EXTRA - ALT_DISK

alt_disk_copy:

Required filesets:
    bos.alt_disk_install.boot_images
    bos.alt_disk_install.rte
    bos.msg.en_US.alt_disk_install.rte

alt_disk_copy -d <hdisk to clone rootvg>             this will clone the rootvg to the specified disk
alt_disk_copy -e /etc/exclude.rootvg -d <hdisk>      this will use the exclude list during the cloning
alt_disk_copy -T -d <hdisk>                          it will convert jfs to jfs2 on the new target disk (from 6.1 TL4 only)
alt_rootvg_op -X <cloned rootvg to destroy>          this will destroy the cloned rootvg (alt_rootvg_op -X altinst_rootvg)
alt_rootvg_op -W -d <hdisk>                          this will wake up a disk (cloned filesystems will be mounted with prefix /alt_)
alt_rootvg_op -S -t <hdisk>                          this will put cloned rootvg to sleep (before that it will do a bosboot)
                                                     (-S: put to sleep earlier "waked up" vg, -t: rebuilds the alt. bootimage before sleep)
alt_rootvg_op -v <new cloned rootvg name> -d <hdisk> this will rename the given cloned rootvg name
                                                     (after wake-up and sleep the cloned vg name will be changed, in this case it is useful)

alt_disk_mksysb -m /mnt/aix1mksysb -d hdisk1 -k      this will resore given mksysb (aix1mksysb) to hdisk1 (-k: keep device configuration)

/var/adm/ras/alt_disk_inst.log                       alt_disk log file
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alt_disk_copy: (copy hdisk0 to hdsik1)
lv names can't be longer than 11 characters (because of alt_ prefix)
do not take out that disk which was used during boot (otherwise there will be problems with bosboot)

-unmirrorvg rootvg hdisk1   
-reducevg rootvg hdisk1       
-bosboot -ad hdisk0       
-bootlist -m normal hdisk0   
-alt_disk_copy -d hdisk1       
-bootlist -m normal hdisk0

after booting from hdisk1:
root@aix11: / # lspv
hdisk0          00cf5d8fe9c88a34                    old_rootvg
hdisk1          00cf5d8fadcaa9a9                    rootvg          active


booting from the old disk:
root@aix11: / # lspv
hdisk0          00cf5d8fe9c88a34                    rootvg          active
hdisk1          00cf5d8fadcaa9a9                    altinst_rootvg


removing the new image (keeping the old one):
-alt_rootvg_op -X altinst_rootvg         <--removing the new image from hdisk1
-chpv -c hdisk1                          <--clear that pv what contained the removed image
-extendvg -f rootvg hdisk1               <--extend the currently used rootvg with the cleared disk (hdisk1)
-mirrorvg -S rootvg hdisk1               <--mirroring rootvg to hdisk1 (checking: lsvg rootvg | grep STALE)(-S: -background sync)
-bosboot -ad hdisk0; bosboot -ad hdisk1  <--recreate the bootimage
-bootlist -m normal hdisk0 hdisk1        <--setup correct bootlist (checking: bootlist -m normal -o)

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Changing lv names (to avoid 11 characters problem):
1. # mkszfile                            <--creates image.data file of rootvg
2. # vi image.data                       <--edit image.data
3. # alt_disk_copy -d hdiskX -i /image.data -B    <--give image.data fie for alt_disk_copy


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ONLINE UPDATE WITH ALT_DISK_INSTALL:

unmirrorvg rootvg hdisk1                 <--removing mirror ( check: lsvg -p rootvg)
chpv -c hdisk1                           <--clears boot record
reducevg rootvg hdisk1                   <--free up hdisk1
bosboot -ad hdisk0                       <--creates boot record
bootlist -m normal hdisk0                <--sets boot list (check: bootlist -m normal -o)

installp -s                              <--check if anything can be commited
copy new bos.rte.install                 <--will be needed for checking if update will be successful (cd to this directory)
install_all_updates -pYd .               <--preview of new bos.rte.install
install_all_updates -Yd .                <--installs new bos.rte.install

oslevel -sg 5300-09-01-0847              <--shows which fileset is greater than current service pack, it will show bos.rte.install
instfix -i | grep SP                     <--it will show where to update (53-09-020849_SP)
oslevel -sl 53-09-020849                 <--shows which filesets should be update

cd /mnt/5300-09-SP2                      <--go to servicepack dir
install_all_updates -pYd .               <--preview check

alt_disk_copy -d hdisk1 -b update_all -l /mnt/5300-09-SP2     <--this will do the update

shutdown -Fr                             <--new OS will boot up
smitty commit                            <--if needed

alt_rootvg_op -X old_rootvg              <--removes cloned old OS
chpv -c hdisk0                           <--clears bootrecord
extendvg -f rootvg hdisk0                <--add hdisk0 to rootvg
mirrorvg -S rootvg hdisk0                <--mirror rootvg (-S: in background)
bosboot -a                               <--creates boot record
bootlist -m normal hdisk0 hdisk1         <--set bootlist

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alt_disk error during AIX update:

If you see this:
...
...
install_all_updates: Result = SUCCESS
Modifying ODM on cloned disk.
Building boot image on cloned disk.

0301-150 bosboot: Invalid or no boot device specified!
usage:  bosboot {-a | -v} [-d device] [-p proto] [-k kernel] [-l lvdev]
                [-b file] [-M primary|standby|both] [-D|-I] [-LTq]
        Where:
        -a              Create boot image and write to device or file.
        -v              Verify, but do not build boot image.
        -d device       Device for which to create the boot image.
        -p proto        Use given proto file for RAM disk file system.
        -k kernel       Use given kernel file for boot image.
        -l lvdev        Target boot logical volume for boot image.
        -b file         Use given file name for boot image name.
        -D              Load kernel debugger.
        -I              Load and Invoke kernel debugger.
        -M primary|standby|both Boot mode - primary or standby.
        -T platform     Specifies the hardware platform type.
        -q              Query disk space required to create boot image.
        -L              Enable MP locks instrumentation.
0505-120 alt_disk_install: Error running bosboot in the cloned
root volume group.
Cleaning up.
forced unmount of /alt_inst/var/adm/ras/livedump
forced unmount of /alt_inst/var/adm/ras/livedump
...
...


There is a bug in alt_disk fileset in different 6.1 TL levels (for example in TL6).
Solution is to update alt_disk filesets separately before doing AIX update

1. I use these files, and copy them to a separate directory:
-rwxrwxrwx    1 root     nobody     28393472 Mar 05 13:36 bos.alt_disk_install.boot_images.6.1.9.30.U
-rwxrwxrwx    1 root     nobody       709632 Mar 05 13:35 bos.alt_disk_install.rte.6.1.9.30.U

2. update filesets with smitty update_all or install_all_updates -cYd /mnt/bb/alt_disk

3. try again AIX update: alt_disk_copy -d hdiskX -n -b update_all -l /mnt/AIX_new_level
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