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Migrating VMware ESX servers from i 5.4 to i 6.1
In IBM i 6.1, support for running VMware® ESX Server on IBM® BladeCenter® blade or System x™ models that are attached to the IBM i platform via an iSCSI host bus adapter (iSCSI HBA) uses a different IBM i infrastructure than it did in i 5.4. The new i 6.1 infrastructure for VMware ESX must be used in i 6.1 and provides the following benefits:
- The integrated server code running on your VMware ESX server can be serviced.
- Shared storage can be linked to your integrated VMware ESX Server. Shared storage is required for advanced VMware ESX functions such as VMware VMotion, VMware HA and VMware DRS.
This web page describes the process required to migrate integrated VMware ESX servers that were originally installed on i 5.4 to the new IBM i 6.1 infrastructure for VMware ESX. The migration process described below preserves the VMware ESX server disk drives, including the applications and data that are installed. After upgrading IBM i from i 5.4 to i 6.1, the steps described below must be performed before IBM will provide service support for VMware ESX servers that were originally installed on i 5.4.
Note: In the IBM i commands in the sections below, the example VMware ESX server network server description (NWSD) name used is myesx which has a system drive named myesx1 and an install drive named myesx2. An example tape device with device description name tap01 is also used. When performing the migration steps below, you need to replace these items with the ones that are appropriate for your environment.
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Perform these steps on your IBM i system after upgrading it from i 5.4 to i 6.1.
Important: There must be no customer applications or data stored on the "install" drive (the second linked storage space, which is device /mnt/sdb1 when viewed from VMware ESX). The install drive is reserved for use by the VMware ESX integration support and will be replaced during the following migration process. Any customer applications or data stored on the install drive will be lost during the migration, so you must move them to a different drive before continuing with this migration process.
- Make sure the following i5/OS software is installed:
- 5761-SS1 option 29: Integrated Server Support
- 5761-LSV: Extended Integrated Server Support
- Apply the latest integrated server PTFs to your IBM i system. See the IBM i PTFs page.
- Run the following command and record the link information (link type and sequence) of all storage spaces associated with your VMware ESX server:
WRKNWSSTG NWSD(myesx)
- Run the following command to print the NWSD attributes:
DSPNWSD NWSD(myesx) OUTPUT(*PRINT)
When you run the INSLNXSVR command in step 7, use this as a reference for the values to specify.
- Back up the system drive storage space associated with your VMware ESX server as follows:
SAV DEV('/QSYS.LIB/tap01.DEVD') OBJ(('/QFPNWSSTG/myesx1'))
Note: In this example, storage space myesx1 is saved to tape. Alternatively, you could save the storage space to a save file or to a virtual tape. The SAV command in this step and the RST command in the restore step later on would then refer to the save file or virtual tape instead of the physical tape device description.
- Delete your VMware ESX server NWSD and associated objects. The easiest way to do this is to delete the VMware ESX server with the following command:
DLTLNXSVR NWSD(myesx)
Note: Make sure you have saved your VMware ESX server's system drive storage space as described previously, since this command will delete it.
- Run the INSLNXSVR command, using the original NWSD name to create a new NWSD and associated objects.
Notes:
- Use the minimum system storage space size of 1024 MB.
- When the INSLNXSVR prompts to vary on your server, enter C to cancel. Your server will not vary on.
Note: You do not need to complete the install on the VMware ESX server console, since the server's system storage space will be replaced with the original system storage space as described below.
- Unlink the newly created system storage space then delete it as follows:
RMVNWSSTGL NWSSTG(myesx1) NWSD(myesx) RENUMBER(*NO)
DLTNWSSTG NWSSTG(myesx1)
Note: You should not unlink and delete the server's new install storage space myesx2.
- Restore your VMware ESX server's original system storage space, then link it to the NWSD as follows:
RST DEV('/QSYS.LIB/tap01.DEVD') OBJ(('/QFPNWSSTG/myesx1')) ALWOBJDIF(*ALL)
ADDNWSSTGL NWSSTG(myesx1) NWSD(myesx)
Note: You should not restore and link the server's original install storage space myesx2.
- If necessary, use the ADDNWSSTGL command to link any additional storage spaces (except the install storage space myesx2) that you originally had linked into your VMware ESX server.
Notes:
- Make sure that each storage space is linked with the same link type and sequence parameters as before. Otherwise your VMware ESX server may not boot. See the information you recorded in step 3 above.
- In order to take advantage of advanced VMware ESX functions such as VMware VMotion, VMware HA and VMware DRS, the additional storage spaces should be linked using shared update access mode instead of exclusive update. The ADDNWSSTGL command parameter value to use for shared update access is: ACCESS(*SHRUPD)
- Vary on your VMware ESX Server and sign on to the ESX console as root.
- From the shell prompt, run the following commands to unmount the i 5.4 mount point for the install drive, create the mount point required for i 6.1 and mount the install drive with the i 6.1 mount point:
umount /mnt/sdb1
mkdir /mnt/ibmlsv
mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ibmlsv
- From the shell prompt, run the following i 6.1 post install utility command to update the VMware ESX server with i 6.1 code and complete the migration:
/mnt/ibmlsv/install/ibmsetup.sh address
Note: In this command, replace "address" with the IP address or host name of your i5/OS server.
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