+—————————————————————————–+ Setup Operation +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Logical Volumes +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ File Systems +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Mount Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ BOS Files +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Boot Partition Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Mount Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Bootlist Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Multibos Shell Operation +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Mount Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Multibos Root Shell +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Mount Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Customization Operation +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Mount Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Software Update +—————————————————————————–+ #——————————————————————— # No filesets on the media could be used to update the currently # installed software. # # Either the software is already at the same level as on the media, or # the media contains only filesets which are not currently installed. #——————————————————————— +—————————————————————————–+ Boot Partition Processing +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Mount Processing +—————————————————————————–+ /etc/julien.gabel -rw——- 1 root system 0 Jun 22 15:53 /etc/julien.gabel # bootlist -m normal -o hdisk0 blv=hd5 hdisk0 blv=bos_hd5 hdisk0 blv=hd5 hdisk0 blv=bos_hd5 # shutdown -Fr now # lsvg -l rootvg | grep bos bos_hd5 boot 1 2 2 closed/syncd N/A bos_hd4 jfs2 4 8 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst bos_hd2 jfs2 29 58 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/usr bos_hd9var jfs2 2 4 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/var bos_hd10opt jfs2 1 2 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/opt # ls -l /etc/julien.gabel /etc/julien.gabel not found # multibos -R Initializing multibos methods … Initializing log /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog … Gathering system information … +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Verifying operation parameters … +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Active boot logical volume is hd5. Standby boot logical volume is bos_hd5. +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Unmounting all standby BOS file systems … +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Removing all standby BOS file systems … Removing standby BOS file system /bos_inst/opt Removing standby BOS file system /bos_inst/var Removing standby BOS file system /bos_inst/usr Removing standby BOS file system /bos_inst +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Removing all standby BOS logical volumes … Removing standby BOS logical volume bos_hd5 +—————————————————————————–+ +—————————————————————————–+ Verifying operation parameters … Setting bootlist to logical volume hd5 on hdisk0. ATTENTION: firmware recovery string for active BLV (hd5): boot /pci@80000002000000b/pci@2,6/pci1014,028C@1/scsi@1/sd@8:2 Log file is /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog Return Status = SUCCESS
/* * http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/aix/aprilmay08/tipstechniques/20226p1.aspx * http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/aix/enewsletterexclusive/21438p1.aspx * https://sites.google.com/site/torontoaix/aix-commands/aix-upgrades/aix-multibos-mksysb-migration */
Reading this blog, you certainly have seen lots of interest for the Oracle Solaris Live Upgrade (<= Solaris 10) and Boot Environment (>= Solaris 11) features. These really are huge advantage doing patching, updating, and/or upgrading the operating system.
In the IBM AIX world, there are two major tools which can be used to serve a similar purpose. Although I find those not as powerful nor as feature-rich than Live Upgrade or Boot Environment on Solaris, I got a real interest for these two products:
multibos: Creates, updates, and manages multiple versions of the
Base Operating System (BOS) on a rootvg.alt_disk_copy: Clones (makes a copy of) the currently running
system to an alternate disk.The first I will use in the following test case is multibos.
Here is an excerpt from the multibos(1) manual page:
The multibos command allows the root level administrator to create multiple instances of AIX(R) on the same rootvg. The multibos setup operation creates a standby Base Operating System (BOS) that boots from a distinct boot logical volume (BLV). This creates two bootable sets of BOS on a given rootvg. The administrator can boot from either instance of BOS by specifying the respective BLV as an argument to the bootlist command or using system firmware boot operations. Two bootable instances of BOS can be simultaneously maintained. The instance of BOS associated with the booted BLV is referred to as the active BOS. The instance of BOS associated with the BLV that has not been booted is referred to as the standby BOS. Currently, only two instances of BOS are supported per rootvg.
The multibos command allows the administrator to access, install maintenance and technology levels for, update, and customize the standby BOS either during setup or in subsequent customization operations. Installing maintenance and technology updates to the standby BOS does not change system files on the active BOS. This allows for concurrent update of the standby BOS, while the active BOS remains in production.
Gathering system information ... multibos: 0565-077 Unable to locate standby BOS. Log file is /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog Return Status: FAILURE # multibos -sX Initializing multibos methods ... Initializing log /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog ... Gathering system information ... Verifying operation parameters ... Creating image.data file ... Creating standby BOS logical volume bos_hd5 Creating standby BOS logical volume bos_hd4 Creating standby BOS logical volume bos_hd2 Creating standby BOS logical volume bos_hd9var Creating standby BOS logical volume bos_hd10opt Creating all standby BOS file systems ... Creating standby BOS file system /bos_inst on logical volume bos_hd4 Creating standby BOS file system /bos_inst/usr on logical volume bos_hd2 Creating standby BOS file system /bos_inst/var on logical volume bos_hd9var Creating standby BOS file system /bos_inst/opt on logical volume bos_hd10opt Mounting all standby BOS file systems ... Mounting /bos_inst Mounting /bos_inst/usr Mounting /bos_inst/var Mounting /bos_inst/opt Including files for file system / Including files for file system /usr Including files for file system /var Including files for file system /opt Copying files using backup/restore utilities ... Percentage of files copied: 0.00% [...] Percentage of files copied: 100.00% Active boot logical volume is hd5. Standby boot logical volume is bos_hd5. Creating standby BOS boot image on boot logical volume bos_hd5 bosboot: Boot image is 43349 512 byte blocks. Unmounting all standby BOS file systems ... Unmounting /bos_inst/opt Unmounting /bos_inst/var Unmounting /bos_inst/usr Unmounting /bos_inst Verifying operation parameters ... Setting bootlist to logical volume bos_hd5 on hdisk0. ATTENTION: firmware recovery string for standby BLV (bos_hd5): boot /pci@80000002000000b/pci@2,6/pci1014,028C@1/scsi@1/sd@8:4 ATTENTION: firmware recovery string for active BLV (hd5): boot /pci@80000002000000b/pci@2,6/pci1014,028C@1/scsi@1/sd@8:2 Log file is /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog Return Status = SUCCESS # lsvg -l rootvg | grep bos bos_hd5 boot 1 2 2 closed/syncd N/A bos_hd4 jfs2 4 8 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst bos_hd2 jfs2 29 58 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/usr bos_hd9var jfs2 2 4 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/var bos_hd10opt jfs2 1 2 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/opt # bootlist -m normal -o hdisk0 blv=bos_hd5 hdisk0 blv=hd5 # bootlist -m normal -ov 'ibm,max-boot-devices' = 0x5 NVRAM variable: (boot-device=/pci@80000002000000b/pci@2,6/pci1014,028C@1/scsi@1/sd@8:4 /pci@80000002000000b/pci@2,6/pci1014,028C@1/scsi@1/sd@8:2) Path name: (/pci@80000002000000b/pci@2,6/pci1014,028C@1/scsi@1/sd@8:4) match_specific_info: ut=disk/scsi/scsd hdisk0 blv=bos_hd5 Path name: (/pci@80000002000000b/pci@2,6/pci1014,028C@1/scsi@1/sd@8:2) match_specific_info: ut=disk/scsi/scsd hdisk0 blv=hd5 # lslv hd5 | grep LAB MOUNT POINT: N/A LABEL: primary_bootlv # lslv bos_hd5 | grep LAB MOUNT POINT: N/A LABEL: standby_bootlv # multibos -S Initializing multibos methods ... Initializing log /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog ... Gathering system information ... Verifying operation parameters ... Mounting all standby BOS file systems ... Mounting /bos_inst Mounting /bos_inst/usr Mounting /bos_inst/var Mounting /bos_inst/opt Starting multibos root shell ... Active boot logical volume is hd5. Script started, file is /etc/multibos/logs/scriptlog.100622153605.txt MULTIBOS> oslevel -s MULTIBOS> touch /etc/julien.gabel 6100-05-01-1016 MULTIBOS> exit Script done, file is /etc/multibos/logs/scriptlog.100622153605.txt Stopping multibos root shell ... Compressing script log file ... Compressed script log file is /etc/multibos/logs/scriptlog.100622153605.txt.Z Unmounting all standby BOS file systems ... Unmounting /bos_inst/opt Unmounting /bos_inst/var Unmounting /bos_inst/usr Unmounting /bos_inst Log file is /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog Return Status = SUCCESS # multibos -Xac -l /export/lpp_source/lpp_source_6100-05-01-1016 Initializing multibos methods ... Initializing log /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog ... Gathering system information ... Verifying operation parameters ... Validating install images location /export/lpp_source/lpp_source_6100-05-01-1016 Mounting all standby BOS file systems ... Mounting /bos_inst Mounting /bos_inst/usr Mounting /bos_inst/var Mounting /bos_inst/opt Installing software to standby BOS ... install_all_updates: Initializing system parameters. install_all_updates: Log file is /var/adm/ras/install_all_updates.log install_all_updates: Checking for updated install utilities on media. install_all_updates: Processing media. install_all_updates: Generating list of updatable installp filesets. install_all_updates: Checking for recommended maintenance level 6100-05. install_all_updates: Executing /usr/bin/oslevel -rf, Result = 6100-05 install_all_updates: Verification completed. install_all_updates: Log file is /var/adm/ras/install_all_updates.log install_all_updates: Result = SUCCESS Active boot logical volume is hd5. Standby boot logical volume is bos_hd5. Creating standby BOS boot image on boot logical volume bos_hd5 bosboot: Boot image is 43349 512 byte blocks. Unmounting all standby BOS file systems ... Unmounting /bos_inst/opt Unmounting /bos_inst/var Unmounting /bos_inst/usr Unmounting /bos_inst Log file is /etc/multibos/logs/op.alog Return Status = SUCCESS # shutdown -Fr now # lsvg -l rootvg | grep bos hd4 jfs2 4 8 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst hd2 jfs2 29 58 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/usr hd9var jfs2 2 4 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/var hd10opt jfs2 1 2 2 closed/syncd /bos_inst/opt bos_hd5 boot 1 2 2 closed/syncd N/A bos_hd4 jfs2 4 8 2 open/syncd / bos_hd2 jfs2 29 58 2 open/syncd /usr bos_hd9var jfs2 2 4 2 open/syncd /var bos_hd10opt jfs2 1 2 2 open/syncd /opt # ls -l Remove Operation Boot Partition Processing Mount Processing File Systems Logical Volumes Bootlist Processing