Edit: Some links no longer work.
Originally posted September 20, 2010 on AIXchange
Well, I was wrong. After arguing in two posts (here and here) that getting physical media from IBM is preferable to downloading AIX images, I am now among the converted. Sort of.
What happened? AIX 7.1 happened. When it was released on Sept. 10, I just had to get my hands on it. That meant I had to download it. Don’t worry; I also ordered my physical media. But I did download a copy so I could work with it right away.
Glad as I was to get started with the newest AIX version, the experience reminded me why I’m generally reluctant to download these files. I couldn’t unzip one file,
AIX_7.1_Base_Operating_System_TL_7100-00-00_DVD_1_of_2_092010.iso.ZIP.
Instead, I received this error message:
End-of-central-directory signature not found. Either this file is not a zipfile, or it constitutes one disk of a multi-part archive. In the latter case the central directory and zipfile comment will be found on the last disk(s) of this archive.
unzip: cannot find zipfile directory in one of
AIX_7.1_Base_Operating_System_TL_7100-00-00_DVD_1_of_2_092010.iso.ZIP
or
AIX_7.1_Base_Operating_System_TL_7100-00-00_DVD_1_of_2_092010.iso.ZIP.zip,
and cannot find
AIX_7.1_Base_Operating_System_TL_7100-00-00_DVD_1_of_2_092010.iso.ZIP.ZIP, period.
Since I was able to unzip the AIX_7.1_Base_Operating_System_TL_7100-00-00_DVD_2_of_2_092010.iso.ZIP (disk 2) file with no trouble, I thought maybe the download didn’t complete the first time. So I tried downloading the whole thing again, with the same results. Interestingly though, once I moved the file to an LPAR running RedHat Linux on the same frame, it unzipped just fine.
After completing the download and the decompressing the files, I moved the .iso images over to my virtual media repository, booted an LPAR from it and loaded AIX 7.1. I was able to select the edition of AIX I wanted to install, and I was able to navigate through menus and pick different software install options, including my preferred browser and the server packages I wanted to install. It looked like a normal AIX installation.
1 System Settings:
Method of Installation…………. New and Complete Overwrite
Disk Where You Want to Install…..hdisk0
2 Primary Language Environment Settings (AFTER Install):
Cultural Convention…………….English (United States)
Language ……………………..English (United States)
Keyboard ……………………..English (United States)
Keyboard Type………………….Default
3 Security Model…………………..Default
4 More Options (Software install options)
5 Select Edition…………………..express
Install Options
1. Graphics Software………………………………………… Yes
2. System Management Client Software………………………….. Yes
3. Enable System Backups to install any system…………………. Yes
(Installs all devices)
4. Import User Volume Groups…………………………………. Yes
Install More Software
1. Firefox (Firefox CD)………………………………………. No
2. Kerberos_5 (Expansion Pack)………………………………… No
3. Server (Volume 2)…………………………………………. No
Nevertheless, I have a couple of nits to pick: First, why is the Manage Editions menu option so high up on the SMIT main menu?
Software Installation and Maintenance
Software License Management
Manage Editions
Devices
System Storage Management (Physical & Logical Storage)
Security & Users
Communications Applications and Services
Workload Partition Administration
Print Spooling
Advanced Accounting
Problem Determination
Performance & Resource Scheduling
System Environments
Processes & Subsystems
Applications
Installation Assistant
Electronic Service Agent
Using SMIT (information only)
Even computer geeks build muscle memory, and we’ve become used to the devices or system storage manager options being only a couple of down arrow keystrokes away. Now we must unlearn years and years of keyboarding. It’s the new options — especially those that probably won’t change often — that should be buried further down the list.
So AIX 7 was loaded, and rebooted. Now we come to my second issue: Having to watch this message on my console as I waited for it to allow me to login to the system for the first time:
This is the first time starting Director Agent. Please wait several minutes for the initial setup…
Stopping The LWI Nonstop Profile…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
Waiting for The LWI Nonstop Profile to exit…
It’d be nice if I could start the System Director Agent when I wanted to, or at least have the option of running it in the background while I install systems.
And of course, ssh wasn’t installed by default, but as always it was easy enough to install it after the fact.
Another thing keep in mind is that if you plan on working with versioned WPARs (where AIX 5.2 can run in a WPAR), those vwpar filesets aren’t loaded by default. Be sure you’ve ordered them separately.
Along with the unveiling of AIX 7.1, new VIOS code was released. Read about Anthony English’s experiences with VIOS. (And once you’ve done so, check out Anthony’s comments about migrating the NIM server to AIX 7.1.)
Finally, please share your experiences with AIX 7 in Comments. While I realize that many of you aren’t yet considering migration, I am curious to kn ow if AIX 7 is in your near-term plans.