skip to content
Hiiruki's lab
Cover image

How to Configure RAID HDD on IBM Power System for AIX OS

/ 3 min read

Updated:
View more blogs with the tag aix , View more blogs with the tag ibm , View more blogs with the tag unix , View more blogs with the tag raid , View more blogs with the tag storage
Table of Contents

Intro

Before installing AIX OS, we need to configure RAID HDD first. This is because AIX OS requires a RAID configuration to be installed. In this guide, we will use RAID 5 configuration.

Steps

  1. Connect the server power cable to the power source
  2. Turn on the server first
  3. Make sure the monitor, keyboard, and mouse are connected to the server
  4. Check the VGA compatibility between the server and the monitor

  1. Insert the AIX Utility RAID CD/DVD

  2. After the server turns on, the following display will appear:

  3. Press 1 to select the next step to “SMS Menu”

  4. Press 3 to select the next step to “Continue to Password Entry”

  5. Type the default password “admin”

  6. Press 5 to continue to “Select Boot Options”

  7. Press 1 to continue to “Select Install/Boot Device”

  8. Since this guide uses a CD/DVD device, press 2 to select “CD/DVD”

  9. Press 6 to select “List All Devices”

  10. Select “SATA CD-ROM” because the device used is CD/DVD, in this guide it is at number 17

  11. Press 2 to select “Normal Mode Boot”

  12. The next step is a reboot process, here is the display:

  13. After the reboot process is complete, press F1 and press Enter

  14. Select “Task Selection (Diagnostics, Advanced Diagnostics, Service Aids, etc.)”

  15. Select “RAID Array Manager”

  16. Select “IBM SAS Disk Array Manager”

  17. Select “List SAS Disk Array Configuration” to see the default Disk Array configuration

  18. Select “sissas0” or “sissas1” according to the available RAID Available Controller inside

  19. After opening the available RAID Controller, press F3 to return to “IBM SAS Disk Array Manager”

  20. Next, select “Create an Array candidate pdisk and Format to RAID block size”

  21. Select “sissas0” or “sissas1” according to the available RAID Available Controller inside

  22. Press F7 to mark all available “hdisk”, then press Enter

  23. The next step is a format process, here is the display when the format process is in progress:

  24. Here is the display when the format process is complete:

  25. The next step to create a RAID Disk, select “Create a SAS Disk Array”

  26. Select “sissas0” or “sissas1” according to the available RAID Available Controller inside

  27. Select the recommended RAID level 5, then press Enter

  28. Select Stripe Size “256 Kb”

  29. Press F7 to mark all available pdisks, then press Enter

  30. After the above process is complete, check “List SAS Disk Array Configuration” again

  31. The hard disk is now in RAID condition and ready for the OS installation process. After the process is complete, remove the AIX Utility RAID CD/DVD and insert the AIX CD/DVD

References