Import an AIX OVA cloud ready image in PowerVC

Introduction 

You can obtain an AIX OVA Cloud ready image from the IBM Entitled System Support website or IBM Passport Advantage. These images contain a default AIX base media install configuration that includes Cloud Init and its dependencies, you can then import this image in PowerVC to deploy new Virtual Machines.

Download AIX OVA image from ESS

Connect to Entitled Systems Support (ESS)

http://www-304.ibm.com/servers/eserver/ess/index.wss

Select the 5765-G98 product

Select the AIX 7.3 Base package.

Download the AIX 7.3 OVA file AIX_v7.3_OVA_7300-02-02-2420_062024_LCD8283801.ova.gz on your PowerVC Server.

Import the AIX OVA image in PowerVC

The PowerVC server need a FC connection to the storage where you will store the image. To test the connection, you can use this command.

powervc-image test-conn --add-zoning storage-template

To find the storage template use this openstack command:

# source /root/powervcrc
# openstack volume type list
+--------------------------------------+----------------------+-----------+
| ID                                   | Name                 | Is Public |
+--------------------------------------+----------------------+-----------+
| 2e7dc01b-7457-4d43-80b6-ad999356cdfb | poolb                | True      |
+--------------------------------------+----------------------+-----------+

Test the connection:

 powervc-image test-conn --add-zoning 2e7dc01b-7457-4d43-80b6-ad999356cdfb
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host  | wwpn             | wwnn             | speed  | port_state | time_since_last_reset | targets |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host3 | c050760bd4050045 | c050760bd4050045 | 8 Gbit | Online     | [unknown]             | 2 (*)   |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | row_num | target_wwpn      | target_id | num_luns |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | 1       | 5005076812160973 | 1         | 4        |
    | 2       | 5005076812160974 | 0         | 4        |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host  | wwpn             | wwnn             | speed  | port_state | time_since_last_reset | targets |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host1 | c050760bd4050044 | c050760bd4050044 | 8 Gbit | Online     | [unknown]             | 2 (*)   |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | row_num | target_wwpn      | target_id | num_luns |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | 1       | 5005076812150972 | 0         | 4        |
    | 2       | 5005076812150973 | 1         | 4        |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host  | wwpn             | wwnn             | speed  | port_state | time_since_last_reset | targets |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host4 | c050760bd4050046 | c050760bd4050046 | 8 Gbit | Online     | [unknown]             | 2 (*)   |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | row_num | target_wwpn      | target_id | num_luns |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | 1       | 5005076812160972 | 0         | 4        |
    | 2       | 5005076812160973 | 1         | 4        |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host  | wwpn             | wwnn             | speed  | port_state | time_since_last_reset | targets |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
| host2 | c050760bd4050047 | c050760bd4050047 | 4 Gbit | Online     | [unknown]             | 2 (*)   |
+-------+------------------+------------------+--------+------------+-----------------------+---------+
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | row_num | target_wwpn      | target_id | num_luns |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
    | 1       | 5005076812150972 | 1         | 4        |
    | 2       | 5005076812150973 | 0         | 4        |
    +---------+------------------+-----------+----------+
The storage template with ID 2e7dc01b-7457-4d43-80b6-ad999356cdfb has the supported Fibre Channel provider 'storewize'.
Creating a test volume 'image-agility-priming-vol-f752b6' on storage provider 'storewize'...
.Done creating.
Mapping test volume on the storage provider to the local server's ports...

Device attachment information returned: {'type': 'block', 'scsi_wwn': '3600507681282804aa800000000000098', 'path': '/dev/disk/by-path/fc-0x5005076812160955-lun-3'}





Connection of test volume worked on initial try.



Disconnecting test volume 'image-agility-priming-vol-f752b6' from local server since it was created during this run and there was no connection failure...



Unmapping the test volume from the storage provider...



Deleting test volume...



Test Fibre Channel connectivity complete.

If you have the correct result "Test Fibre Channel connectivity complete",  you can continue and import the image in PowerVC.

Use this command to create an image named aix72tl5sp7 from the AIX_v7.3_OVA_7300-02-02-2420_062024_LCD8283801.ova.gz file.

# powervc-image import -n aix72tl5sp7 -p ./AIX_v7.3_OVA_7300-02-02-2420_062024_LCD8283801.ova.gz -t f752b6d7-0ba2-4afd-9c95-7fabbaa43ad5

You can verify that the image aix72tl5sp7 has been created in PowerVC by using the command line interface.

# openstack image list
+--------------------------------------+----------------------+-----------+
| ID                                   | Name                 | Status    |
+--------------------------------------+----------------------+-----------+
| 562f3dd5-0da4-4da3-9dc8-d57aac9acf35 | aix72tl5sp7          | active    |
+--------------------------------------+----------------------+-----------+

Image in the PowerVC GUI

You can now use this image to deploy new AIX Virtual Machine.

It is really the simplest and faster way to create an image in a new PowerVC environment.