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AIX operating system

  • 1.  AIX operating system

    Posted Mon January 29, 2024 12:19 PM

    Hi 
    How to download Aix 7.1 or 7.2 in order to install the Qume virtual machine.

    Thank you 



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    Khumoyun Ochilov
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  • 2.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Tue January 30, 2024 04:52 AM

    Please explain more about Qume virtual Machine.

    Do you mean QEMU the machine emulator?

    I guess you may be trying to run QEMU on a laptop to emulate a Power processor and then install AIX.

    To download AIX 7.1 or AIX 7.2 installation media, you need to purchase the licence. Have you paid for AIX?

    If you have then the IBM ESS website allows the download of AIX.

    Cheers, Nigel



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    nigel griffiths
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  • 3.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Sat February 10, 2024 12:38 PM

    Hi Nigel,
    Thank you very much for answering my question.
    Yes, QEMU is a machine emulator, and I want to install AIX inside QEMU on my laptop (Intel Core I5 H processor, RAM 16 GB, video card 4 GB, SSD 512 GB). I haven't paid yet. Can I download without payment? Because I just use it for learning.

    sincerely Khumoyun



    ------------------------------
    Khumoyun Ochilov
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Fri February 16, 2024 04:52 AM

    You are not alone wanting access to AIX for learning.

    Rather than emulate POWER hardware to run AIX - with some features missing (some things can't be emulated) and a bit slowly, you could run the real thing for learning. Check out my YouTube Videos on using IBM PowerVS = real Power servers and latest AIX 7.3 on the Cloud for just £2 / $3 / €3 a day.
     - You may pay more than that for your early morning coffee on the high street.

    I have a YouTube playlist of 7 videos covering everything at a detail hands-on level:
     - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKQlFnmiWVyeK1chlV8hFtHj7Y3plhW9d

    In total the first 6 add up to ~90 minutes with a final video Review and Update on the newer advanced features.

    I have had retrying QEMU on my to do list for a year. I had it running a few years ago.

    Apart from the boot media costs money issue, I can't find examples of getting AIX 7.3 working.

    So for now try AIX 7.2. It might take me a few days to find a working combination and get through the initial boot issues. Then the basics should work. Of course, I would like a C compiler for nmon/njmon - available for free using the AIX toolbox but that might take even more time.

    On PowerVS this should take about an hour, very latest AIX 7.3 and installing the latest GCC compile about 20 seconds!
    Same for the 800 other open source tools on AIX. 

    On top of that PowerVS is fun :-) and you could use it for future projects at work i.e. good professional experience.



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    nigel griffiths
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  • 5.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Wed February 21, 2024 11:27 AM

    The AIX 5L Certification Study Guide is the best documentation I have seen for learning the basics of AIX.   Has IBM considered updating it? I haven't seen anything for entry-level admins like it since that Redbook was published over 20 years ago. Maybe I have just missed later editions?



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    Charles Buckley
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  • 6.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Wed February 21, 2024 01:12 PM

    Hi Charles,

    It has been suggested many times but it has got nowhere due to funding.

    I do not understand it.  I guess AIX and all the surrounding infrastructure is now a very big topic.

    I mean a large scope: HMC, PowerVM (Hypervisor, virtual networks, virtual storage, virtual optical) , Virtual I/O Server, Network Installation Manager, PowerVC, modern IBM storage, PowerSC for security and more..

    Then there are many topics sizing, design, performance, tuning, updating, upgrading, user control, security, networking, disk layout, time sync, DNS, DPO, Dynamic LPAR changes, Live Partition Mobility and on and on.

    A lot of function has been added in 20 years and most of these topic have there own Redbooks.

    I think that might take 2000 pages and a 2 years residency for 6 people.

    In summary: it is too big a subject to resource and fund!! Every person learning AIX would want to start with different skill sets, with interest areas, different thing they want to learn.

    There are AIX basic and advanced education classes available world wide from IBM and IBM partners but classroom education seems to have become unpopular and ends up expensive in cash and time.

    Also gone is the time when a techie sits down with a Redbook and read cover to cover. That is something I actually did when I first encountered UNIX/AIX decades ago. These can you imaging a operations manager asking a techie to pick up AIX skills and being told that would take 3 months full-time study!

    I think big chunky Redbooks have had their day.  Today, it would be best tackled by web technology rather than a Redbook as that would allow updating as things change even further. That would allow a disperse team to work on it. 

    Mean while back in the real world: There is lots of information but much of it is hidden.

    As part of the PowerVS YouTube videos, I built a repository as a starter pack for people new to AIX Systems Administration but it is rough and ready.


    "PowerVS YouTube Play list" is here:

    IBM Cloud: PowerVS + AIX

    Part 5 "Learning AIX System Admin" is here:

     PowerVS: AIX for £2/day - 5 Learning AIX SysAdmin 2023

    With dozens of link to IBM Manual pages, IBM User Guides, dozens of videos from me al lots of topics and lists of the most important commands and function. 

    The info and links can be found here:

    Learning AIX System Administration on PowerVS

    I hope this helps, Cheers, Nigel



    ------------------------------
    Nigel Griffiths - IBM retired
    London, UK
    @mrnmon
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Wed February 21, 2024 02:32 PM

    OK. A follow-on suggestion:

    Take the 5L cert guide and import it into a wiki format and publish it on a publically accessible site and then open it up to being updated by the community (subject to subject matter expert review).

    For example:

    Currently:

    In the 5L version:

    Storage components Limitations
    Volume group 255 per system
    Physical volume 32 per volume group
    Physical partition 1016 per physical volume up to 256 MB each in size. A
    multiple of 1016 may be used on AIX Version 4.3.1 or later
    systems, provided the factor is set to a non-default value.
    Logical volume 256 per volume group
    Logical partition 32,512 per logical volume

    The wiki could be edited to the current 7.3 values by the public.

    or, the wiki could be cloned for each version of OS as they get released, then updated by the public or someone just doing a diff from the previous version

    Along those lines, would IBM legal slam a community wiki for this if it was an independent operation?   



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    Charles Buckley
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  • 8.  RE: AIX operating system

    IBM Champion
    Posted Thu February 22, 2024 05:11 AM

    > I think that might take 2000 pages and a 2 years residency for 6 people.

    Where do I sign up ? ;-)



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    José Pina Coelho
    IT Specialist at Kyndryl
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  • 9.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Wed February 28, 2024 04:18 PM

    As a more general point...  the problem these days isn't the people who know how to do things like multipathing or esoteric tricks., but the lack of even entry-level AIX admins. We have to train people how to grow filesystems. We have to train people to add users. We have to train people on entry-level skills and right now - that AIX 5L redbook is the only decent training book out there. Think entry-level things. We don't ask Engineer 1's to design new systems. We don't ask them to performance tune.  There are a dozen people with 20 years of experience for every Admin who has just 1-year of experience. 



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    Charles Buckley
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  • 10.  RE: AIX operating system

    IBM Champion
    Posted Wed February 28, 2024 04:57 PM

    Charles,

    did you try to book a training? I don't know in which country you are, but IBM still offers trainings. If you don't like IBM or there are problems with IBM trainings in your country, you can find AIX trainers all over the world for on-site or virtual trainings to educate your entry level admins. If you are in Europe you can contact me and we will find a way to train your admins.



    ------------------------------
    Andrey Klyachkin

    https://www.power-devops.com
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  • 11.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Wed February 28, 2024 06:16 PM

    Isn't all the answer for Junior AIX System Administrator questions: Run smitty!

    Just like Junior Linux System Administrators the answer is:
        Look it up on Google and pray!



    ------------------------------
    Nigel Griffiths - IBM retired
    London, UK
    @mr_nmon
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: AIX operating system

    IBM Champion
    Posted Thu February 29, 2024 06:26 AM

    100%! It is what I did when I started with AIX. Run smitty, press F6 to see the commands behind, read the manual pages to learn more.



    ------------------------------
    Andrey Klyachkin

    https://www.power-devops.com
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  • 13.  RE: AIX operating system

    IBM Champion
    Posted Mon March 04, 2024 05:50 AM

    My bookshelf - whilst wildy out of date now.... I can't bear to throw them away, including my AIX 4.3 certification study guide that I got when I went on the IBM course....

    AIX books


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    Michael Davison
    EMEA Support Team Lead
    Fortra
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  • 14.  RE: AIX operating system

    IBM Champion
    Posted Thu February 29, 2024 04:20 AM

    For entry level skills, the redbook isn't that outdated (on the AIX side, on the POWER side, it's based on POWER5, so it misses a lot of what is current practice)

    But yes, something that covers the improvements from 6.1-7.3 would be important to get rid of some old practices. (and another for POWER6-POWER10, and VIOS 1.3 to 4.1)



    ------------------------------
    José Pina Coelho
    IT Specialist at Kyndryl
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  • 15.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Thu February 29, 2024 12:08 AM

    Good afternoon,

    I want to thank you very much. The tips you have given are much needed and helpful.

    sincerely Khumoyun



    ------------------------------
    Khumoyun Ochilov
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Mon February 19, 2024 08:52 AM

    I was looking to try this myself. Here are some links to running AIX on Qemu that might be helpful found with a Googe search.

    https://aix4admins.blogspot.com/2020/04/qemu-aix-on-x86-qemu-quick-emulator-is.html

    https://kwakousys.wordpress.com/2020/09/06/run-aix-7-2-on-x86-with-qemu/

    https://www.itayemi.com/blog/2022/12/16/running-aix-v7-2-vm-on-qemu-hypervisor-on-an-ubuntu-host/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQmnAy5cPQ



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    Paul Boserup
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  • 17.  RE: AIX operating system

    IBM Champion
    Posted Tue January 30, 2024 04:52 AM

    Hi Khumoyun,

    if you have an AIX license, you can download it from IBM Entitled Systems Support site - https://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/ess/landing/index.html



    ------------------------------
    Andrey Klyachkin

    https://www.power-devops.com
    ------------------------------



  • 18.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Tue March 05, 2024 03:34 AM

    I fully agree with Nigel regarding PowerVS as training env. Imho using QEMU makes no sense if you can have functional AIX machine on demand with really low cost. You can remove it if you don't have time for learning and recreate once needed, lowering cost just to storage, or even to 0 if you don't need to capture any AIX state. 

    On the other hand if you want to fully understand Power environment - HW + PowerVM + HMC than imho buying old box is the only option. 

    IBM trainings like AN14 AIX Jumpstart AN30 PowerVM are good place to start, but are not cheap and not so often run since IBM revoked training vouchers for IBM Partners. 

    Great resource imho is also AIX 7.2 book of my colleague - Sebastian Biedroń  https://www.amazon.pl/AIX-7-2-PowerVM-Virtualization-administrators/dp/1980457018 It will allow you to quickly catch up with the technology and you can easily build your expert knowledge from there, even with redbooks or blog posts. Lab will be of course required so once more -> PowerVS. 



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    Jakub Pacowski
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  • 19.  RE: AIX operating system

    Posted Tue March 05, 2024 06:47 AM

    Excellent point and an excellent book - I see I recommended it in 2018 (and forget that facts :-)
    From the UK, the Amazon link is https://amzn.eu/d/6TmLnp5

    A bit expensive but inexpensive compared to taking a 5 day class. 
    Of course, you have to be dedicated to actually reading it and finding the time to experiment with the commands to get the full benefit.

    The current AIX is 7.3 which does have a few advanced features but these are not features you would learn as part of a AIX Admin Basics class.
    The AIX 7.3 new features are covered in my YouTube videos. 



    ------------------------------
    Nigel Griffiths - IBM retired
    London, UK
    @mrnmon
    ------------------------------