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ESX on the IBM System i : December 2008

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VCB Update

Posted by dave@NLC Dec 31, 2008


So I have the VCB working, but not the way I had hoped. Right now I am using the LAN version, not the SAN version. I have opened up a case with IBM Tech Support, but this is a bad week if you need tech support! All the good people are on vacation :)

So I wrote a batch file on my VCB Server, well 2 of them actually, mount.bat & unmount.bat

Created my c:\mnt directory, shared it, added the member to that file in QUSRSYS that I can never remember the name of....QAZ........ something like that.....

Then I wrote a CL on the System i, used sbmnwscmd to call the mount, saved the files I wanted through /QNTC and then called the unmount. Lather, rinse, repeat.....until all my vm's are backed up.

Worked great! Now when I get the SAN part working, I'll post again.

Oh, on a personal note: I am making the switch to Ubuntu, I have the Notes 8.5 Beta 2 running, in my VM, and as soon as I get all the kinks worked out I'm using Ubuntu as my main OS, and will run Windows as the VM, for only when I need it. I might start another Blog on Ubuntu. Vmware really needs to get the vi client for linux working!!!!!

Some may think it's sad that this is how I am spending my New Years Eve, but with a 3 year old, 20 month, and 7 week old at home, and a bruised knee that has me gimping around, I think I'm doing pretty good :D

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: vcb
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System i and VCB

Posted by dave@NLC Dec 21, 2008

Anyone who knows me knows I get a little excited about new technology. So when I heard about all the great enhancements that v6r1 was bringing to the table, I jumped on it. I was excited about the obvious things, vMotion was supported. I got everything up and running, it works great, but how could I use the system i to back it all up. Well a couple of months have gone by, and I finally got around to reading the redbook! VCB works! And it's easy!

Before I get into VCB let me quickly tell you what I have learned. You should have your vCenter Server be an integrated Windows Server, this way you can shut down the VM's from the System i command line. If anyone needs to know how just ask. Have another Server, not integrated, that's running ESXi or something. There you should have another DC running, with DNS, DHCP, Directory Services, etc. That way if you need to bring the System i partition down, you still have something of an infrastructure, and you don't really need to back it up.


Now for VCB you need another Physical integrated server, as for setting it up, read the redbook, they did a great job. http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpieces/pdfs/sg247408.pdf


I learned another nice little trick through this redbook. To expand the C:\ drive of a VM, make it larger, link it up to another VM, then use disk part to extend it. Well guess what, you can do that with an integrated windows server too! Vary it off, make the Storage space larger, link it up to another server, extend it, then link it back to the original. It works great!!!!!


I'm going to get VCB up and running A.S.A.P., which will probably be after the new year, but as soon as I get it working I will let you know how it works.

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: vcb, as/400, system_i, esxi, vi3, i5
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dave@NLC

 Member since: Aug 22, 2008

This is all about my experiences running ESX on IBM BladeCenter and System x integration with IBM System i

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