system and the ftscalable Storage system. Describe how to use the Web-browser interface, RAIDar, to configure and manage an ftscalable Storage system. Include information about creating virtual disks, creating volumes (LUNs), and mapping volumes to hosts. Describes the general requirements and procedures for installing VMware vsphere software components. Describes storage virtualization concepts. Explains the best practices for allocating storage in a vsphere environment, provides suggestions for configuring specific brands and models of external storage systems, and provides information about managing an ESXi host that uses a SAN. Describes how to install and set up your ftserver system, including the procedure for connecting the Fibre Channel cables between an ftserver system and the external storage system. Describes how to install and configure your specific storage hardware. Connecting the Fibre Channel Cables To ensure fault tolerance, you must create two independent data paths from the ftserver system to the external storage system. You accomplish this by connecting a cable from the HBA in each CPU- I O enclosure to a different storage processor in the storage system (and through two independent switches, if applicable). If one path fails because of a broken device or cable, the other path keeps the system running until the problem can be resolved. To connect the Fibre Channel cables for a first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system, see the procedures in the ftscalable Storage: Getting Started Guide (R601) or ftscalable Storage G2: Getting Started Guide (R651), respectively. To connect other external storage systems, see the hardware installation 3-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

61 Creating LUNs on the External Storage System guide for your system (as listed in Table 3-1) and the documentation for your storage hardware. When you are finished connecting the Fibre Channel cables, continue with Creating LUNs on the External Storage System on page 3-3. Creating LUNs on the External Storage System The following procedure describes the general steps for creating LUNs on the external storage system. To install VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer, at a minimum, you need to create a boot LUN that is at least 25 GB in size. You may need additional storage space in the boot LUN if you plan to install additional VMware vsphere components or if you plan to create additional virtual machines in the Virtual Machine File System (VMFS) datastore on this LUN. Alternatively, if you want your virtual machines to be accessible by more than one physical system, it is best to create a separate, shared LUN for this purpose. For example, if you want to use vmotion to transfer virtual machines from one physical system to another for load balancing and failover, you must create a shared VMFS datastore. For more information about allocating storage in a VMware vsphere environment, see the VMware Fibre Channel SAN Configuration Guide.! CAUTION When configuring your external storage system, be careful to avoid unmapping access to any active LUNs, especially existing VMware ESX or ESXi boot volumes. Removing access to a boot volume while a system is running may cause the system to hang or crash. To create LUNs for your system 1. Open the management utility for your storage system. For a first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system, log in to the RAIDar Web-based management interface. Use the IP address of the controller to connect to the interface. See the ftscalable Storage: Getting Started Guide (R601) or ftscalable Storage G2: Getting Started Guide (R651) for information about this IP address. 2. If you have not already done so, configure the general settings for the storage system. For example, you may need to configure the Fibre Channel ports on the storage system to match the link speed and topology for your storage configuration. (On a first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system, you may need to edit the Internal Host Port Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation 3-3

62 Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches Interconnect parameter. See the ftscalable Storage documentation for information about setting this parameter.) 3. Allocate physical disks in the storage system to a virtual disk (first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system) or RAID group (EMC storage system). 4. Create a single boot volume (first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system) or LUN (EMC storage system) for installation. Ensure that it is presented to the ftserver system as LUN If necessary, enable the boot LUN to make it active. 6. Repeat steps 3-5 as necessary to create boot LUNs for additional ESXi hosts and, if applicable, shared LUNs for VMFS datastores. Ensure that all boot LUNs are presented as LUN 0. VMFS datastores may use any LUN designation. When you are finished creating the LUNs: If you have a SAN configuration, continue with Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches on page 3-4. If you have a DAS configuration, skip to Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System on page 3-7. Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches! CAUTION When you modify the zone configuration on an existing switch, the devices attached to that switch may temporarily lose their connection. If applicable, plan to modify your switch configuration during a scheduled maintenance window. NOTE Typically, the HBAs in a system must be active before a switch can recognize them. You need to load a driver on the system to enable the HBA to generate a proper signal. Because the system software is not installed yet, you can boot from the VMware ESXi DVD, as described in this procedure. (Note that the Automated Uptime Layer DVD cannot be used for this task, as in previous releases.) 1. If you have not already done so, with the ftserver system powered off, connect the Fibre Channel cables as discussed in Connecting the Fibre Channel Cables on page Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

63 Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches 2. Verify that the PRIMARY LED on the upper CPU- I O enclosure is lit, indicating that the upper enclosure is the active (primary) enclosure. Then lift the power-switch cover and press the switch for 2 or 3 seconds to start the system. If the lower CPU- I O enclosure is the one whose PRIMARY LED is lit, follow these steps to make the upper enclosure the active enclosure. a. Remove the power cord from the lower enclosure for 10 seconds. b. Reinsert the power cord. c. Lift the power-switch cover and press the switch for 2 or 3 seconds to start the system. 3. Put the VMware ESXi DVD into the DVD drive. 4. As the system begins to boot, and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F10 to display a menu of boot devices. 5. Using the arrow keys, select the DVD-RAM option from the list of boot devices, then press Enter to start booting from the DVD. 6. On the subsequent Boot Menu that loads from the DVD, press Enter to continue loading the ESXi installer. The FC adapter driver is loaded when the system displays the Welcome to the VMWare ESX n.n.n Installation screen. 7. Open the management utility (for example, Brocade EZSwitchSetup or Web Tools) for the Fibre Channel switch connected to the HBA in the upper I/O element (I/O element 10). 8. Look for a new, unassigned HBA port. The HBA in the upper I/O element should be the only unassigned HBA visible to the switch at this time. Record the HBA s world-wide name (WWN) address and location in the ftserver system (I/O element 10) for subsequent configuration steps. 9. On the switch, create an alias for the HBA from step 8 that includes the ftserver system host name you intend to use and the location of the HBA. NOTE A meaningful alias, such as ftserver1_10 (which identifies a host name of ftserver1 and the HBA in I/O element 10), helps you troubleshoot the system and locate the HBA in the ftserver system if you need to replace it. Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation 3-5

64 Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches 10. Use the zoning tool on the switch to create zones, as follows: For Symmetrix storage systems, zone_ftserver1_10_storage_a, which contains the HBA in I/O element 10 and an HBA in the storage system For CLARiiON storage systems, or first-generation ftscalable Storage systems and ftscalable Storage G2 systems: zone_ftserver1_10_storage_a, which contains the HBA in I/O element 10 and one storage processor (CLARiiON storage system) or RAID controller (ftscalable Storage system) zone_ftserver1_10_storage_b, which contains the HBA in I/O element 10 and the other storage processor (CLARiiON storage system) or RAID controller (ftscalable Storage system) 11. Add the ftserver HBA port and external storage system ports to their respective zones, then save the configuration.! CAUTION Add only the storage system that contains the boot LUN to the zones. Although you may have other LUNs on other storage systems that contain VM datastores or ISO repositories, avoid zoning or mapping these resources to the ftserver system until you complete the initial software installation to minimize the risk of destroying valuable data. 12. Open the management utility for the second Fibre Channel switch, which is connected to the HBA in the lower I/O element (I/O element 11). 13. On the second switch, look for a new, unassigned HBA port. The HBA in the lower I/O element should be the only unassigned HBA visible to the switch at this time. Record the HBA s WWN address and location in the ftserver system (I/O element 11) for subsequent configuration steps. 14. On the second switch, create an alias for the HBA from step 13 that includes the ftserver system host name you intend to use and the location of the HBA, such as ftserver1_ Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

65 Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System 15. On the second switch, use the zoning tool to create zones, as follows: For Symmetrix storage systems, zone_ftserver1_11_storage_b, which contains the HBA in I/O element 11 and another HBA in the storage system For CLARiiON storage systems, or first-generation ftscalable Storage systems and ftscalable Storage G2 systems: zone_ftserver1_11_storage_a, which contains the HBA in I/O element 11 and another storage processor (CLARiiON storage system) or RAID controller (ftscalable Storage system) zone_ftserver1_11_storage_b, which contains the HBA in I/O element 11 and another storage processor (CLARiiON storage system) or RAID controller (ftscalable Storage system) 16. On the second switch, add the ftserver HBA port and external storage system ports to their respective zones, then save the configuration. 17. If you need to configure aliases and zones for an additional ftserver system connected to the same SAN, repeat steps 1-16, and assign alias and zone names appropriate for the additional system. For example, replace ftserver1 with ftserver2 where applicable. Continue with Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System on page 3-7 when you are finished configuring the switches. Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System 1. Follow steps 1-6 in Configuring Aliases and Zones on the Fibre Channel Switches on page 3-4 to boot the system from the VMware ESXi DVD, which loads the HBA driver. The HBAs must be active before the external storage system can recognize them for configuration. 2. If you already know the WWNs for each HBA in the ftserver system, continue with step 3. Otherwise, disconnect the Fibre Channel cable from the HBA in the lower CPU- I O enclosure. Disconnecting one cable allows you to know which HBA you are configuring in the following steps. (If you are configuring additional ftserver systems for use with the storage system, and the WWNs for the HBAs in these systems are unknown, also disconnect the Fibre Channel cables from these systems. Or leave the systems powered off.) 3. Open the management utility for your external storage system (for example, RAIDar, for first-generation ftscalable Storage systems and ftscalable Storage G2 systems, or Navisphere, for the CLARiiON storage systems). Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation 3-7

66 Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System 4. In the management utility, do one of the following, based on the type of external storage system you have: For a first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system, create a port nickname (alias) for the HBA in I/O element 10. In the alias, include the ftserver system host name and the location of the HBA, such as ftserver1_10. (A meaningful alias helps you troubleshoot the system and locate the HBA in the ftserver system if you need to replace it.) For an EMC storage system, register the ftserver system as a host. Create an entry for the HBA in I/O element 10 and associate it with the ftserver system s host name and IP address. If you already know the WWN for the HBA, you can use the WWN to locate the correct HBA to alias or register. If you do not know the WWN for the HBA, look for a new, unassigned HBA port in the management utility. If you disconnected the Fibre Channel cable from the HBA in the lower CPU- I O enclosure (step 2), there should be only one new HBA at this time. 5. If applicable, connect the Fibre Channel cable to the HBA in the lower CPU-I/O enclosure. 6. Create an alias for (or register) the second HBA as explained in step 4, using an alias such as ftserver1_11. If you just connected the second HBA, it should be the only unassigned HBA port in the management utility. 7. Map the HBAs in the ftserver system to LUN 0, allowing the system to access the newly created volume. Do one of the following, based on the type of external storage system you have: For a first-generation ftscalable Storage system or ftscalable Storage G2 system, explicitly map LUN 0 to each HBA using either the port nickname or WWN address to identify the HBA. Specify read/write access for the LUN. For an EMC storage system, create a storage group (zone). Add the RAID group that contains LUN 0 and each HBA to the storage group.! CAUTION Because LUN 0 is the boot volume for your ftserver system, do not allow default access to this LUN. Ensure that no other hosts have access to the boot volume.! CAUTION Map only the boot LUN to the ftserver system at this time. Although you may have other LUNs on the storage system that contain VMFS datastores or ISO repositories, 3-8 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

67 Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System avoid mapping these resources to the ftserver system until you complete the initial software installation to minimize the risk of destroying valuable data. 8. If you need to register an additional ftserver system with the same storage system, repeat steps 1-7, and assign aliases that are appropriate for the additional system. For example, replace ftserver1 with ftserver2 where applicable. 9. If applicable, apply or save your configuration settings. 10. When you are finished, power down each ftserver system. Your external storage system is ready for installation. Continue with Chapter 3, Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation. Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation 3-9

68 Registering the ftserver System with the External Storage System 3-10 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

69 Chapter 4 Installing the System Software on External Storage4- This chapter describes how to begin an initial installation or complete reinstallation of VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer on an external storage system. The installation procedure for an external storage system is similar to the procedure for internal disks drives, except that you install the system software on a boot LUN presented by the external storage system.! CAUTION The operating system installation process destroys all data on the target LUN of the external storage system. However, if you are reinstalling the software, you can optionally preserve existing Virtual Machine File System (VMFS) partitions that contain virtual machines. The software installation requires minutes and requires the VMware ESXi DVD and the Automated Uptime Layer DVD. Before beginning the installation, ensure that you have completed the items in Pre-Installation Checklist on page 1-9 and Chapter 3, Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation. To being installing or reinstalling VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer, perform the steps in the following sections: Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage on page 4-2 Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage on page 4-5 Then, continue with Configuring Network and System Settings for the ESXi Host on page 2-7 and subsequent procedures in Chapter 2, Installing the System Software on Internal Disks. After you install VMware ESXi, the steps to complete the installation and configuration process on external storage are identical to those for internal disks. Installing the System Software on External Storage 4-1

70 Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage If you are installing the system software using the VTM console, the preceding installation procedures also direct you to configure the VTM console as described in: Preparing to Install the System Software over the VTMs on page 1-11 Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation on page 2-20 Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage Perform the following steps to boot the system and to begin installing the system software. 1. Ensure that the system is configured according to the instructions in Pre-Installation Checklist on page 1-9 and Chapter 3, Preparing an External Storage System for System Software Installation, and that the system is powered down. 2. Ensure that you have removed any internal disks, including the service disk, from the system.! CAUTION Do not install any internal disks, including disks that contain existing datastores, until after the software installation. Your installation may fail if internal disks with existing datastores are present. 3. Verify that the PRIMARY LED on the upper CPU- I O enclosure is lit, indicating that the upper enclosure is the active (primary) enclosure. Then lift the powerswitch cover and press the switch for 2 or 3 seconds to start up the system. If the lower CPU- I O enclosure is the one whose PRIMARY LED is lit, follow these steps to make the upper enclosure the active enclosure. a. Remove the power cord from the lower enclosure for 10 seconds. b. Reinsert the power cord. c. Lift the power-switch cover and press the power switch for 2 or 3 seconds to restart the system. (Although the upper enclosure is the active enclosure for the installation, both enclosures need to be present and running during the installation process.) 4-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

71 Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage 4. Put the VMware ESXi DVD into the DVD drive. The system boots from this DVD. VTM NOTE If you are installing the system software using the VTM console, you need not insert the physical ESXi DVD. You connect the remote installation media to the ftserver system in a later step. 5. As the system begins to boot, and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F2 to enter the system BIOS setup utility. The system may require a minute or so to continue scanning option ROMs before displaying the Main tab of the utility. (In the system BIOS setup utility, use the arrow keys to navigate the menu options.) 6. On the Advanced tab, select PCI Configuration and press Enter to view the option ROM settings. Ensure that the option ROM for the PCI slot that contains the boot HBA (the HBA connected to the boot volume) is set to Enabled. Also, to prevent boot conflicts, ensure that the option ROMs for PCI slots that contain non-boot HBAs (additional HBAs connected to non-boot volumes) are set to Disabled. 7. In the PCI Configuration settings, set the SAS Option ROM Scan value to Disabled. Disabling this option ROM prevents the system from booting from the internal disk drives. 8. On the Server tab, select OS Boot Monitoring, and set the value to Disabled. Use the plus-sign key (+) or minus-sign key (-) to change the value. Disabling boot monitoring prevents the system from restarting due to inactivity during the installation. 9. Set the internal DVD drive as the first boot device, as follows: VTM NOTE If you are installing the system software using the VTM console, skip to step 10. You set the boot device for remote installation in the VTM console in a later step. a. On the Boot tab, select Boot Option #1, and press Enter. b. Use the arrow keys to select the DVD-RAM option from the list of boot devices, and press Enter. c. If applicable, select other Boot Option Priorities as described in steps a and b. You can set the boot order for up to four devices. 10. After you have completed all changes in the system BIOS setup utility, press F4. In the Save & Exit Setup dialog box, select Yes and press Enter to save the new settings and continue booting the system. Installing the System Software on External Storage 4-3

72 Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage 11. If you are installing the system for the first time, the HBAs you ordered from Stratus already have the appropriate settings for your storage configuration. Unless your system contains non-boot HBAs (on which you need to disable the BIOS), or you need to enable other custom settings, you can skip to step 12. If you need to modify the HBA settings, when the BIOS POST messages appear, type Ctrl + Q to enter the QLogic BIOS utility, then see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E) for information about changing the BIOS settings. After you save the changes and reboot the system, continue with step When the system restarts, ensure that the HBA BIOS displays a message similar to the following. Device Device Adapter Port Lun Vendor Product Product Number Type Number ID Number ID ID Revision Disk EF 0 Stratus AA-D95000 TZ10 ROM BIOS Installed If the HBA BIOS fails to display an entry for the boot LUN or instead displays a message that the BIOS is not installed, verify the configuration of your external storage system, Fibre Channel switch (if applicable), and HBA. The installation will fail if the path to boot LUN is not properly established. 13. To continue starting the system for installation, do one of the following: If you are performing the installation at the local console of the ftserver system, continue with step 14 of this section. If you are going to perform the installation using the VTM console, power down the system. To remove power, press the power button for two or three seconds, until the system powers down. Then, go to Configuring the VTM Console for Remote Software Installation on page 2-20 to configure additional settings necessary for the remote installation. 14. If necessary, start or restart the system to boot from the VMware ESXi DVD. When the start-up screens and BIOS POST messages are complete, the system boots from the DVD. 15. On the Boot Menu screen, press Enter to select the ESXi nnnnnn-standard Installer (default) and start the installation program. (If you do not make a selection, the installation program starts automatically in 10 seconds.) The ESXi installer begins to load files necessary for the installation. After a few minutes, the installation program displays a welcome screen. 16. Continue with Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage on page Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

73 Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage Perform the following tasks to install VMware ESXi. You can typically complete the installation questionnaire and the installation of the required packages for the default configuration in about 20 minutes. 1. On the Welcome to the VMware ESXi Installation screen, press Enter to continue. 2. On the End User License Agreement (EULA) screen, read the VMware EULA. Press F11 to accept the terms of the agreement and continue. After you accept the EULA, the installation program scans the system and displays a table of internal disks that are available for initialization. 3. When asked to Select a Disk to Install or Upgrade, select the installation LUN and press Enter to continue. If the installation program indicates that a boot LUN with an existing VMFS datastore has been found, consider selecting Install ESXi, overwrite VMFS datastore to cleanly reinstall the system software and create a new VMFS datastore. Otherwise, if you need to retain the data in the existing datastore, select Install ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore.! CAUTION When you install VMware ESXi, if the installation LUN has insufficient space for the /scratch partition, the system log files for your ESXi host are stored on the system ramdisk, where they will not persist upon reboot. To avoid this problem, ensure that the installation LUN is at least 25 GB in size, and, if possible, avoid preserving an existing VMFS datastore on the LUN during the installation process. Migrate or back up any virtual machines or data in the datastore before continuing the installation process. After you choose to overwrite or preserve the existing VMFS datastore, press Enter to continue. 4. On the keyboard layout screen, select the type of keyboard for your system and press Enter. 5. On the root password screen, type and confirm your password, and press Enter. 6. The installation program scans the system and verifies your selections. On the Confirm Install page, press F11 to start the software installation. 7. After several minutes, the Installation Complete screen is displayed. Remove the VMware ESXi DVD from the ftserver system. Installing the System Software on External Storage 4-5

74 Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage VTM NOTE If you are performing the installation over a VTM console connection, disconnect the installation media in the Remote Media window on your management PC. 8. Press Enter to reboot the system. 9. As the system begins to boot, and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F2 to enter the system BIOS setup utility. The system may require a minute or so to continue scanning option ROMs before displaying the Main tab of the utility. (In the system BIOS setup utility, use the arrow keys to navigate the menu options.) 10. Set the external storage system as the first boot device, as follows: a. On the Boot tab, select Boot Option #1, and press Enter. b. Use the arrow keys to select the entry for the storage system and press Enter. The boot entry for an external storage system includes a Fibre Channel Port ID and a Product ID for the storage system. For example, the entry for an ftscalable Storage G2 system appears similar to HA0 PortID 000EF AA c. If applicable, select other Boot Option Priorities as described in steps a and b. You can set the boot order for up to four devices. 11. After you have completed all changes in the system BIOS setup utility, press F4. In the Save & Exit Setup dialog box, select Yes and press Enter to save the new settings and continue booting the system. 12. The system starts booting from LUN 0 of the storage system. After a minute or two, the VMware ESXi home screen is displayed. If the system fails to boot from the newly installed LUN 0, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E) for information about troubleshooting boot problems. NOTE If the system fails to boot from LUN 0, it may fail over to the lower CPU- I O enclosure, searching for a viable boot volume. If necessary, repeat step 3 of Booting the System to Install the Software on External Storage on page 4-2 to make the upper CPU- I O enclosure the primary enclosure before continuing with the installation procedure or troubleshooting process. 4-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

75 Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage 13. Continue with Configuring Network and System Settings for the ESXi Host on page 2-7 and subsequent procedures in Chapter 2, Installing the System Software on Internal Disks. Except where indicated, the steps to configure the ESXi host and to deploy and configure the ftsys Management Appliance on external storage are identical to those for internal disks. When you finish the software installation, remember to complete a few other tasks to configure your system: Perform post-configuration tasks, as described in: Chapter 5, Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations Chapter 6, Configuring the VTMs Chapter 7, Configuring ASN Support Appendix A, Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System Create a service disk, as described in Chapter 2, Installing the System Software on Internal Disks. NOTE During normal operation, do not leave a service disk in the system; otherwise, the system may boot from this disk instead of your external storage system. Installing the System Software on External Storage 4-7

76 Installing VMware ESXi on External Storage 4-8 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

77 Chapter 5 Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations5- After installing VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer, consider the following tasks: Verifying the Installation on page 5-2 Configuring System Management Options on page 5-7 Configuring Network Interfaces on page 5-9 Configuring the ASN Modem on page 5-10 Adding Fault-Tolerant Utilities to PATH on page 5-11 Specifying the ESXi Host for Execution of VMware Commands on page 5-11 Configuring VMware Components and Creating Virtual Machines on page 5-12 Installing the QLogic CIM Provider and vcenter Server Plug-in on page 5-12 Installing Updates and Patches on the ESXi Host on page 5-13 Using the ftadmin User Account on page 5-15 Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page 5-16 Also, set up the Virtual Technician Modules (VTMs) and configure your ASN connection as described in: Chapter 6, Configuring the VTMs Chapter 7, Configuring ASN Support For more information about configuring and managing the ftsys Management Appliance after installation, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-1

78 Verifying the Installation Verifying the Installation NOTE When you start or restart your ESXi host, VMware ESXi requires several minutes to start, and then the ftsys Management Appliance requires additional time to start. If you just restarted your system, ft-verify and other fault-tolerant utilities can display proper output after 5 to 10 minutes. To confirm that the system is configured for continuous uptime, log on to the ftsys Management Appliance and type the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/ft-verify If your system was properly installed, the output appears similar to the following, where all of the tests have passed: # /opt/ft/sbin/ft-verify ftsys Management Appliance hosted by ocean.abc.com [PASS] Host is configured with enough memory [PASS] Automated Uptime Layer installed on host [PASS] Host software version matches appliance (5.0-nnn) [PASS] ftsys Management Appliance firewall settings [PASS] ftsys Management Appliance installed on boot volume [PASS] Multiple paths to storage [PASS] Network Configuration [PASS] Host ftserver Uptime Manager Service started [PASS] Host logs available after reboot [PASS] Host BIOS up to date - 6.1:51, or better [PASS] Host BMC up to date - Runtime=02.18, or better [PASS] The test descriptions and possible corrective actions are as follows: ftsys Management Appliance hosted by hostname or IP Verifies that the appliance is located on the ESXi host you specified when you ran the ft-install script. If your system fails this test, run the /opt/ft/sbin/configure-appliance command and carefully enter the ESXi host information again, as described in the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). 5-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

79 Verifying the Installation Host hostname or IP is configured with enough memory Verifies that the ftserver system has enough memory installed to support VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems. A new ftserver system delivered from the factory should have sufficient memory; however, memory requirements may be different for upgrades that you install. If the ft-install script warns that the installed memory is less than the recommended minimum, contact the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) or your authorized Stratus service representative for information about the memory requirements for your configuration. Automated Uptime Layer installed on host Verifies that you ran the ft-install script to finish installing Automated Uptime Layer components on the ESXi host. If your system fails this test, run ft-install as described in Configuring Automated Uptime Layer for Continuous Uptime on page Host software version matches appliance (5.0-xxx) Verifies that the software components on the ESXi host are compatible with those in the appliance. If your system fails this test, check that all of the installation media you used to install Automated Uptime Layer contains the same release level of software. Then, run ft-install again as described in Configuring Automated Uptime Layer for Continuous Uptime on page ftsys Management Appliance firewall settings Verifies that the firewall configuration file in the appliance contains the entries necessary for the ftserver Uptime Manager and other Automated Uptime Layer components to function. If your system fails this test, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E) for information about restoring the default firewall settings for the appliance. ftsys Management Appliance installed on boot volume Verifies that you deployed the appliance in the VMFS datastore located on the boot disk for your system. If your system fails this test, you need to migrate the appliance to the VMFS datastore on your boot disk typically datastore2 for a mirrored internal boot disk or Storage1 for a boot LUN on external storage. Or, delete the existing appliance and redeploy it to your boot disk or LUN, as described in Deploying the ftsys Management Appliance from vsphere Client on page Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-3

80 Verifying the Installation Multiple paths to storage Verifies that storage devices (system and data) can be accessed from either CPU- I O enclosure. Ensures that the internal disk drives are mirrored and that the ftserver system has redundant paths to LUNs on external storage systems. If your system fails this test: For error messages regarding internal disks (MPM storage), if the message indicates that there was an Incomplete pivot to MPM storage, and you have installed two system disks for production use, reinstall the operating system as described in Chapter 2. The pivot process must properly mirror the internal system disks for continuous uptime. (However, if you have installed a single system disk to create a service disk, you can safely ignore this message, because a service disk does not need to be mirrored.). For other internal (data) disks, verify that the internal disk drives in each CPU- I O enclosure are inserted, online, and mirrored (duplexed) as described in the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). For error messages regarding external storage, if the message is Device <ID> not reachable, verify that you have installed a host bus adapter (HBA) in each CPU- I O enclosure, connected the Fibre Channel cables to each adapter, and created a path to the LUN through each Fibre Channel switch (if applicable) by using the zoning tool on the switch. For information about configuring a system with external storage, see Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 of this manual. Network Configuration Verifies that all vswitches have uplinks from both CPU- I O enclosures. (vswitches with no uplinks are ignored because they may be valid for testing or to maintain a live, but isolated, network for virtual machines.) This test also verifies that failback is disabled for the Management Network portgroup and any additional VMkernel portgroups. Resolve any errors or warnings as follows: If your system fails this test with the error vswitchn not reachable from CRU n, ensure that each vswitch contains at least one Ethernet port from each CPU- I O enclosure, that each of these ports has an active network connection, and that both enclosures are inserted and duplexed for continuous uptime. If the ft-install script warns that vswitchn contains unpaired NICs, the vswitch is fault tolerant (it has at least one uplink from each CPU- I O enclosure), but you should consider pairing the remaining Ethernet ports in the vswitch for additional redundancy. 5-4 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

81 Verifying the Installation If the ft-install script warns that failback is enabled for a port group, open the properties for the port group and set the value of the Failback property on the NIC Teaming tab to No to minimize delays when a network adapter is added back to the vswitch. See the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E) for more information about checking the status of CPU- I O enclosures and bringing them online, managing the Ethernet devices in your system, and configuring the failover settings for the Management Network. Host ftserver Uptime Manager Service started Verifies that the ftserver Uptime Manager, the diagnostic, monitoring, and control component of Automated Uptime Layer, has started. If your system fails this test, wait a few minutes, then run the ft-verify utility again. If it still fails, try to restart the ftsys Management Appliance, wait a few minutes for the appliance to finish starting, then run the ft-verify utility again. If the problem persists, see the /var/log/messages file and the ftserver Uptime Manager log (/var/opt/ft/log/osm.log.n) of the appliance for error messages that might indicate the source of the problem. Because the Uptime Manager log is in XML format, execute the following command to convert the log to plain text and save it to a file, as follows, then view the file: # /opt/ft/sbin/ox all > uptime-manager.log Host logs available after reboot Verifies that the /scratch partition, in which VMware ESXi stores system log files, was created properly. If you reinstall or upgrade a system that boots from external storage, and the installation LUN has insufficient space for the /scratch partition, the system log files are instead stored on the system ramdisk, where they will not persist upon reboot. To correct the problem, you need to reinstall VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer. Create a new LUN with at least 25 GB of space for the installation, or, if your LUN is of sufficient size, avoid preserving an existing VMFS datastore during the installation process. Migrate or back up any virtual machines or data in the datastore before installation. Host BIOS up to date - 6.x:xx Verifies that the system s BIOS firmware is up to date. If your system fails this test, you need to update the BIOS as described in Chapter 8, Updating ftserver System Firmware. Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-5

82 Verifying the Installation Host BMC up to date - Runtime=2.xx Verifies that the system s BMC firmware is up to date. If your system fails this test, you need to update the BMC as described in Chapter 8, Updating ftserver System Firmware. NOTE If your system still fails an ft-verify test after you take the corrective actions specified, contact the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) or your authorized Stratus service representative for help. You can also run the ft-verify utility with the -D argument to verify that the system is duplexed: # /opt/ft/sbin/ft-verify -D ftsys Management Appliance hosted by ocean.abc.com [PASS] Host is configured with enough memory [PASS] Automated Uptime Layer installed on host [PASS] Host software version matches appliance (5.0-nnn) [PASS] ftsys Management Appliance firewall settings [PASS] ftsys Management Appliance installed on boot volume [PASS] Multiple paths to storage [PASS] Network Configuration [PASS] Host ftserver Uptime Manager Service started [PASS] Host logs available after reboot [PASS] Host BIOS up to date - 6.1:51, or better [PASS] Host BMC up to date - Runtime=02.18, or better [PASS] ftserver CRUs duplexed [PASS] If the system passes the ftserver CRUs duplexed test, the system is running in fault-tolerant mode. If it fails this test, you may need to wait for the system disks to finish synchronizing, for example, before the system is fully duplexed. You can use the ftsmaint command to output an inventory of system components and their operational status, and, if applicable, determine which components are causing the system to run in simplex mode: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls For more information about the ft-verify utility, execute ft-verify -h to view the online help. For information about using the ftsmaint command, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). 5-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

83 Configuring System Management Options To check the installed Automated Uptime Layer release level (outside of the ft-verify utility), type the following command: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint -v ftsys-ftsmaint version 5.0-nnn Logs of activity from the Automated Uptime Layer installation process are saved to the following logs: /var/log/ft/ft-install.log in the ftsys Management Appliance (includes output from the ft-verify utility /var/log/ft/ftsys-firstboot.log in the ESXi Shell Configuring System Management Options Although you can manage your ftserver system from a monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected to the system (the local console), you typically manage all aspects of the VMware ESXi host and your virtual machines from another system. For information about configuring remote system management options for your system, see the following topics: Configuring VTMs for Remote System Management on page 5-8 Configuring vsphere Client for Remote System Management on page 5-8 Configuring SSH for Remote System Management on page 5-9 For more information about managing your VMware vsphere-based ftserver system, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). For information about additional system management options, see the VMware vsphere documentation. Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-7

84 Configuring System Management Options Configuring VTMs for Remote System Management You can use the VTM console to administer your ftserver system from a remote management system running Windows or Linux. VTM console allows you to monitor the state of your system, power the system on and off, manage the configuration of your ESXi host and view ESXi logs, or open a terminal session to the ESXi Shell (if enabled). For more information about configuring the VTMs, see Chapter 6. For information about using the VTM console after the VTMs are configured, see the Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642). Configuring vsphere Client for Remote System Management Use the vsphere Client utility to configure the ESXi host and its virtual machines from a remote management system running Windows. You can download vsphere Client from a link on your ESXi host to the management system after you have installed VMware ESXi. To download vsphere Client, open a Web browser and browse to the IP address or fully qualified host name you specified during the installation process. For example: Then, follow the instructions on the Web page and in the VMware vsphere documentation to install vsphere Client and use it to manage your ESXi host and virtual machines. NOTE In vsphere Client, the Health Status page (on the Configuration tab) and the Hardware Status tab (which you access from a vcenter Server system) display inaccurate information about ftserver systems. To display status and sensor information specific to ftserver systems, open the ftsys Status console in a Web browser or configure the ftsys Status tab in vsphere Client. For more information, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). For information about vcenter Server and other management options in a VMware vsphere environment, see the VMware vsphere documentation. 5-8 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

85 Configuring Network Interfaces Configuring SSH for Remote System Management You can use a secure shell (SSH) client to log on to the ftsys Management Appliance (or the ESXi Shell, if enabled) from a remote system and manage your ftserver system at the command-line level. You may need to download additional software to make this possible on some remote systems. For example, to manage your ftserver system from a Windows system, you can download and use PuTTY, a suite of open-source SSH clients: In particular, the putty.exe program allows you access a shell to execute programs on the command line, similar to the Telnet protocol, but using secure encryption. PuTTY also includes the pscp.exe command-line utility that allows you to securely transfer files from a remote system to the ESXi host. For example, if necessary, you can use pscp.exe to transfer new firmware files or ASN configuration files to the system. If you prefer a secure copy (SCP) client with a graphical user interface, you can also try the open-source WinSCP utility: On many Linux and UNIX systems, SSH utilities are already installed and enabled by default. See ssh(1) and scp(1) for information about how to use these utilities. Configuring Network Interfaces The installation process automatically configures one embedded 1GbE port from each CPU- I O enclosure into a single port group to support the management network and the virtual machines. The remaining embedded Ethernet ports and any optional, non-embedded Ethernet PCI adapters are unassigned. You need to manually configure the unassigned network adapters into port groups based on the virtual machines you intend to create, your network environment, performance considerations, and fault tolerance. For information about the default network configuration on ftserver systems running VMware ESXi, and the procedure for configuring the remaining Ethernet interfaces for fault tolerance, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). In the same manual, also see the section on scheduling CPU bringup options for important information about CPU resynchronization and its effects on the network connectivity of your ftserver system. You may want to adjust some settings to avoid potential network timeouts. Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-9

86 Configuring the ASN Modem For additional information about performance and load-balancing considerations in a VMware vsphere environment, see the VMware vsphere documentation. Configuring the ASN Modem If your system configuration includes an ASN modem that you installed prior to the installation process, Automated Uptime Layer automatically configured the modem when you configured the ftsys Management Appliance. You are ready to configure the ASN, as described in Chapter 7, Configuring ASN Support. Otherwise, if you have not installed the modem, perform the following procedure to install the modem and configure it for use.! CAUTION Consider logging out of the ftsys Management Appliance before performing this procedure. If the appliance is running when you execute the modem setup script, the script temporarily stops the appliance to apply the modem changes. Do not manually shut down or change the power settings for the appliance. The modem setup script automatically controls the appliance. Your ESXi host continues to run uninterrupted, though it is not fault tolerant until the appliance automatically restarts. To configure the ASN Modem 1. Install the modem and connect a phone line as described in the Stratus ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems: Installation Guide (R668).! CAUTION To avoid damaging your system hardware, you need to power down the system or temporarily remove power from the modem port before installing the modem. See the hardware installation guide for more information. 2. Temporarily enable the ESXi Shell for use, as described the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). 3. Log on to the ESXi Shell and execute the following command: # /opt/ftsys/sbin/ftsys-modem.sh 5-10 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

87 Adding Fault-Tolerant Utilities to PATH The script runs automatically and temporarily stops the ftsys Management Appliance to apply the changes. When the configuration is complete, the appliance automatically restarts. 4. To secure your system, disable the ESXi Shell. 5. Configure the ASN, as described in Chapter 7, Configuring ASN Support.! CAUTION By default, the modem is assigned to Serial Port A (/dev/ttys0). Modifying the Serial Port A settings or using this port for any other purpose, such as console redirection or login over a serial line, may prevent or delay service. Adding Fault-Tolerant Utilities to PATH In the ftsys Management Appliance, the ftsmaint utility resides in /opt/ft/bin, and the ASNConfig and VTMConfig utilities reside in /opt/ft/sbin. If you set your PATH environment variable to include these directories, you can execute the commands without specifying the fully qualified path each time. For example, if you are using the default bash shell, you can execute the following command to change the PATH in your current login session: # export PATH=$PATH:/opt/ft/bin:/opt/ft/sbin To make the change persistent for future login sessions, add the same command (without the # prompt) to the.bash_profile file in your home directory. Specifying the ESXi Host for Execution of VMware Commands By default, each time you execute VMware commands like esxcli or esxcfg-* in the ftsys Management Appliance, you need to specify the ESXi host on which to remotely execute the command. For example, to list the internal disks and RAID mirrors on the ESXi host ocean.abc.com, you would enter the esxcli command as follows: # esxcli -s ocean.abc.com storage mpm list To avoid specifying the -s hostname or --server hostname argument in each VMware command, set the VI_SERVER environment variable in the /etc/environment file of the ftsys Management Appliance, and this setting will persist for future esxcli and esxcfg-* commands. Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-11

88 Configuring VMware Components and Creating Virtual Machines For more information about managing the ftsys Management Appliance and executing VMware commands in the appliance, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). Configuring VMware Components and Creating Virtual Machines After you are finished performing these post-installation steps, you can configure the VMware ESXi host and create your virtual machines. If applicable, modify your external storage system and switch configurations to present LUNs for additional datastores to the ftserver system. If you initialized and mirrored any internal data disks during the installation process, you can create VMFS datastores on them now, as described in the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). No additional software is required in your own virtual machines to enable fault tolerance. The ftsys Management Appliance and Automated Uptime Layer manage the continuous uptime of your system. After installing a guest operating system, you need to install only the standard VMware Tools. Installing the QLogic CIM Provider and vcenter Server Plug-in If your ftserver system contains U107 Single-Port 8-Gbps Optical Fibre Channel PCI-Express Adapters for connections to external storage systems, consider installing the QLogic CIM provider and vcenter Server plug-in to manage these adapters. The QLogic CIM provider and plug-in allow you to modify boot BIOS options and firmware settings for U107 PCIe adapters on a running system without the need to reboot and use the QLogic BIOS Fast!UTIL program. For example, if a U107 PCIe adapter in your system fails, you can use the CIM provider and plug-in to configure or restore settings on a replacement adapter while the system continues running. Because you need to reboot your ftserver system to install the QLogic CIM provider and plug-in, installing these components now may prevent future downtime while the system is in production use. You can download the QLogic CIM provider and vcenter Server plug-in from the QLogic Web site. Follow the instructions included with these components to install and configure them. If you need help using the QLogic CIM provider and vcenter Server plug-in to modify boot BIOS options or firmware settings, especially if you are using these components to configure or restore settings on a replacement U107 PCIe adapter, contact the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) or your authorized Stratus service representative for assistance Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

89 Installing Updates and Patches on the ESXi Host You can also continue to use the QLogic BIOS Fast!UTIL program to modify U107 PCIe adapter settings; but you must schedule a maintenance period to reboot the system and access this program, as described in Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). Installing Updates and Patches on the ESXi Host! CAUTION You can apply patches to the ESXi host, as described in this section, but avoid apply patches to the CentOS operating system in the ftsys Management Appliance. Any system software in the appliance is updated automatically when you update the Automated Uptime Layer software. Because Stratus supports running Automated Uptime Layer together with standard releases of VMware ESXi, you can download patches for VMware ESXi directly from VMware and install them on your system with standard VMware utilities. Typically, you apply patches to an ESXi host by running VMware Update Manager, which creates a baseline for your host and lists the patches you can install. However, you can also manually download a patch zip file from VMware and install it by executing esxcli commands. For example, start by executing a command similar to the following to list the software profiles on your system: # esxcli software sources profile list -d /pathname/esxi zip Name Vendor Acceptance Level ESXi standard VMware, Inc. PartnerSupported ESXi no-tools VMware, Inc. PartnerSupported Then, execute a command similar to the following to apply the patch. Use the -p option to specify the profile to update from the list in the previous command. For example: # esxcli software profile update -d /pathname/esxi zip -p ESXi standard The output of this command will display the VIB files that have been installed, removed, or skipped as a result of applying the patch. Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-13

90 Installing Updates and Patches on the ESXi Host! CAUTION Do not use the esxcli software vib install command to apply patches. If you use the -force option to apply patches with this command despite the warnings it displays, it may replace some of the Stratus VIB files with standard ESXi VIB files. Replacing Stratus fault-tolerant components will compromise the continuous uptime of your system. For patches that do not require the ESXi host to be in maintenance mode, you can execute the esxcli commands in the ftsys Management Appliance (or use the VMware Update Manager). If prompted, restart your ESXi host to apply the patch. For patches that require the ESXi host to be in maintenance mode, properly shut down the ftsys Management Appliance by executing the following command in the appliance: # shutdown -h now After the appliance shuts down, put your ESXi host into maintenance mode and execute the esxcli commands in the ESXi Shell (or use the VMware Update Manager). The appliance will not automatically restart while the host is in maintenance mode, which allows you to complete the patch process. If prompted, restart your ESXi host to apply the patch. After patching the host, when you disable maintenance mode, you can manually restart the appliance or allow it to automatically restart within 20 minutes of disabling maintenance mode. Remember that your system is not fault tolerant unless the ftsys Management Appliance is running. For more detailed information about using the VMware update utilities to apply patches to your ESXi host, see the VMware vsphere documentation. You may install patches at your own discretion. However, before installing a VMware ESXi update release ( VMware ESXi 5.1, Update n ) or point release ( VMware ESXi 5.n.n or higher ), ensure that the release has been qualified by Stratus and determine if the release requires a companion update to Automated Uptime Layer. For a list of supported releases, see the following Web site: Use caution when applying software updates from any source. Applying updates indiscriminately may introduce serious problems to your system. For an up-to-date statement of the Stratus support policy on installing updates and patches to the system software, see the following Web site: Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

91 Using the ftadmin User Account Using the ftadmin User Account The ftsys Management Appliance includes a non-privileged user account named ftadmin that you can use for system maintenance. By default, the ftsys Management Appliance allows the root user to log on over SSH. However, if you decide to disable root logins for increased security, the ftadmin account offers a secure alternative to logging on to your system. Instead of logging on directly as the root user, you can log on as the ftadmin user and use the su command to temporarily assume root privileges for system maintenance.! CAUTION The default password for the ftadmin account is ftadmin. To secure your system after installation, log on as the ftadmin user and change the password by executing the passwd command. NOTE The ftadmin account is intended only to facilitate SSH and secure copy (SCP) access. To use privileged commands to administer the system, log on directly as root or another privileged account, or use the su -l command to assume root privileges. To log on as a privileged user over SSH 1. Ensure that you have installed and configured SSH on a remote system as described in Configuring SSH for Remote System Management on page Use an SSH client on the remote system to open a connection to the ftsys Management Appliance. Log on as the ftadmin user. 3. As the ftadmin user, execute the following command and enter the root password: $ su -l The su command allows you to assume the privileges of the root user. The -l argument opens a login shell, which also allows you to inherit the root user s PATH setting and other environmental attributes. You may need these environmental attributes to run certain administrative commands. Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-15

92 Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance If you do not specify a user, the su command automatically gives you root privileges, but you can supply a user name to assume a different user s privileges: $ su -l smith For more information about the su command, see su(8). 4. You can tell you are logged on as root when the system prompt changes from a dollar sign ($) to a pound (#) sign. At this point, you can execute privileged commands, such as the ftsmaint command: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 5. When you are finished using root privileges, log out to maintain security. You can close the shell by typing Ctrl-D or by executing the following command: # exit Alternatively, you can also use the sudo command to execute a single command as root without logging on as root. See sudo(8) for more information. Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance For various system administration tasks, you may need to transfer files to ftsys Management Appliance. These tasks include: Installing software updates or patches, as described in Installing Updates and Patches on the ESXi Host on page 5-13 Configuring the ASN, as described in Chapter 7, Configuring ASN Support Updating firmware, as described in Chapter 8, Updating ftserver System Firmware You can transfer the files necessary for these procedures to the ftsys Management Appliance by using the SCP (secure copy) utility to copy files into the appliance from a remote management system, or by using vsphere Client to connect media to the appliance from a remote management system. These options are described in the following sections: Transferring Files Into the Appliance by Using an SCP Utility on page 5-17 Transferring Files Into the Appliance by Using vsphere Client on page Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

93 Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance Transferring Files Into the Appliance by Using an SCP Utility The following procedure summarizes how to use an SCP utility to copy files into the appliance: 1. Copy or download the files to a management PC from a disk drive or network-accessible archive. 2. Set up SSH utilities, including SCP, on the management PC as described in Configuring SSH for Remote System Management on page Using the SCP utility on the management PC, copy the required files to a directory in the ftsys Management Appliance as the root user. On systems where root log-in sessions over SSH and SCP are disabled for security, you can use the ftadmin user account to copy the files. However, because the ftadmin account has limited privileges, you may be unable to copy the files to most administrative directories. If necessary, copy the files to the /tmp directory. (For more information about the ftadmin account, see Using the ftadmin User Account on page 5-15.) 4. After the files are copied to the system, log on to the ftsys Management Appliance to access the files. If you had copied the files to the /tmp directory, log on as root and move the files to their intended location. Transferring Files Into the Appliance by Using vsphere Client You can use vsphere Client to connect a CD, DVD, ISO file, or USB drive that contains the files you need to the ftsys Management Appliance. The following procedures describe the steps, which are different for USB devices than the other types of devices. NOTES 1. After you finish with remote media, remember to unmount the media in the ftsys Management Appliance before disconnecting it in vsphere Client; otherwise, the operating system continues to scan for media, which results in error messages on the console of the appliance (for example, VFS: busy inodes on changed media or resized disk). To stop these error messages, reconnect the media, unmount it, and disconnect it. If the error messages obscure the appliance home screen or terminal session on the console, see a note about resolving this issue in Configuring Automated Uptime Layer for Continuous Uptime on page Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-17

94 Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance 2. For more information about using the connect/disconnect media features of vsphere Client, see the vsphere Client online help. To connect a CD, DVD, or ISO file to the appliance using vsphere Client 1. Insert a CD or DVD (for example, the Automated Uptime Layer DVD) into the management PC that you use to run vsphere Client. Or, if applicable, locate the ISO file you want to use. 2. Open vsphere Client and connect to the ESXi host. (Alternatively, you can access the host from a vcenter Server system.) 3. Expand the entry for your ESXi host, and click the ftsys Management Appliance (typically, ftsysmgt-hostname) in the list of virtual machines. 4. Click the connect/disconnect CD/DVD button ( ) in vsphere Client and do one of the following: For a physical CD or DVD, click CD/DVD drive 1 and select Connect to X:, where X: is the drive that contains the CD or DVD. For an ISO file, click CD/DVD drive 1 and select Connect to ISO image on local disk. The media connects to the ftsys Management Appliance. 5. Log on to the ftsys Management Appliance and mount the CD, DVD or ISO file. For example, execute the following commands to create a mount point and mount the media on that mount point: # mkdir /mnt/cdrom # mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom 6. Copy the files you need to the ftsys Management Appliance. 7. When you are finished using the remote media, unmount the media from the ftsys Management Appliance. For example, execute the following command: # umount /mnt/cdrom 8. Click the connect/disconnect CD/DVD button in vsphere Client and click Disconnect from X:. To connect a USB drive to the appliance using vsphere Client 1. Connect a USB drive to the management PC that you use to run vsphere Client. 2. Open vsphere Client and connect to the ESXi host. (Alternatively, you can access the host from a vcenter Server system.) 3. Expand the entry for your ESXi host, and click the ftsys Management Appliance (typically, ftsysmgt-hostname) in the list of virtual machines Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

95 Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance 4. Click the connect/disconnect USB device button ( ) in vsphere Client. NOTE If the connect/disconnect USB device button ( ) is inactive (grayed out), follow the instructions in this section To add a USB controller to the ftsys Management Appliance, then click the active USB device button. 5. Click Connect to USB Device and select Connect to device_name, where device name is the USB device. The media automatically disconnects from your management PC, and connects to the ftsys Management Appliance. 6. Log on to the ftsys Management Appliance and mount the USB drive. Example 5-1 demonstrates how to determine the device name of the USB device, create a directory as the mount point, and mount the device. Example 5-1. Mounting a USB Storage Device # dmesg tail Vendor: Generic Model: STORAGE DEVICE Rev: 1033 Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 00 SCSI device sdb: byte hdwr sectors (262 MB) sdb: Write Protect is off sdb: Mode Sense: sdb: assuming drive cache: write through SCSI device sdb: byte hdwr sectors (262 MB) sdb: Write Protect is off sdb: Mode Sense: sdb: assuming drive cache: write through sdb: sdb1 sd 1:0:0:0: Attached scsi removable disk sdb sd 1:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0 usb-storage: device scan complete.. # mkdir /mnt/flash # mount -t vfat /dev/sdb1 /mnt/flash 7. Copy the files you need to the ftsys Management Appliance. 8. When you are finished using the remote media, unmount the media from the ftsys Management Appliance. For example, execute the following command: # umount /mnt/flash Post-Installation Tasks and Considerations 5-19

96 Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance 9. Click the connect/disconnect USB button in vsphere Client, click USB Device n, and click Disconnect from device_name. The media automatically disconnects from the ftsys Management Appliance, and reconnects to your management PC. If you want to connect USB media to the system by using vsphere Client, complete the following procedure to add a USB controller to the ftsys Management Appliance. Adding a USB controller activates the connect/disconnect USB button ( ) for the appliance in vsphere Client. You need to do this only one time, unless you redeploy the appliance in the future. To add a USB controller to the ftsys Management Appliance 1. Open vsphere Client and connect to the ESXi host. (Alternatively, you can access the host from a vcenter Server system.) 2. Expand the entry for your ESXi host, right-click the ftsys Management Appliance (typically, ftsysmgt-hostname) in the list of virtual machines, and click Edit Settings. The Virtual Machine Properties page is displayed. 3. In the Hardware tab, click Add. The Add Hardware wizard is displayed. 4. On the Device Type page, select USB Controller and click Next. 5. On the USB Controller page, keep the default (EHCI+UHCI), and click Next. 6. On the Ready to Complete page, click Finish to create the USB controller and close the Add Hardware wizard. 7. On the Virtual Machine Properties page, verify that the New USB Contoller is Present and click OK to continue. After a few seconds, the new USB controller is available for use Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

97 Chapter 6 Configuring the VTMs6- The VTMs in your system enable authorized system administrators to remotely control, monitor, and diagnose the system through a Web-based interface called the VTM console. The VTMs also optionally provide your connection to the ASN for remote monitoring services and enable the CAC or your authorized service representative to access the system for troubleshooting purposes. Access to the VTMs and VTM console is assured regardless of the state of the host system because the VTMs run on standby power and have their own network connections, CPU, memory, and operating system. Network connections for the VTMs are provided through one of two VTM Ethernet ports, one at the rear of each CPU- I O enclosure. You connect these ports to your intranet or the Internet and either allow DHCP to manage the IP addresses or manually assign static IP addresses, depending on your network configuration. NOTE In ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 systems, VTM features are integrated into the BMC. In previous ftserver system models, the VTM and BMC were separate hardware components. The following sections explain how to initially configure the VTMs and provide an overview of managing the system with VTM console: Preparing to Configure the VTMs on page 6-2 Configuring the VTMs on page 6-2 Displaying VTM Settings with the ftsmaint Command on page 6-11 Testing the VTM Network Configuration on page 6-12 Using the VTM Console on page 6-13 After you configure the VTMs, see the Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642) or the VTM console online help for complete information about using the VTM console. Configuring the VTMs 6-1

98 Preparing to Configure the VTMs Preparing to Configure the VTMs To set up the VTMs, perform the following tasks: If you have not done so already, connect the VTM Ethernet ports to a network as described in the Stratus ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems: Installation Guide (R668). Network connections to the VTM Ethernet ports allow you to perform remote management and troubleshooting over your intranet. If the network has Internet access, you can also choose to send ASN alerts over the Internet and allow the ASN hub to connect to your system over the Internet for monitoring and problem diagnosis. (The Internet method provides faster and more reliable access than dialup over the ASN modem.) If your environment has a DHCP server, you can allow it to assign IP addresses to VTM Ethernet ports (the default configuration). If your environment requires the use of static addressing, you can configure two static IP addresses for the VTM Ethernet ports. In either case, generic hostnames are assigned to the VTM Ethernet ports. If necessary, you can modify these hostnames in the VTMConfig utility. Configure the VTM administrator account for the VTM console. Display configuration information for the VTM Ethernet ports, if necessary. Test the VTM network configuration. Configure your ASN connection as described in Chapter 7, if your ftserver system is covered by a service agreement that includes remote system monitoring. Configuring the VTMs You use the VTMConfig utility to configure VTM settings on the BMC as well as settings for ASN support. The VTMConfig utility is an interactive, text-based program that is located in the /opt/ft/sbin directory of the ftsys Management Appliance. You need root privileges to use this utility. The following sections describe the settings you can modify with the VTMConfig utility and how to use this utility to initially configure the VTMs. Using the VTMConfig Utility Configuring Static IP Addresses for VTM Ethernet Ports on page 6-6 Configuring the VTM Administrator Account on page 6-7 Configuring the VTMs to Use AD and LDAP on page Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

99 Configuring the VTMs Using the VTMConfig Utility The VTMConfig utility checks the validity of the supplied settings and exports them to VTM configuration files on the BMC. Settings that are exported to the VTM configuration files are preserved across an Automated Uptime Layer upgrade. The following procedure demonstrates how to use the VTMConfig utility.! CAUTION Do not attempt to change settings until you understand the setting descriptions listed in Table 6-1. To use the VTMConfig utility 1. To start the VTMConfig utility, type the following command in the ftsys Management Appliance: # /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig The following menu appears. To control network settings... press (1) To control access settings... press (2) To control user settings... press (3) To control modem settings... press (4) To control AD/LDAP settings... press (5) To control ASN settings... press (6) To exit VTMConfig... press (0) 2. Type the number that corresponds to the settings you want to configure. For example, to configure network settings, type 1. The utility displays the following. To display network settings.. press (1) To change network settings... press (2) To return to main menu... press (0) 3. Type 1 to display network settings; otherwise, type 2 to change network settings. The following output appears: DHCP enabled? True Hostname (VTM0) - Hostname (VTM1) - Use new value, or Enter to accept default, or NONE to clear previous default Enable DHCP? (y/n) [y]: Configuring the VTMs 6-3

100 Configuring the VTMs Type n or y to disable or enable DHCP. 4. Supply a value for each prompt and then press Enter. If you do not want to enter a value, or you want to accept the default that is presented, press Enter. 5. At the Save configuration changes? prompt, type y (for yes) or n (for no) to save or discard the changes. 6. After supplying all the values for your configuration, type 0 repeatedly until you exit from the VTMConfig utility. NOTE Configuration changes go into effect only after you exit from the VTMConfig utility and confirm any pending changes. When you exit the main menu, there is a short pause as the system writes the modified values to the VTMs. Table 6-1 describes some of the settings that you can modify with the VTMConfig utility. Table 6-1. VTMConfig Settings (Page 1 of 2) Setting Description network Settings DHCP Enabled Hostname (VTM0) Hostname (VTM1) Enables (true, the default) or disables (false) DHCP. The hostname of VTM0 (hostnamevtm0, by default) The hostname of VTM1 (hostnamevtm1, by default) network Settings When DHCP is Disabled VTM netmask VTM gateway VTM domain VTM DNS server IP Address The subnet mask for the network to which the VTM is connected. The default gateway for the network. The domain name that the VTMs use. The IP addresses of the domain name system (DNS) servers that the VTMs use. VTM0 IP Address The static IP address of VTM0 (located in I/O element 10). VTM1 IP Address The static IP address of VTM1 (located in I/O element 11). VTM0 hostname VTM1 hostname The hostname of VTM0. The hostname of VTM Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

101 Configuring the VTMs Table 6-1. VTMConfig Settings (Page 2 of 2) Setting Description access Settings Ping enabled HTTP enabled Enables (default) or disables ping. Enables (true, the default) or disables (false) HTTP. HTTP port The valid HTTP port number. Values are 1 to The default is 80. HTTPS enabled Enables (true, the default) or disables (false) HTTPS. HTTPS port The valid HTTPS port number. Values are 1 to The default is 443. SSH enabled Enables (true, the default) or disables (false) SSH. SSH port The valid SSH port number. Values are 1 to The default is 22. user Settings Username Password The VTM console username. The default is ADMIN. The VTM console password. The default is ADMIN. modem Settings Modem check enabled? Modem check interval Modem owner timeout Enables (true, the default) or disables (false) checking the modem status, that is, whether the modem is considered to be online because a dial tone was detected. Sets the interval (in seconds) at which the modem status is checked. The default value is Sets the timeout of the modem owner. The default value is 600 seconds. After the timeout period with no connection over the modem to or from the VTM, ownership returns to the system. AD/LDAP Settings See Configuring the VTMs to Use AD and LDAP on page 6-8. ASN Settings See Chapter 7 and the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072) for information on ASN settings. Configuring the VTMs 6-5

102 Configuring the VTMs Configuring Static IP Addresses for VTM Ethernet Ports Typically, DHCP assigns IP addresses to the VTM Ethernet ports. However, if your environment requires the use of static addressing, you can disable DHCP for the ports and assign static IP addresses. You need two IP addresses for this purpose.! CAUTION All static IP addresses assigned to the VTM Ethernet ports must be on the same subnet. (However, the VTM Ethernet ports may be on a different subnet than the system Ethernet ports.) Both VTMs must use the same type of IP address: DHCP or static. To configure static IP addresses for VTM Ethernet ports 1. Start the VTMConfig utility by typing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig 2. Type 1 to select To control network Settings from the menu. 3. Type 2 to select To change network settings. 4. Type No at the Enable DHCP? prompt if the value of this parameter is yes. If it is already no, press Enter to leave it unchanged. 5. At the VTM netmask prompt, type the subnet mask for the network to which the VTM port is connected. Press Enter. 6. At the VTM gateway prompt, type the IP address of the default gateway for the network. Press Enter. 7. At the VTM domain prompt, type the domain name for the network. Press Enter. 8. At the VTM DNS server IP Address prompt, type the IP address of a DNS server. Press Enter. If possible, type the IP address of a second DNS server at the next prompt. Otherwise, leave the entry blank. Press Enter. 9. At the VTM0 IP address and VTM1 IP address prompts, type the static IP addresses you obtained for the two VTM ports and press Enter. Ensure that the addresses are on the same subnet. 10. At the VTM0 hostname and VTM1 hostname prompts, optionally specify a host name for each VTM and press Enter. If you do not want to assign a host name, leave the entry blank. 11. The VTMConfig utility displays the configuration information you entered. If the settings are correct, press y to save and apply the configuration. If the settings are incorrect, press n and repeat steps Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

103 Configuring the VTMs 12. To exit from the VTMConfig utility, type 0 repeatedly until the shell prompt is displayed. If you want to verify that the IP addresses were set, use the ftsmaint command to display information about the VTM ports, as shown in Displaying VTM Settings with the ftsmaint Command on page Configuring the VTM Administrator Account The default user account for logging on to the VTM console is ADMIN, and the password is ADMIN. You can use the VTMConfig utility to change either of these settings.! CAUTION For security purposes, make sure to change the default account password before putting the system into service. To configure the VTM administrator account 1. Start the VTMConfig utility by typing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig 2. Type 3 to select To control user settings. 3. Type 2 to select To change user settings. The current settings are displayed. 4. At the Enter Username prompt, type a new user name or leave the entry blank to keep the current setting. Press Enter. 5. At the Enter Password prompt, type a new password or leave the entry blank to keep the current setting. Press Enter. 6. The VTMConfig utility displays the new settings. If the settings are correct, press y to save and apply the changes. If the settings are incorrect, press n and repeat steps To exit from the VTMConfig utility, type 0 repeatedly until the shell prompt is displayed. The default user account for VTM console is for use only by authorized administrators from your organization. If you configure ASN support and choose to enable service connections by the CAC or your authorized service representative, importing the ASN configuration file to your system automatically creates a second VTM console account for that purpose with the user name and password you specify on the ASM Web site. Configuring the VTMs 6-7

104 Configuring the VTMs Configuring the VTMs to Use AD and LDAP ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 systems running Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems support Active Directory (AD) and the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) over the VTMs. With this support, you can log on to the VTM console with user credentials from an Active Directory or LDAP server. (You can also continue to log on using the existing VTM administrator account.) The host system generates the activedir.conf file for AD configuration and the ldap.conf file for LDAP, and then transfers these files to the VTMs using the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI). To access the AD/LDAP settings menu 1. Start the VTMConfig utility by typing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig 2. Type 5 to select To control AD/LDAP settings. The AD/LDAP settings menu appears, as shown in Figure 6-1. Figure 6-1. AD/LDAP Settings Menu To display active directory settings... press (1) To display role group settings... press (2) To display LDAP configuration setting... press (3) To change active directory settings... press (4) To change role group settings... press (5) To change LDAP configuration settings... press (6) To return to main menu... press (0) To Configure the VTMs to Use Active Directory After successfully configuring Active Directory, you will be able to log in to the VTM console using your user login and password, for example mjones@eng.a1corp.com. 1. Start the VTMConfig utility by typing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig 2. Type 5 to select To control AD/LDAP settings. 3. Type 4 to select To change active directory settings in the AD/LDAP settings menu. 4. At the Enable Active Directory? prompt, type y. 6-8 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

105 Configuring the VTMs 5. At the Enter authentication timeout prompt, enter the number of seconds, from 5 to 300, for the authentication timeout. Or press Enter to accept the default value of 120 seconds. 6. At the Enter domain controller 1 [2] [3] prompts, enter one (required) to three (optional) IP addresses of domain controllers (servers that run Active Directory). 7. At the Enter role group 1 priv prompt, enter the privilege level for the role group (to be named in the next prompt). Possible values are administrator (level 4, the default) and 0. Press Enter to accept the default, or specify 0 to disable the privilege. Privilege level 0 allows only minimal functionality. The role group name identifies a group of users in a particular domain. The role group name should match the name of an Active Directory Group. Members of a role group can log on to the VTM console with the specified privileges. NOTE You can specify up to five role groups, each with a specified privilege level, name, and domain. To specify role groups 2 through 5, select option 5, To change role group settings, from the AD/LDAP settings menu (see Figure 6-1). 8. At the Enter role group 1 name prompt, enter the name of the group for which you assigned the privilege level in step 7. The role group name can include a maximum of 255 characters, including spaces. 9. At the Enter role group 1 domain prompt, enter the name of the domain in which to look for the role group. The domain name can include a maximum of 255 characters. To Configure the VTMs to Use LDAP The ldap.conf configuration file sets system-wide defaults that are applied when the system runs LDAP clients. You can configure the VTMs to use LDAP parameters by supplying the parameters at the prompts starting at step 6 in the following procedure, or by supplying the path name of the configured ldap.conf file (the comments at step 5 provide details). The following example below uses the first approach. 1. Start the VTMConfig utility by typing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig 2. Type 5 to select To control AD/LDAP settings. 3. Type 6 to select To change LDAP configuration settings in the AD/LDAP settings menu, as shown in Figure 6-1. Configuring the VTMs 6-9

106 Configuring the VTMs 4. At the Enable LDAP? prompt, type y. 5. At the Use file? prompt, type n. By answering no to this prompt, you are limited to specifying simple configurations consisting only of the base, binddn, and bindpw parameters, which you provide as single parameters to the prompts that follow. For more complex configurations, enter the required parameters in the ldap.conf file. More complex configurations might include more pam_ldap options that, for instance, limit the search scope or restrict valid users to particular groups. (Refer to the pam_ldap(5) man page for the options to be specified in ldap.conf file.) To configure the VTMs with the ldap.conf file, you would type y to the Use file? prompt in this step, and specify the file s path name in the Enter full file path prompt that would follow it. 6. At the Enter host prompt, specify the IPV4 address of LDAP server. 7. At the Enter port prompt, specify the port to connect to. 8. At the Enter base prompt, specify the default base distinguished name (DN). A maximum of 255 characters is allowed. The base DN specifies the starting point for searches in the LDAP directory server. This field is case sensitive by default. This parameter is optional. 9. At the Enter binddn prompt, specify the DN with which to bind to the directory servers. This parameter is optional. The default is to bind anonymously. A maximum of 255 characters is allowed. 10. At the Enter bindpw prompt, specify the cleartext credentials (password) with which to bind. A maximum of 255 characters is allowed. This parameter is applicable only when used with the binddn option. The default is no credentials (anonymous bind). When binding to the directory using Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) or other authentication mechanisms apart from simple binds, this option is not used Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

107 Displaying VTM Settings with the ftsmaint Command Displaying VTM Settings with the ftsmaint Command You can use the ftsmaint lsvtmconfig path command, where path is 10/120 or 11/120, to display configuration information for the VTM ports. For example, type the following command to display information about VTM0, the VTM port in I/O element 10 (the upper enclosure): # ftsmaint lsvtmconfig 10/120 VTM Network Settings VTM Network Address : DHCP Enabled? : false Netmask : Gateway : VTM Hostname : VTM0 Domainname : abc.company.com DNS Server 1 : DNS Server 2 : In this example, DHCP is disabled and the VTM Network address (IP address) for VTM0 is You can use the VTM network address to connect to the VTM console, as described in Testing the VTM Network Configuration on page If you need to determine only the IP address of a VTM port, you can alternatively use the ftsmaint ls path command, where path is 10/120 or 11/120. For example, type the following command to display information about the BMC that controls VTM0, the VTM port in I/O element 10 (the upper enclosure): # ftsmaint ls 10/120 H/W Path : 10/120 Description : Baseboard Management Ctlr State : ONLINE Op State : DUPLEX Reason : PRIMARY Firmware Rev : 03.17/00.00/01.05/01.03 IP Address : In this example, IP address for VTM0 is Configuring the VTMs 6-11

108 Testing the VTM Network Configuration Testing the VTM Network Configuration If you configure your system for access to the VTM ports over your network, you can test that configuration by connecting to the VTM console. The following procedure describes how to start a VTM console session. For more information about the Web browser and security options that you need to configure to use features of the VTM console, see the Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642). NOTES 1. Using VTM console in a Web browser on the ftserver system itself is not supported. However, if you only need to test that a VTM port is configured and active, you can load its VTM console login page on the ftserver system. 2. To display the properties of a VTM port, including all related IP addresses, type the following command: ftsmaint lsvtmconfig path, where path is 10/120 or 11/120. To start a VTM session 1. Use a Web browser to connect to one of the VTM ports on an ftserver system. In the Web browser, enter one of the IP addresses you assigned to the VTM ports. When you open a connection to the VTM console, some browsers may display a warning message (for example, the message There is a problem with this website's security certificate displayed by Internet Explorer). You can safely ignore the message and continue to the site. 2. If you want to use the Remote KVM or Remote Media features, ensure that you are connected to the VTM console on the primary VTM port. On the VTM console login screen, if the device name below Virtual Technician Module reads CPUIO n (PRIMARY), continue with step 3. Otherwise, if the device name reads CPUIO n (SECONDARY), click the primary VTM IP address, (nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn) (Primary), at the top of the screen. A new VTM console session opens on the primary VTM port. 3. Log on to the VTM console: a. In the User Name box, type the user name for the default VTM administrator account. Or, if you configured directory services, type the user name for an Active Directory or LDAP user account Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

109 Using the VTM Console If you enter your Active Directory credentials, remember to specify your Active Directory user name in the format (for example, b. In the Password box, type the password for the specified account. c. Select one of the following: Non Secure Mode (the default) Creates a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) connection to the VTM, which is a standard, unsecured connection. Select this type of connection for better performance over a network that is already secure. Secure Mode Creates a secured Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) connection to the VTM. Select this type of connection to use secure socket layer (SSL) encryption for better security. All VTM traffic, including traffic for the Remote KVM console and Remote Media devices, uses the mode that you select. d. Click Login. e. If the message The application's digital signature cannot be verified. Do you want to run the application? appears in a dialog box, click Run. If it appears a second time, click Run again. After a few moments, the VTM console appears and displays the System tab. For complete information about using the VTM console, see the Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642). Using the VTM Console Once connected to the VTM console, you can use it to perform a variety of administrative tasks: Monitor the state of the system Examine the system event logs (SELs) Open a connection to the console of the ESXi host with Remote KVM Share storage devices from your local management PC (where VTM console is running) with the ftserver system Power the system on and off Reset the system to create a dump file, or snapshot of the system s memory, which may help the CAC or your authorized Stratus service representative diagnose system problems Perform advanced troubleshooting Configuring the VTMs 6-13

110 Using the VTM Console For more information about performing these tasks, see the Stratus ftserver Virtual Technician Module User s Guide (R642) or the VTM console online help.! CAUTION Before using the VTM console to turn off system power, perform an orderly shutdown of the operating system, if possible. Note that the VTM console is not accessible from the local host system. You access the VTM console from a management PC over a LAN or modem connection. If you configure your system to send alerts to the ASN through Dial-up only, and you dial in through the modem to access the VTM console, be aware that alarms and call-home support to the CAC through the modem will be blocked for the duration of the connection. However, if your system is configured to send alerts by one the following options, using the modem will not block alarms or call-home support, which continue over the Internet: Internet with phone line as backup Internet only For more information about selecting the connection protocol and call-home method for your ASN configuration, see the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072) Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

111 Chapter 7 Configuring ASN Support7- If your ftserver system is covered by a service agreement that includes remote system monitoring, you can configure your system to: Send alerts to the CAC or your authorized Stratus service representative through the ASN when unusual events occur on the system Enable the CAC or your authorized Stratus service representative to access the system through a connection to the ASN The following topics describe how to configure these features on systems running VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer: Preparing to Configure the ASN Configuring the ASN on page 7-3 Modifying an ASN Configuration on page 7-4 Testing the Alert Configuration on page 7-5 Running the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool on page 7-6 Preserving Alerts on page 7-7 Changing Node Configurations on page 7-8 Configuring Your System for Internet CAC Connections on page 7-9 Installed ASN Components on page 7-11 See also Using Basic ASN on page 7-13 for a description of the basic ASN product that you may install and use without further configuration. Configuring ASN Support 7-1

112 Preparing to Configure the ASN Preparing to Configure the ASN To prepare for configuring ASN support on your system, perform the following tasks: Log on to the ActiveService Manager (ASM) Web site to create and download a configuration file that contains your ASN connection settings. For information about registering your newly installed system on the ASM Web site and creating the ASN configuration file, see the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072). Because the ftsys Management Appliance does not include a Web browser, you must download the ASN configuration file to a management PC, then transfer the file to the appliance. For information about options for transferring the file, see Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page NOTE In systems that boot from external storage, it is important to keep the ASN settings on the service disk and external storage system synchronized to ensure timely service in the event of a service call. For this reason, it is best to keep a copy of the most current ASN configuration file on a management PC so it is always available to transfer to the system for configuration procedures. Ensure that your system has connectivity to an ASN hub, as appropriate for the configuration: An Internet connection is provided to the system (for Internet connections to the ASN). The modem is properly installed (for dialup connections to the ASN). For information about installing the modem and connecting phone and network cables to the system, see the hardware installation guide for your system. If you will use VTMs to provide ASN support, configure the VTMs as described in Chapter 6 and verify that they have network connectivity as described in Testing the VTM Network Configuration on page If you will use the modem to provide ASN support, verify that your phone line can call the ASN Hub. Connect the phone line you will use with the modem to a handset, and manually dial one of the ASN Hub phone numbers. Dial the ASN Hub phone number you wrote down when you configured ASN information on the ASM Web site. 7-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

113 Configuring the ASN NOTE A dedicated phone line provides the most reliable service. ASN calls routed through a PBX might be slow because of load on the PBX, or might not complete successfully because of disconnections. If you must use a PBX, do not route the telephone extension through a switchboard; instead, provide a direct-dial analog number. When you are ready to complete the ASN configuration process on your system: Run the ASN Configuration program to import the ASN configuration file. Test the alert configuration. Contact the CAC or your authorized Stratus service representative to verify that they are receiving call-home messages from your system. Configuring the ASN During the Automated Uptime Layer installation process, if you opted to allow your system to automatically send system health information to Stratus, only basic ASN capabilities are enabled. To enable full ASN capabilities, you must configure ASN support on your system by executing the /opt/ft/sbin/asnconfig command or the /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig command in the ftsys Management Appliance. ASNConfig provides only ASN-specific submenus, whereas VTMConfig provides VTM-related submenus as well as the option To control ASN settings, which provides the same functionality as ASNConfig. (This chapter documents the ASNConfig command in detail, and the VTMConfig command only briefly.) Both commands have options that prompt you for the name of the ASN configuration file that contains the information you configured on the ASM Web site. Make sure you know the location of this file, which is typically named Configssn.ini. The following procedure describes how to use the ASNConfig or VTMConfig utility to import the ASN configuration file, which synchronizes your system s ASN settings with those in the ASN database. To configure the ASN 1. If you have already downloaded a Configssn.ini file to another system that has Internet access, transfer the file to a convenient directory of your choice in the ftsys Management Appliance, for example, the ASN work directory, /etc/opt/ft/asn/sra_ppp/. Configuring ASN Support 7-3

114 Modifying an ASN Configuration 2. Run the ASNConfig utility by issuing the following command in the ftsys Management Appliance: # /opt/ft/sbin/asnconfig Alternatively, run the VTMConfig utility by issuing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig The VTMConfig menu is displayed. Type 6 for To control ASN settings. The ASN menu offers the following options: To display ASN configuration, To display ASN Hub configuration, To modify ASN configuration, To modify ASN Hub configuration, To import new configuration file, To restart ASN processes, To Toggle demo mode, To create an inventory report, To exit ASNConfig, press(1) press(2) press(3) press(4) press(5) press(6) press(7) press(8) press(0) 3. Type 5, then the full path name of the Configssn.ini file, and then yes when prompted to save the configuration. 4. Type 0 once to exit from the ASNConfig utility or twice to exit from the VTMConfig utility. NOTES 1. Configuration changes go into effect only after you exit from ASNConfig or VTMConfig and confirm any pending changes. 2. After configuring the ASN, send a system inventory to the CAC to verify that the configuration was successful. See Testing the Alert Configuration on page 7-5. Modifying an ASN Configuration Use the ASM Web site any time you need to modify your ASN configuration, as described in the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072). Be sure to download a new ASN configuration file, which is typically Configssn.ini, for your ftserver system. Then, you import the new configuration file using ASNConfig. 7-4 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

115 Testing the Alert Configuration You can also use the ASN configuration program (ASNConfig) to modify the ASN configuration file; however, Stratus is unaware of any changes you make locally and these changes are overwritten the next time you download and import a configuration file from the ASM Web site. For example, you should change the heartbeat interval only through the ASM Web site, but you can change the setting for preserving alarms on the local system. Testing the Alert Configuration You can test whether the ASN configuration is properly set up to send alerts by generating an alert. To generate an alert 1. Run the ASNConfig utility by issuing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/asnconfig The ASN menu offers the following options: To display ASN configuration, To display ASN Hub configuration, To modify ASN configuration, To modify ASN Hub configuration, To import new configuration file, To restart ASN processes, To Toggle demo mode, To create an inventory report, To exit ASNConfig, press(1) press(2) press(3) press(4) press(5) press(6) press(7) press(8) press(0) 2. Type 8 to select To create an inventory report. The system generates a report and queues it for delivery. 3. Press any key to acknowledge that the report was generated. 4. Type 0 to exit from the ASNConfig utility. The ASN configuration program only places the alert in a queue on your computer. When the alarm service performs its next examination of the queue, the alarm service causes the alert to be sent. If the primary method of sending alerts is by phone and the phone line is busy, the alarm service tries to send the alert by any configured secondary method, such as the Internet. If the primary method of sending alerts is by the Internet and the Internet is not available, the alarm service tries to send the alert by any configured secondary method. The alarm service continually tries to send the alert until the alert is successfully sent by one of the configured methods. Configuring ASN Support 7-5

116 Running the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool To verify that the alert is successfully sent, wait approximately five minutes after generating the alert, and then do one of the following: Examine the /var/opt/ft/asn/sra_alarm folder in the ftsys Management Appliance for alarm files. Alarm files have file names in the following formats (where n is a number that increments by 1 for each new alarm): Alarm_n, when an alarm is queued to be sent. Sent_Alarm_n, after an alarm is successfully transmitted (if you have configured the system to preserve alarms). Failed_Alarm_n, if an alarm could not be successfully sent. Examine messages in the system log file of the ftsys Management Appliance (which is /var/log/messages, by default). To verify that the alert was successfully sent, look for a message from the sra_alarm service that includes following text: Delivered alarm Alarm_n result=0.0. After you are sure that the system is sending alerts, you can use the ASN configuration program to set the value of the preservealarms parameter to n (for no) to prevent alarm files from collecting on the system disk. See Preserving Alerts on page 7-7 for more information. Running the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool The ASN software includes a diagnostics tool that you can use to verify the correct configuration and environment within which to run Internet-based ASN services. This tool supports only Internet-based configurations. (It does not support dialup modem configurations.) To start the tool, enable and start the diagnostic service by executing the following command in the ftsys Management Appliance: # /opt/ft/sbin/start-asn-diagd After the service starts, open a Web browser on a management PC and connect to the diagnostics tool at the following URL (where servername is the hostname of your ftserver system): This page contains a link to run all of the diagnostics, and also to optionally manage your ASN configuration. 7-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

117 Preserving Alerts! CAUTION When you finish using the ASN Diagnostics Tool, stop and disable the diagnostic service to prevent unauthorized users from modifying your ASN configuration or discovering information about your system. To stop and disable the diagnostic service, execute the following commands: # service ft-sra_coda stop # chkconfig ft-sra_coda off If you need additional help diagnosing problems with your ASN connection, contact the CAC or your authorized Stratus service representative. Preserving Alerts After you verify that your ftserver system can successfully send alerts, you can reset the preservealarms setting to prevent files from collecting on the system disk, unnecessarily taking up disk space. However, if you choose to continue preserving alerts you should monitor the alarms directory periodically to purge obsolete files. To manage the preservealarms setting 1. Run the ASNConfig utility by issuing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/asnconfig The ASN menu offers the following options: To display ASN configuration, To display ASN Hub configuration, To modify ASN configuration, To modify ASN Hub configuration, To import new configuration file, To restart ASN processes, To Toggle demo mode, To create an inventory report, To exit ASNConfig, press(1) press(2) press(3) press(4) press(5) press(6) press(7) press(8) press(0) 2. Type 3, To modify ASN configuration. 3. Through the first ten settings, enter values, if appropriate, and press Enter, to display the following: Preserve alarm files after transmission? (y/n) [n]: Configuring ASN Support 7-7

118 Changing Node Configurations If you want to preserve alarms, type y for yes. This enables the system to save each successfully transmitted alert as a separate file in the /var/opt/ft/asn/sra_alarm directory of the ftsys Management Appliance. See Testing the Alert Configuration on page 7-5 for more information about these alarm files. If you do not want to preserve alarms, type n for no. 4. Continue to press Enter through the remaining settings. 5. At the final prompt, Save configuration changes?, press y. 6. Press any key to display the main menu. 7. Type 6 to restart the ASN processes, then press any key to display the main menu. 8. Type 0 to exit from the ASNConfig utility. NOTE If you subsequently import a new ASN configuration file from the ASM Web site, the preservealarms value you selected on the ASM Web site overwrites the value on your local system. Changing Node Configurations Nodes allow you to configure up to 10 different ASN Hub configurations for future use. Only one configuration is active at a time, starting with the default of node 1. If your ASN configuration file contains multiple node configurations that you configured on the ASM Web site, you can select a different configuration to use while your system is online. To change node configurations 1. Run the ASNConfig utility by issuing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/asnconfig 7-8 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

119 Configuring Your System for Internet CAC Connections The ASN menu offers the following options: To display ASN configuration, To display ASN Hub configuration, To modify ASN configuration, To modify ASN Hub configuration, To import new configuration file, To restart ASN processes, To Toggle demo mode, To create an inventory report, To exit ASNConfig, press(1) press(2) press(3) press(4) press(5) press(6) press(7) press(8) press(0) 2. Type 3 to select To modify ASN configuration. The current value for each ASN configuration parameter is displayed. The program allows you to change each parameter, one at a time, in sequence. Either specify a value for the current parameter, or press Enter to switch to the next parameter. 3. Press Enter several times until Enter Call Home Hub (1-n) is displayed. 4. Type the number of the call-home hub (node) you want to use. 5. Press Enter as many times as necessary until Save configuration changes? (y/n) is displayed. 6. Type y for yes. The program saves the changes. 7. Press any key to display the main menu. 8. Type 0 to exit from the ASNConfig utility. Configuring Your System for Internet CAC Connections If you configure the VTMs in your system, the CAC can troubleshoot your system over the Internet instead of through a phone line and modem. The service representative connects to the VTMs and then can use terminal services or the VTM s Remote KVM console to connect to and troubleshoot the system. CAC connections over the Internet correspond to the VTM Internet connection protocol on the ASM Web site. (Your service representative may refer to this functionality as bi-directional Internet or Internet dial-up. ) To prepare for enabling Internet CAC connections, do the following: Ensure that the network ports (VTM or host) are connected to a network that can access the Internet. (Note that connectivity through a VTM port enables service personnel to monitor the full boot process.) Configure access to the VTM console as described in Chapter 6. Configuring ASN Support 7-9

120 Configuring Your System for Internet CAC Connections If your site has a firewall to the Internet, modify the firewall settings to allow access to the Web sites shown in Table 7-1. Table 7-1. Firewall Access Web Address IP Address Port inettunnel.ecacsupport.com Outbound TCP port crl.netsolssl.com Outbound TCP port 80 inetcallhome.stratus.com Outbound TCP port svrsecure-crl.verisign.com svrsecure-aia.verisign.com Outbound TCP port This Web address can resolve to any of the IP addresses listed in the table rows associated with it. Note that IP addresses can change at any time. The first two Web sites allow the CAC access to both VTM ports (using the VTM Internet connection protocol). The last three Web sites are for Internet call home from the system network ports and both VTM ports. Internet call home is the required call-home method if you configure the VTM Internet connection protocol. After you configure the VTM console and firewall settings, if you have not already done so, use the following procedure to enable Internet CAC connections in your ASN configuration settings. For more information about using the ASM Web site to complete this procedure, see the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072). To configure your system for Internet CAC connections 1. On the ASM Web site, open the site for this system and do the following: a. Click the Service Network tab. b. Click to select Dial Up Allowed. The page updates to include additional items. c. Next to Connection Protocol, select VTM Internet. d. Next to Call Home Method, select Internet Only. e. If your system uses an HTTP Proxy Server to connect to the Internet, type the IP address and port number of the proxy server next to HTTP Proxy Server Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

121 Installed ASN Components 2. Download the ASN configuration file (Configssn.ini) and transfer it to the ftsys Management Appliance. 3. On the ftserver system, run the VTMConfig or ASNConfig command to import the new configuration file. 4. Test the alert configuration to ensure that the system can still send call-home messages. The test generates a call-home message that uses the system s Internet connection, not the VTM s. NOTES 1. A VTM can autonomously send a call-home message, which uses the VTM s own Internet connection. An autonomous call-home message is generated if the VTM itself experiences a call-home event. See the Stratus ftserver Systems: Technical Reference Guide (R550) for a list of these events. 2. After you have enabled dial-in at your site, call the CAC to request that they test the dial-in connection. Installed ASN Components The ASN software provides the system with the utilities and services needed to provide ASN support. The ASN uses the CURL package, which is included with the CentOS distribution in the ftsys Management Appliance. This package is installed by default and should not be removed. The following additional components are also installed in the ftsys Management Appliance by default, but are fully enabled only after you deploy the appliance, finish configuring Automated Uptime Layer, and configure your ASN connection: /etc/init.d/ft-sra_asn This service controls the sra_alarm and sra_watchdog daemons. /etc/init.d/ft-sra_coda This service enables the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool. See Running the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool on page 7-6 for more information. /etc/opt/ft/asn/sra_alarm/ This directory contains the ASN_Alarm_Config file, which defines the ASN alarms policy. Each device operational state (opstate)/reason combination is mapped into an alarm code. Each alarm is also associated with a message that is saved in the log and is either marked for reporting to the ASN Hub or not. Configuring ASN Support 7-11

122 Installed ASN Components /etc/opt/ft/asn/sra_ppp/ This directory contains scripts that support sra_pppd. This isolates sra_ras operations so they do not conflict with a standard pppd running on the system. See pppd(8). /etc/opt/ft/asn/sra_ppp/pilot.props This text file, which is generated when the ASNConfig program imports the information in the ASN configuration file, contains the configuration information used by ASN daemons. /opt/ft/sbin/asnconfig This command enables you to configure ASN information. For more information, see Configuring the ASN on page 7-3. /opt/ft/sbin/sra_alarm This daemon generates notifications of system events. /opt/ft/sbin/sra_ras This daemon handles modem operations for the call-home method and dial-up functionality for modem-based configurations. /opt/ft/sbin/sra_tun This daemon handles Internet dial-in to the host. /opt/ft/sbin/sra_watchdog This daemon periodically monitors other ASN daemons and restarts them if necessary. /opt/ft/sbin/start-asn-diagd This command starts the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool and enables its corresponding service, ft-sra_coda. See Running the Internet ASN Diagnostics Tool on page 7-6 for more information. /opt/ft/sbin/vtmconfig This command enables you to configure VTM as well as ASN information. See the menu for this command in Configuring the ASN on page Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

123 Using Basic ASN Using Basic ASN You have the option of enabling the ASN software when you install Automated Uptime Layer. The installation process prompts you to allow the system to automatically send system health information to Stratus over a secure Internet connection. However, enabling ASN this way provides only a basic level of remote system monitoring, which does not enable Stratus to connect to your system or automatically respond to its service needs. To realize the full benefits of ASN support, which includes continuous uptime and prompt service in the event of a service call, you must fully configure ASN for your system as described in this chapter and in the Stratus ActiveService Network Configuration Guide (R072). If you chose not to enable the basic ASN service during the initial installation, you can enable it later by executing the following command in the ftsys Management Appliance: # /opt/ft/sbin/configure-appliance --opt-in-asn You can also opt out of the basic ASN service after you have enabled it by executing the following command: # /opt/ft/sbin/configure-appliance --opt-out-asn! CAUTION Use these commands only to opt in or out of basic ASN. If you have configured full ASN, use the ASM Web site and the ASNConfig or VTMConfig commands to modify your connection; otherwise you may stop the ASN services in the ftsys Management Appliance and compromise the continuous uptime of your system. Configuring ASN Support 7-13

124 Using Basic ASN 7-14 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

125 Chapter 8 Updating ftserver System Firmware8- This chapter discusses the following topics: Preparing to Update Firmware on page 8-2 Updating BMC Firmware on page 8-2 Updating the System BIOS on page 8-6 Consult the following Web site for information about the latest firmware downloads for your ftserver system and the Automated Uptime Layer release you are running (or installing): If you cannot find firmware updated files for your system on that site, contact the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) or your authorized Stratus service representative for assistance in obtaining these files. For information about transferring downloaded firmware files to the ftsys Management Appliance, also see Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page 5-16.! CAUTION Update your system firmware only if that version is compatible with your current Automated Uptime Layer installation, or if you will immediately update the operating system or Automated Uptime Layer releases that are supported by the updated firmware. Updating ftserver System Firmware 8-1

126 Preparing to Update Firmware Preparing to Update Firmware Before you update firmware on your system, use the ftsmaint ls command to make sure that all CPU and I/O elements on the system are functional. (The Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E) provides examples of using this command.) Update system firmware in the following order: 1. BMC 2. BIOS Updating BMC Firmware Each I/O element contains a socketed Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) chip. Make sure that the BMC firmware you intend to install is compatible with the Automated Uptime Layer release level that you have (or that you will install immediately after performing the BMC upgrade). Also, verify that the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E) do not specify a different procedure or sequence for performing the BMC update. To check the BMC firmware version, type the following command: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 10/ Firmware Rev : 02.18/00.09/01.13 The preceding example displays various firmware version numbers for I/O element 10, where the first number in the list, 2.18, is the BMC version number. Table 8-1 indicates the minimum BMC version required for each system for this release of Automated Uptime Layer. Table 8-1. BMC Version Requirements for ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems Model ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Required BMC Version 2.18 or higher If you need to update the BMC firmware, Table 8-2 describes where to locate the BMC image file for your system. In the image file name, the BMC version number is preceded by the letter R (Rnn.nn). 8-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

127 Updating BMC Firmware Table 8-2. Location of BMC Image Files Model ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Location On the Automated Uptime Layer DVD: /mnt/cdrom/firmware/bmc/2700_4700_6400/ bmc_Bnn.nnRnn.nnPnn.nnSnn.nn.bhx In the ftsys Management Appliance: /opt/ft/firmware/bmc/2700_4700_6400/ bmc_Bnn.nnRnn.nnPnn.nnSnn.nn.bhx BMC files available in this directory are associated with the release that is currently running on your system. If you are upgrading your system software, you install the latest firmware from the Automated Uptime Layer DVD. NOTE Because the BMC provides VTM features, updating the BMC firmware automatically updates the VTM firmware. To update the BMC firmware 1. Transfer the latest BMC image file into the ftsys Management Appliance by using SCP or by using vsphere Client to connect and mount the Automated Uptime Layer DVD in the appliance, as described in Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page As the root user, copy the BMC image file into the /opt/ft/firmware/bmc directory of the ftsys Management Appliance. For example, if you have connected and mounted the Automated Uptime Layer DVD in the appliance, you can copy the BMC file into the appliance by executing a command similar to the following: # cp /mnt/cdrom/firmware/bmc/2700_4700_6400/ bmc_bnn.nnrnn.nnp nn.nnsnn.nn.bin /opt/ft/firmware/bmc/2700_4700_6400 Updating ftserver System Firmware 8-3

128 Updating BMC Firmware 2. Use the ftsmaint ls 10 and ftsmaint ls 11 commands to verify that both I/O elements are online and duplexed, as indicated in the State and Op State properties. Abbreviated output or I/O element 10 is shown below: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 10 H/W Path : State : ONLINE Op State : DUPLEX Use the ftsmaint ls 10/120 and ftsmaint ls 11/120 commands to verify that both BMCs are online and duplexed, as indicated in the State and Op State properties. Abbreviated output for the BMC in I/O element 10 is shown below: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 10/120 H/W Path : 10/ State : ONLINE Op State : DUPLEX...! CAUTION Update the BMC firmware only if both I/O elements and both BMCs are online and duplexed. 4. To update the firmware on both BMCs, as the root user in the ftsys Management Appliance, type a command similar to the following (where bmc_file is the complete path to the image file): # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint burnbmcs bmc_file! CAUTION Do not interrupt a BMC firmware update with a burn in progress. Interrupting power can result in EEPROM damage or corrupted BMC firmware that requires field service or replacement CPU- I O enclosures to recover. 8-4 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

129 Updating BMC Firmware While the system is updating the two BMCs, there will be a solid cursor and no command prompt. The system displays the following status messages: INFO: Done burning BMC at 10/120, when the first BMC is burned Updated firmware on the device path at 10/120 and Updated firmware on the device path at 11/120, when both BMCs are burned. The system prompt then returns. The burnbmcs command takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. 5. Type the following commands to verify that the BMCs are duplexed (be sure that the Op State is DUPLEX), and that they have the same BMC version installed: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 10/120 # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 11/ Type the following commands to verify that the I/O elements are duplexed (be sure that the Op State is DUPLEX): # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 10 # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls If you connected and mounted the Automated Uptime Layer DVD to obtain the BMC image file, unmount the DVD and disconnect it from the system as described in Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page (Or wait to do so until after you update the system BIOS.) Updating ftserver System Firmware 8-5

130 Updating the System BIOS Updating the System BIOS Make sure that the BIOS you intend to install is compatible with the Automated Uptime Layer release level that you have (or that you will install immediately after performing the BIOS upgrade). Also, verify that the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E) do not specify a different procedure or sequence for performing the BIOS update. To check the current BIOS version, type the following command: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 0... Firmware Rev : BIOS Version 6.1:51 The preceding example displays a BIOS version number of 6.1:51 installed on the upper CPU- I Oenclosure. Table 8-3 indicates the minimum BIOS version required for each system for this release of Automated Uptime Layer. Table 8-3. BIOS Requirements for ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems Model ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Required BIOS Version 6.1:51 or higher If you need to update the BIOS firmware, Table 8-2 describes where to locate the BIOS image file for your system. Table 8-4. Location of BIOS Image Files Model ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Location On the Automated Uptime Layer DVD: /mnt/cdrom/firmware/bios/2700_4700_6400/ biosn.n.n.rom In the ftsys Management Appliance: /opt/ft/firmware/bios/2700_4700_6400/ biosn.n.n.rom BIOS files available in this directory are associated with the release that is currently running on your system. If you are upgrading your system software, you install the latest firmware from the Automated Uptime Layer DVD. 8-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

131 Updating the System BIOS! CAUTION For fault-tolerance, the CPU-I/O enclosures operate in duplex mode and therefore require the same BIOS versions. If the ftserver system detects differing firmware between the system CPU elements while the system is booting, the firmware from the CPU-I/O enclosure that is booting is replicated to the other enclosure automatically, allowing the enclosures to synchronize. If an ftserver system boots from the system enclosure that has not been upgraded, the system overwrites the upgraded firmware with the older firmware as it synchronizes (duplexes) the enclosures. This defeats the intended upgrade. To update the system BIOS 1. Transfer the latest BIOS image file into the ftsys Management Appliance by using SCP or by using vsphere Client to connect and mount the Automated Uptime Layer DVD in the appliance, as described in Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page As the root user, transfer the BIOS image file into the /opt/ft/firmware/bios directory of the ftsys Management Appliance. For example, if you have connected and mounted the Automated Uptime Layer DVD in the appliance, you can copy the BIOS file into the appliance by executing a command similar to the following: # cp /mnt/cdrom/firmware/bios/2700_4700_6400/ biosn.n.n.rom /opt/ft/firmware/bios/2700_4700_ Use the ftsmaint ls 0 and ftsmaint ls 1 commands to verify that both CPU elements are online and duplexed, as indicated in the State and Op State properties. Abbreviated output or CPU element 0 is shown below: # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 0 H/W Path : 0... State : ONLINE Op State : DUPLEX... Updating ftserver System Firmware 8-7

132 Updating the System BIOS 3. To update the BIOS firmware in both CPU elements, as the root user in the ftsys Management Appliance, type the following commands (where bios_file is the complete path to the image file): # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint bringdown 0 Completed bringdown on the device at path 0. # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint burnprom bios_file 0 Updated firmware on the device at path 0. # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint jumpswitch 0 Transferred processing to the device at path 0. # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint bringup 1 Completed bringup on the device at path 1.! CAUTION Do not interrupt a BIOS firmware update while a burn (that is, a write to EEPROM) is in progress. Interrupting power to a CPU- I O enclosure during a burn can result in EEPROM damage that prevents it from storing the firmware successfully. Correcting this problem may require that you obtain a replacement CPU- I Oenclosure. The preceding commands burn the BIOS to both CPUs as follows: bringdown: Takes CPU 0, in the upper enclosure, out of service. burnprom: Burns the new BIOS to CPU 0. jumpswitch: Brings CPU 0 up, runs diagnostics on it, transfers processing to CPU 0, and then takes CPU 1 down. bringup: Brings CPU 1 up, runs diagnostics on it, automatically burns the new BIOS from CPU 0 onto it, reruns diagnostics, and resynchronizes CPU 1 with CPU 0. NOTE At this point, reboot only if you need to change BIOS configuration settings. 4. Use the following commands to verify that the CPU-I/O enclosures are again duplexed, and that they have the same BIOS version installed. # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls 0 # /opt/ft/bin/ftsmaint ls Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

133 Updating the System BIOS If the new BIOS does not perform as you expected, see After Updating the BIOS on page 8-9 for more information. 5. If you connected and mounted the Automated Uptime Layer DVD to obtain the BIOS image file, unmount the DVD and disconnect it from the system as described in Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page After Updating the BIOS If the new BIOS does not perform as you expected, the BIOS image file may not be the correct firmware file for your system, or the EEPROM that holds the BIOS did not properly capture the BIOS. This occurs rarely, but if it does, try updating the BIOS again. Double-check that you have a good BIOS image file before attempting the BIOS upgrade again. It should not matter whether you retry the burn on the upper CPU-I/O enclosure or the lower CPU-I/O enclosure, but you should note which option you choose in case you need to troubleshoot. Remember that image files are easily corrupted during file transfer if copied from one format to another, as when written out as a regular file rather than stored as an image, or by transfer as a character file rather than a binary file. You can detect such corruption by computing a checksum with the md5sum command before and after copying. A repeated BIOS burn failure may be caused by a command syntax error or by using a damaged or inappropriate BIOS image file. Updating ftserver System Firmware 8-9

134 Updating the System BIOS 8-10 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

135 Chapter 9 Upgrading Automated Uptime Layer9- This chapter describes how to upgrade Automated Uptime Layer and its associated software. It discusses the following topics: Upgrade Overview on page 9-2 Pre-Upgrade Checklist on page 9-3 Upgrading Your System Software on page 9-4 NOTES 1. Use this chapter to upgrade only Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems from Release to a later 5.x.x. release. (You cannot upgrade Release 4.x.x or any ftserver System Software (ftsss) release to Automated Uptime Layer, Release 5.x.x.). 2. Before proceeding, check the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E) on the StrataDOC media included with the newer version of Automated Uptime Layer for the latest information about upgrading your system software. Upgrading Automated Uptime Layer 9-1

136 Upgrade Overview Upgrade Overview Upgrading Automated Uptime Layer and its associated software updates the following components: Automated Uptime Layer, the ftserver Uptime Manager, ASN software, and utilities such as the ftsmaint command ftsys Management Appliance, including updates or patches for the CentOS operating system on which the appliance is based (if applicable) VMware ESXi, including update releases or patches (if applicable) VMware ESXi components including drivers and plug-ins that are customized for ftserver systems The upgrade process takes minutes. To upgrade your system, you perform the following general steps: 1. Migrate your virtual machines to another ESXi host or power them down. 2. Execute an upgrade script in the ftsys Management Appliance. 3. When the script is finished, reboot the system to enable the changes. 4. Verify that your ESXi host is functioning properly. 5. Migrate your virtual machines back to the ESXi host or power them on. If your system boots from an external storage system, you can also upgrade your service disk to keep it in sync with your production system.! CAUTION Because upgrading Automated Uptime Layer and its associated software involves restarting the ftserver system, you need to migrate your virtual machines to another system or power them off until the upgrade is complete. NOTE For more information about new features and requirements for the upgrade process, see the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E) on the StrataDOC media included with the newer version of Automated Uptime Layer to which you are upgrading. 9-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

137 Pre-Upgrade Checklist Pre-Upgrade Checklist The following checklist is provided for an upgrade of Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems: Carefully read the current Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E) document in StrataDOC at and, if applicable, the VMware ESXi Release Notes at The release notes may have been updated with information about restrictions or problems and workarounds, software updates, and document corrections that release notes from earlier distributions do not have. Consider scheduling a system maintenance window during which you can complete the upgrade process. Because you cannot upgrade your system software while virtual machines are running on your ftserver system, you must plan to migrate the virtual machines to another system, or power them off. Verify that your system BIOS and BMC firmware versions are compatible with the Automated Uptime Layer release you are about to install. For information about the minimum firmware revisions required, see the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E). If system BIOS or BMC firmware updates are needed, prepare to update the firmware before or after the software upgrade. (If you upgrade the software first, the ft-install script indicates that the firmware is out of date and lists the versions to install for the new release.) For information about updating the BIOS or BMC firmware, see Chapter 7. If your system is connected to a first-generation ftscalable Storage or ftscalable Storage G2 system, verify that the firmware on your storage system is compatible with the release you are about to install. For information about the minimum ftscalable Storage firmware revisions for this release, see the Release Notes: Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems (R001E). Before performing an upgrade to a system in use, perform a complete file system backup. If you upgrade the firmware to support the new Automated Uptime Layer version, also backup the BIOS and BMC firmware files for your system from the /opt/ft/firmware directory. If the upgrade fails or if you chose to return to the previous version of after the upgrade, you may need these files to reburn the firmware to its earlier versions. Upgrading Automated Uptime Layer 9-3

138 Upgrading Your System Software If applicable, with the ftserver system halted, detach all peripheral devices from the system, except for supported external storage systems. Devices to detach include: Unsupported PCI adapters USB devices (except keyboard and mouse) Other serial devices (including external modems) NOTE The installation process cannot accommodate the presence of customer-added or unknown hardware. Any such hardware should be added, and the system configured as required to support it, only after the upgrade procedure has been completed and the system has been determined to function as expected. If you have a service disk (for systems that boot from external storage), ensure that it is available so you can upgrade it during the same system maintenance window as your production system. You may prefer to preserve your service disk in case you need to roll back to the previous release. In that case, install a blank disk and install the system software as described in Chapter 2, Installing the System Software on Internal Disks. Upgrading Your System Software To perform the upgrade procedure, you need the Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems DVD for the newer version of Automated Uptime Layer to which you are upgrading. To upgrade Automated Uptime Layer 1. Ensure that you have backed up your system. 2. Migrate your virtual machines to another system, or power them off. Because the system reboots as part of the upgrade process, the virtual machines should be migrated away or cleanly shut down in preparation for the upgrade. 3. Connect the Automated Uptime Layer for VMware vsphere-based ftserver Systems DVD to the ftsys Management Appliance from a remote management system: a. Insert the Automated Uptime Layer DVD into the DVD drive of a remote management system. b. Start vsphere Client on the remote management system and open a connection to the ESXi host. Select the ftsys Management Appliance from the list of virtual machines. 9-4 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

139 Upgrading Your System Software c. Click the connect/disconnect button and select Connect to X:, where X: is the drive that contains the DVD. (Or, if you are connecting an ISO image file, select Connect to ISO image on local disk.) For more information about connecting media and transferring files to the ftsys Management Appliance, see Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page Log on to the ftsys Management Appliance as root. 5. At the command line of the ftsys Management Appliance, execute the following command to begin the upgrade: # /opt/ft/sbin/ft-install /dev/cdrom 6. Follow the instructions on the screen. When prompted, type the root password for the ESXi host, then type Y (for yes) and press Enter to continue with the upgrade. The script upgrades both Automated Uptime Layer and VMware ESXi components associated with ftserver systems. The script also installs software updates or patches for VMware ESXi if they are available on the Automated Uptime Layer DVD. 7. When the installation is complete, type Y and press Enter to reboot the system. 8. After the system restarts, and the ftsys Management Appliance is running, use the ft-verify utility to verify the upgrade as described in Verifying the Installation on page If you have not already done so, update the system BIOS and BMC firmware on your system to the required versions. For more information about updating the BIOS or BMC firmware, see Chapter Migrate your virtual machines back to the ftserver system and power them on if they are not set to start automatically with the ESXi host. (If applicable, upgrade VMware Tools in each virtual machine.) 11. Verify that your system is functioning properly on the new software. If you have a configuration that boots from internal disks, the upgrade is now complete. If you have a configuration that boots from external storage, consider upgrading the system software on your service disk as described in this procedure. If you prefer to preserve your original service disk, you can install the system software on a new disk, as described in Chapter 2, Installing the System Software on Internal Disks. 12. When you are finished upgrading the service disk, you can reboot from your external storage enclosure and return your system to production service. For more information about switching the boot source, see the Stratus ftserver System Administrator s Guide for VMware vsphere (R002E). Upgrading Automated Uptime Layer 9-5

140 Upgrading Your System Software 9-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

141 Appendix A A-Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System For information about connecting a qualified uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to an ftserver system, see the following: Overview of Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System on page A-1 Downloading the PowerChute Network Shutdown Software on page A-3 Connecting a UPS to the ftserver System on page A-3 Configuring the UPS on page A-4 Installing PCNS on the ftserver System on page A-8 Registering the ftserver System with the UPS on page A-9s Configuring the PCNS User Interface on page A-11 Verifying the PCNS Configuration on page A-12 Configuring Virtual Machines for Automatic Shutdown on page A-13 Protecting Against Data Loss After a Medium Power Loss on page A-15 Overview of Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System Each ftserver system has two power cords that supply power from independent sources. The system continues to run as long as one of the power cords has power. Loss of power to both sides of the system can halt system operations without allowing applications to save data. When you use a qualified UPS with a system, the UPS provides notification of impending power loss. If properly configured, this notification initiates a controlled system shutdown that preserves application data. The UPS continues to supply power to the system for a period of time after its input power source is interrupted. Consequently, plugging one side of the system into the UPS output, and plugging the other side of the system into the same power source that supplies the UPS input, provides independent power sources for the two sides of the system. Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-1

142 Overview of Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System Stratus has qualified certain UPS models from American Power Conversion Corporation (APC) for use with ftserver systems. For a list of the UPS models supported for use with your system, see the following Web site: An APC UPS Network Management Card 2 (APC part number AP9630) on these UPS models and PowerChute Network Shutdown (PCNS) software on the ftserver system enable the system and the UPS to communicate over your network. Checklist: Setting Up a UPS and Installing PCNS on ftserver Systems Download the PCNS software from APC, as described in Downloading the PowerChute Network Shutdown Software. Connect the UPS to the ftserver system, as described in Connecting a UPS to the ftserver System on page A-3. Configure the UPS, as described in Configuring the UPS on page A-4. Install PCNS on the ftserver system, as described in Installing PCNS on the ftserver System on page A-8 Register the ftserver system with the UPS, as described in Registering the ftserver System with the UPS on page A-9. Configure the PCNS user interface, as described in Configuring the PCNS User Interface on page A-11. Verify the configuration, as described in Verifying the PCNS Configuration on page A-12. A-2 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

143 Downloading the PowerChute Network Shutdown Software Downloading the PowerChute Network Shutdown Software PCNS runs as a background service on the system. When the UPS detects a power fault, it instructs PCNS clients to shut down their respective machines. To install PCNS on your ftserver system, download PCNS Version 3.0.x for Linux (part number SFPCNS30x) from the APC Web Site. You do not need to purchase a special version of PCNS for VMware, as with previous releases. Because you install PCNS in the ftsys Management Appliance, you need only the free version of PCNS designed for Linux-based systems. (The VMware version is incompatible with a system running VMware ESXi and Automated Uptime Layer.) To download PCNS from the APC Web site 1. Go to the APC Web site at If necessary, select a country/region and click Go. 2. Click Software & Firmware. 3. Under Filter by, select Software Upgrades - PowerChute Network Shutdown and click Submit. 4. Under Operating System(s), select Linux and click Submit. 5. Next to PowerChute Network Shutdown v3.0.x, click Download. 6. Next to PowerChute Network Shutdown v3.0.x for Linux, click Download Now. 7. If prompted, click Register or Download and follow the instructions. Save the file to your desktop. Connecting a UPS to the ftserver System 1. Shut down the ftserver system. 2. Plug the UPS input power cord into an AC receptacle connected to utility power. 3. Connect an Ethernet cable to the UPS Ethernet port. 4. Turn on the UPS by pressing the ON switch. 5. Connect the A-side power cords from one or more ftserver systems directly to the UPS, or connect the A-side power distribution unit (PDU) to the UPS. NOTES 1. APC Smart-UPS models support a single ftserver system. APC Symmetra models support multiple ftserver systems. Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-3

144 Configuring the UPS 2. For information about connecting systems or PDUs to the UPS, see the Stratus ftserver 2700, 4700, and 6400 Systems: Installation Guide (R668). 6. Turn on power to the ftserver system. 7. As the system begins to boot, and the Stratus ftserver screen is displayed, press F2 to enter the system BIOS setup utility. The system may require a minute or so to continue scanning option ROMs before displaying the Main tab of the utility. 8. In the system BIOS setup utility, verify the following settings: a. On the Server tab, ensure that OS Boot Monitoring is set to Enabled. If necessary, use the plus-sign key (+) or minus-sign key (-) to change the value. b. On the Server tab, ensure that AC Link is set to LAST STATE. If necessary, use the plus-sign key (+) or minus-sign key (-) to change the value. 9. Save the BIOS configuration (press F10), then exit to continue booting the system. Configuring the UPS 1. Verify that the UPS and its management card have been assigned an IP address, and that an Ethernet cable is connected to the UPS and to your LAN. For more information, see the Network Management Card Installation and Quick Start Manual from APC. 2. In a Web browser on a management system, type and the IP address of the UPS (for example, 3. When prompted for a user name and password, supply valid login values for the UPS. (Typically, the default user name is apc, and the password is apc.) 4. Click the UPS tab. In the left column, under Configuration, click shutdown. 5. On the Shutdown page, use the information in Table A-1 to set the shutdown parameters. Click Apply after you modify the settings. Table A-1. Recommended UPS Shutdown Parameters Parameter Meaning Recommended Setting Low-Battery Duration Defines how long the UPS can continue to run on battery power after a low-battery condition occurs. 2 minutes A-4 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

145 Configuring the UPS Table A-1. Recommended UPS Shutdown Parameters (Continued) Parameter Meaning Recommended Setting Shutdown Delay Maximum Required Delay Defines how long the UPS waits before it shuts down in response to a turn-off command. This time should allow the operating system to completely shut down under application load. You should test the system to measure the time required to shut down. To do so, measure the shutdown time on all systems powered by the UPS. Add 50% to the largest measured value. The Shutdown Delay setting must be at least as long as the computed value to ensure that UPS power remains during a complete shutdown. Calculates the delay needed to ensure that each PowerChute client has enough time to shut down safely when the UPS or the PowerChute client initiates a graceful shutdown. Maximum Required Delay is the longest shutdown delay needed by any server listed as a PowerChute Network Shutdown client. This delay is calculated whenever the management interface of the UPS turns on or is reset, or when "Force Negotiation" is selected as Maximum Required Delay. "Force Negotiation" polls each client for information on the time it needs for a graceful shutdown. Two extra minutes to allow for unforeseen circumstances is then added to the calculated time. The negotiation can take up to 10 minutes. If you do not select "Force Negotiation," two minutes is used by default as the shutdown delay for all clients. At least 480 seconds 2 minutes Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-5

146 Configuring the UPS Table A-1. Recommended UPS Shutdown Parameters (Continued) Parameter Meaning Recommended Setting Basic Signaling Shutdown Sleep Time Minimum Battery Capacity Return Delay When enabled, allows basic-signaling shutdown. Basic signaling provides safe system shutdown and notification, but does not provide the continuous advanced monitoring features available with advanced signaling. Enable basic-signaling shutdown if your computer is connected to the UPS with a basic-signaling cable, and the type of UPS either does not support advanced signaling or is configured to communicate in basic signaling. Defines how long the UPS sleeps (keeps its output power turned off) when you use the "Put UPS To Sleep" option of the "Control" menu. The minimum battery capacity, as a percentage of full capacity, required in order for the UPS to end its sleep time (or turn back on when rebooted) and resume providing output power. Defines how long the UPS waits before it turns on after a shutdown that was caused by a power failure, after a scheduled shutdown, or after a shutdown initiated by a Control command. If the battery is depleted below the percentage configured as "Minimum Battery Capacity," the UPS first waits until the battery is recharged to that minimum capacity. Enable 0 hours 0% 60 seconds! CAUTION Be sure to set the Return Delay value to at least 020 (20 seconds) to ensure that the system does not reboot instead of switching operations over to another enclosure. 6. In the left column, under PowerChute, click configuration. 7. On the PowerChute Shutdown Parameters page, use the information shown in Table A-2 to set the shutdown settings. Click Apply after you modify the settings. A-6 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

147 Configuring the UPS Table A-2. Recommended UPS Shutdown Behavior Parameters Parameter Meaning Recommended Setting Maximum Required Delay See Maximum Required Delay in previous table. On-Battery Shutdown Behavior Authentication Phrase Determines how the UPS is turned on after the system has shut down. Sets the case-sensitive phrase of ASCII characters to be used during MD5 authentication for PowerChute communication.the default setting is "admin user phrase" for Administrator. Restart when power is restored. This setting turns the UPS back on when the utility power is restored. Requires case-sensitive characters. 8. Click the Administration tab. On the Administrator page, use the information in Table A-3 to set the login credentials. Click Apply after you modify the settings. Table A-3. Recommended UPS Administrator Settings Parameter Meaning Recommended Setting User Name Current Password New[Confirm] Password The user name you enter to log on to the UPS management card Web page. The password you enter to log on to the UPS management card Web page. Use these fields to change the password. Requires 3-10 case-sensitive characters Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-7

148 Installing PCNS on the ftserver System Installing PCNS on the ftserver System NOTES 1. Ensure that you have deployed the ftsys Management Appliance and finished configuring Automated Uptime Layer before installing and configuring the PCNS software. 2. The PCNS distribution includes installation instructions and release notes in the gzip file that you download. Carefully read these documents for additional instructions and information that may pertain to your configuration. 1. Transfer the PCNS gzip file (for example, pcnsnnnlinux.tar.gz) to your system using one of the methods described in Transferring Files to the ftsys Management Appliance on page Open a terminal to the ftsys Management Appliance. Log on as root. 3. Move the gzip file into a temporary directory (for example, /tmp/apc), then extract the contents of the gzip file, using commands similar to the following: # cd /tmp/apc # tar -xzf pcnsnnnlinux.tar.gz 4. To start installing PCNS, switch to the directory that contains the PCNS files and execute the install.sh script: # cd /tmp/apc/linux #./install.sh You can install PCNS using the default configuration options, as described in the following steps. 5. When prompted, press any key to display the APC End-User License Agreement. Type yes and press Enter to accept the agreement. 6. To install PCNS in the default directory, /opt/apc/powerchute, press Enter. 7. To confirm that you want to install PCNS, type yes and press Enter. The installation script copies and extracts the PCNS files into the specified directory. 8. To install the Java 2 Runtime Environment that is bundled with PCNS, press Enter. The installation script copies and extracts the Java files into the /opt/apc/powerchute/jre directory, then updates the system startup scripts to run the PCNS service each time the system starts. A-8 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

149 Registering the ftserver System with the UPS 9. After the PCNS installation script is finished running, execute the ft-pcns-setup script to configure PCNS for use with your ftserver system. # /opt/ft/sbin/ft-pcns-setup ft-pcns-setup: Updating /opt/apc/powerchute/group1/bin/shutdown to link to /opt/ft/sbin/ft-apc-shutdown As the output indicates, the ft-pcns-setup script replaces the default APC shutdown script with a shutdown script that is designed for ftserver systems. If you are upgrading from a previous version of PCNS, you can skip to Verifying the PCNS Configuration on page A-12 after running the ft-pcns-setup script. Otherwise, if you are configuring a UPS for the first time, continue with Registering the ftserver System with the UPS. Registering the ftserver System with the UPS 1. To register the ftserver system with the UPS, start the PCNS Configuration Wizard. In a Web browser on a management system, type one of the following URLs to open the wizard: If a certificate error is displayed in Internet Explorer on a Windows system, click Continue to this website. If necessary, click Add to add the IP address to Trusted sites. 3. On the Configuration Wizard: Welcome page, click Next to continue. 4. On the Security page, type the User Name and Password you specified in step 8 of Configuring the UPS on page A-4. If you changed the default Authentication Phrase in step 7 of Configuring the UPS on page A-4, also specify your custom authentication phrase. Otherwise, keep the default phrase, which is pre-filled by the wizard. Click Next to continue. 5. On the UPS Electrical Configuration page, click the button next to the diagram that illustrates the electrical configuration for your UPS: a single, redundant, or parallel configuration. Click Next to continue. 6. On the UPS Details page, next to NMC IP address, type the IP address of the UPS management card that is attached to the UPS. Keep the default settings for the NMC Protocol (http) and NMC Port (80). Click Next to continue. 7. On the Miscellaneous page, click the check box next to Turn off the UPS after shutdown finishes and click Next. Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-9

150 Registering the ftserver System with the UPS 8. On the Confirm page, verify the settings that you specified, then click Apply to configure the PCNS software. The wizard displays progress as it applies the changes. 9. On the Applying Changes page, when the wizard indicates that the changes have been applied successfully, click Next to continue. 10. On the Done page, click Finish to close the PCNS Configuration Wizard. 11. The Web browser automatically displays the PCNS User Interface. To continue configuring PCNS, continue with step 3 of Configuring the PCNS User Interface on page A-11. NOTE The appropriate firewall ports of the ftsys Management Appliance are open by default for the purpose of communicating with the UPS. These ports are as follows: Port 3052 : tcp in,out Port 6547 : tcp in Port 80 : tcp out Port 2160 : udp in,out udp in,out For more information about the communication ports used by PCNS, see the PowerChute Network Shutdown: Installation guide (install.htm) included in the PCNS distribution package. Refer to APC Application Note #20, "The Communication Process of PowerChute(R) Network Shutdown for more information about how the Network Management Card and PCNS communicate with each other to manage issues of network availability, scalability, and traffic. A-10 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

151 Configuring the PCNS User Interface Configuring the PCNS User Interface To ensure that no data loss occurs during a power loss, an ftserver system should be shut down cleanly two minutes after site power has been lost. The following procedure describes how to configure the UPS to initiate that shutdown after the On Battery event is raised. 1. In a Web browser on a management system, type one of the following URLs to open the PCNS User Interface from the ftsys Management Appliance: Log on to the user interface by typing the user name and password you specified in step 8 of Configuring the UPS on page A In the Event Log, which is automatically displayed, verify that the log contains entries similar to the following, indicating that communication with the UPS has started: 02/28/ :54:17 Communication has been established 02/28/ :54:07 PowerChute Network Shutdown version started 4. In the left column, under the entry for your host, click Configure Events. 5. On the Configure Events page, click the check box next to UPS: On Battery in the Shutdown System column. 6. On the Shut Down Operating System page, click the check box next to Yes, I want to shutdown the PCNS operating system. 7. Next to Shutdown the PCNS operating system only when the event lasts this long, type 120. Click Apply. 8. On the Configure Events page, click the check box next to Communication: Lost while On Battery in the Shutdown System column. 9. On the Shut Down Operating System page, click the check box next to Yes, I want to shutdown the PCNS operating system. 10. Next to Shutdown the PCNS operating system only when the event lasts this long, type 10. Click Apply. 11. On the Configure Events page, optionally configure responses to other events. You can specify whether to: Log selected events in the event log. Notify users when selected events occur. Run a command file when selected events occur. Shut down the system when selected events occur. Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-11

152 Verifying the PCNS Configuration 12. In the left column, under the entry for your host, click Configure Shutdown. 13. On the Configure Shutdown page, make sure the Turn off the UPS after the shutdown finishes option is selected. Verifying the PCNS Configuration 1. In a Web browser on a Windows management system, type one of the following URLs to open the PCNS User Interface from the ftsys Management Appliance: Log on to the user interface. 3. In the left column, click UPS Information, and then click the name of the UPS (for example, Smart-UPS nnnn RM) to open the management card Web page. If another Web browser opens with the management card Web page, log on and go to step 4. If the attempt to connect to the management card Web page fails, you must resolve the network connectivity issue. Consult your network administrator, and see the APC documentation that was shipped with your system. 4. On the management card Web page, click the UPS tab. In the left column, under PowerChute, click clients. If the PowerChute Network Shutdown Clients list shows the IP address for your ftserver system, the installation was successful. Otherwise, check the communications between the UPS and all of the servers to which it supplies power. Consult your network administrator, and see the APC documentation that was shipped with your system. A-12 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration

153 Configuring Virtual Machines for Automatic Shutdown Configuring Virtual Machines for Automatic Shutdown! CAUTION Only guest operating systems that support the VMware Tools and have these tools installed will shut down properly when the ESXi host shuts down. After modifying the virtual machine settings described in this procedure, you should test your UPS configuration and verify that your guest operating systems start up and shut down as expected.! CAUTION If the guest operating system in a virtual machine hangs while shutting down, it does not prevent the ESXi host from shutting down. However, you should set shutdown delays short enough to prevent the UPS battery from becoming depleted before the ESXi host itself shuts down.! CAUTION Do not modify the virtual machine settings for the ftsys Management Appliance. The appliance is already properly configured to start and stop with the ESXi host. 1. Open vsphere Client and connect to the ESXi host. (Alternatively, you can access the host from a vcenter Server system.) 2. Click the Configuration tab for the ESXi host. 3. On the Configuration tab, in the Software box, click Virtual Machine Startup/Shutdown. 4. On the Virtual Machine Startup and Shutdown page, click Properties. 5. Under System Settings, select the check box next to Allow virtual machines to start and stop automatically with the system, as shown in Figure A-1. Connecting a UPS to an ftserver System A-13

154 Configuring Virtual Machines for Automatic Shutdown Figure A-1. Virtual Machine Startup and Shutdown Dialog Box 6. Under Default Startup Delay, type the number of seconds to wait (120 seconds, by default) upon system startup before starting the virtual machines. 7. Under Default Shutdown Delay, type the number of seconds to wait (120 seconds, by default) for a virtual machine to shut down before shutting down the next virtual machine. If a virtual machine does not shut down in the allotted time, the system continues by shutting down the next virtual machine and, ultimately, the ESXi host. 8. Next to Shutdown Action click the drop-down box and select a default shutdown action, either Power Off (the default) or Guest OS Shutdown. Guest OS Shutdown attempts to cleanly stop the guest operating system, whereas Power Off turns off the virtual machine with no warning to the guest operating system.! CAUTION Avoid specifying Suspend as the default shutdown action. Because Suspend copies all memory state to disk before shutdown, it delays shutdown much longer than the other shutdown actions. A-14 Automated Uptime Layer, VMware vsphere-based Systems: Installation & Configuration