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IBM Power8 System Setup

Complete procedure for setting up IBM Power8 servers using the Hardware Management Console (HMC) and installing AIX.

Prerequisites

Item Details
HMC Hardware Management Console connected and powered on
Network Cable Ethernet cable for HMC to managed system connection
NIM Server Network Installation Manager server (IP: 192.168.100.21)
Client IP Assigned IP for the Power8 system (e.g., 192.168.100.131)

Part 1: Physical Connection

Connect HMC to Managed System

  1. Locate HMC Port 1 on the managed Power8 system (rear panel)
  2. Connect Ethernet cable from HMC NIC Port 1 to Managed System HMC Port 1
  3. Ensure both systems are powered on

Important

Do not plug cables into the server's HMC ports until the HMC is configured as a DHCP server for the FSP (Flexible Service Processor). Otherwise, the FSP HMC ports will switch to default static IP addresses.

Part 2: HMC Login and Configuration

Access the HMC

  1. Open a web browser and navigate to the HMC IP address
  2. Log in with credentials:
Field Value
Username hscroot
Password abc123 or abc1234

Reset ASM (Advanced System Management)

The ASMI (Advanced System Management Interface) is used for service processor configuration and system power control.

  1. Navigate to: Systems Management > Servers
  2. Select the managed system
  3. Go to: Tasks > Operations > Launch Advanced System Management (ASM)
  4. Reset all settings on the managed system's ASM

Update Passwords

Update the following passwords for security:

Password Type Purpose
HMC Authentication Authenticates managed system with HMC
Access Password Controls access to ASM interface
General Password General system access
Admin Password Administrative functions

Part 3: Power On and Partition Setup

Power On the Managed System

  1. In HMC, select the managed system
  2. Go to: Operations > Power On
  3. Choose startup mode:
  4. Hardware Discovery - If hardware has changed
  5. Normal - Standard boot

Initialize Partition Data

  1. Navigate to: Configuration > Manage Partition Data
  2. Click Initialize
  3. Wait for initialization to complete

Create a Partition

  1. Go to: Configuration > Create Partition
  2. Select operating system type:
  3. AIX - For AIX installation
  4. Linux - For Linux installation
  5. Select Full System partition (uses all resources)
  6. Complete the partition wizard

Activate the Partition

  1. Navigate to: Operations > Activate
  2. Select the partition profile
  3. Click Activate

Part 4: SMS Network Boot Configuration

SMS (System Management Services) is used to configure network boot parameters.

Access SMS Menu

  1. Open a terminal window to the partition:
  2. Tasks > Operations > Open Terminal Window
  3. When activating, click Advanced and set Boot Mode to SMS
  4. Alternatively, press 1 during POST (Power On Self Test) when you see the banner
  5. Press 0 when prompted to set the console as active

Configure Remote IPL (Network Boot)

  1. From SMS Main Menu, select: Setup Remote IPL (Initial Program Load)
  2. Select the Network Interface Controller (NIC) adapter
  3. Choose IPv4 address format
  4. Select BOOTP protocol
  5. Configure IP Parameters:
Parameter Value
Client IP Address 192.168.100.131
Server IP Address 192.168.100.21
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway (set if required)

Select Boot Device

  1. From SMS Main Menu, select: Select Boot Options
  2. Choose: Select Install/Boot Device

One-time Boot

Using "Install/Boot Device" sets the boot device for ONE reboot only. Use "Configure Boot Device Order" to change permanently.

  1. Select Network as device type
  2. Choose the configured NIC adapter
  3. Select Normal Mode Boot

Start Installation

  1. Exit SMS menus
  2. System will boot from network
  3. AIX installation will begin automatically from NIM server

Part 5: QA Verification Commands

After AIX installation, run these commands to verify the system configuration.

Operating System Level

# Show current OS level and service packs
oslevel -s

# Show all known service packs
oslevel -sq

# Show maintenance/release level
oslevel -r

Processor Information

# Count number of processors
lsdev -Cc processor | wc -l

# Show processor frequency
lsattr -El proc0 | grep freq

Memory Information

# Show total memory size
lsattr -El mem0 | grep size

# Alternative: show memory in MB
lsattr -El sys0 -a realmem

Adapter Information

# List all adapters
lsdev -Cc adapter

# List PCI adapters specifically
lsdev -Cc adapter -s pci

Storage Devices

# List CD/DVD drives
lsdev -Cc cdrom

# List all disk devices
lsdev -Cc disk

# Show disk sizes (for hdisk0 and hdisk1)
for i in 0 1; do
    echo "=== hdisk$i ==="
    lsattr -El hdisk$i | grep size
done

# List all disks with sizes
lspv

Full System Configuration

# Detailed system configuration (VPD - Vital Product Data)
lscfg -vp

# Specific device details
lscfg -vpl <device_name>

# Example: FC adapter details
lscfg -vpl fcs0

System Health Check

# Check for software problems
lppchk -v

# System error log
errpt | head -20

# Hardware errors only
errpt -d H | head -20

Quick Reference

HMC Navigation Paths

Task Path
Power On Operations > Power On
Power Off Operations > Shut Down
Open Console Operations > Open Terminal Window
Access ASM Operations > Launch Advanced System Management
Create Partition Configuration > Create Partition
Manage Partitions Configuration > Manage Partition Data

Default Credentials

System Username Password
HMC hscroot abc123
ASM admin admin

Security

Change all default passwords immediately after initial setup.

Troubleshooting

System Won't Power On

  • Check physical power connections
  • Verify HMC connectivity to managed system
  • Check ASM for error codes

Network Boot Fails

  • Verify NIM server is running and accessible
  • Check IP configuration in SMS matches NIM setup
  • Ensure network cable is connected to correct port

Partition Won't Activate

  • Check for sufficient resources (CPU, memory)
  • Verify no conflicting partitions
  • Review HMC error logs

References