Patch management in AIX
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Preamble
This manual is directed to give some ideas and some framework for process of management of patches for AIX. In all the cases, not cover in this manual you shouldcontact your local UNIX guru or search for help from consultant. Information in thisarticle is based of AIX 5L v5.2 and 5.3. For Your version please refer appropriatemanuals
Preinstallation checks
Check consistency and TL/ML
Let's 1st check if packages, installed on the machine are OK
# lppchk -v
If you get report of something wrong try to get more info about the case and resolve the problem before continue with installation
# lppchk -v -m3
Check the current installed ML/TL
# instfix -i|grep ML
or
# instfix -i |grep TL
Keep the above information in file (not on the server, please)
Check for applicability
Check if APAR you want to install is applicable to your system. Check if fileset,mentioned in APAR is installed on your system
# lslpp -L <filesetname>
If not you can skip the rest of the document and feel happy, because it's need to donothing on this machine :-) But if fileset is installed check if APAR is installed
# insfix -ivk <APAR number>
If it's installed be happy and jump to the next server, otherwise check if software is inuse. For example you have installed drivers for ATM card, but you have no such card inthe server or have installed software for IPsec, but not configured and not in use. In thiscase you can (again) be happy and continue with other task. Otherwise continue withsteps in this document
Check rootvg
See if rootvg is mirrored and all lv's are mirrored correctly (excluding dump and bootvolumes). If your rootvg is not mirrored you can skip later in document part for alt_disk_install, but in generally you should thing twice if situation like this is OK for business
# lsvg -p rootvg# lsvg rootvg# lsvg -l rootvg
Check for cluster
Check if the server is node of the cluster, because some of the operations can disrupt the proper work of cluster software
# smit hacmp
Check if the cluster processes are active
# lssrc -g cluster
Check if cluster software is installed
# lslpp -l | grep -i cluster
Preinstallation tasks
Create a new LV to keep ML/TL, Service pack and APAR's you will download fromIBM web site. Be aware this filesystem can need up to 3.6 gigabytes. If you do not haveenough free LP you can use any (almost) already existing partition on the server or arrange some disk space on other machine and export it via NFS. After finish theinstallation do not forget to remove the LV or directory if you do not need the files for other installation. In case of usage of NFS you should be aware process of installation isslower and any network problem can disrupt your installation and put you in situation of recovery system from backup or alternate disk installation. Upload (download) in thisdirectory TL (last one), Service pack (only last one) and APARs for prepare theinstallation. Extract them in current directory. because they normally come as tar.gz fileuse this trick to keep some diskpace
# gzip -d -c TL...tar.gz|tar xvf -
Sound's good to extract and install Service pack separately (in different directory)
Backup methods
For safe yourself from problems after installation, boot problems, etc you have fewopportunities. I personaly know 3:1.make alternate disk installation. This is actually process of splitting mirroredrootvg, create "copy" of current installation to unused disk and add the second thisin boot list to be sure you have working copy of your operating system in case of problem2.if you have tape device on your server use mksysb to backup you rootvg on thetape and use this backup in case of problem3.if you have in the network TSM (Tivoli Storage Manager) and NIM (Network Installation manager) servers installed you can backup system on the TSM and incase of problem reinstall operating system from NIM server If you can't use any of the above methods you should be prepared for installation fromCD/DVD of the entire operating system and recover it to the level to the situation beforeinstallation of APAR. Honestly speaking you can use mksysb, saving backup file on NFSmounted directory, but this will be no so helpful for easy and fast restore of the system
Backup with alt_disk_install
So lets start with the 1st method - alternate disk installation Remove the secondary dumpdevice. On normal systems with mirrored rootvg exist 2 different dump devices. So tofree one of the disks we should remove the dump device, resided on that disk. First weshould find this device. To see the name of the secondary dump device
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Patch Management in AIX
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| Upload Date: | 11/18/2009 |
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