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Using the Systems Planning Tool for Disaster Recovery

SPT simplifies systems planning and can be used to repair your IT environment

The Systems Planning Tool (SPT) in not only a great tool for architecting a system, but it is also a very useful tool for documentation and recovery. In the article “Architecting AIX and the System p Server,” writer Ken Milberg outlines the advantages of SPT. In this article I’ll describe how to install and use SPT.

 

Installation

SPT requires a live Internet connection as it’s browser based. The tool can be downloaded from IBM. The most current, full version is 3.08.095 and there is an accompanying update for 3.09.012. After agreeing to the terms and conditions, the .exe files are downloaded. It’s important to check the site frequently, as there are regular updates. Features are dependent on the hardware management console (HMC) software version and the virtual I/O server (VIOS) version installed. For the purposes of this article we will assume HMC v7.3.3 and VIOS v1.5.

There are several ways to create a system plan. One is to export a .sysplan file from the HMC. This should be done regularly, especially after a change is made to an LPAR definition. In addition to creating the .sysplan file on the HMC, I also print it to a .pdf file and keep it as my documentation of the server setup. The second way is to build the system plan from scratch when designing a server. That .sysplan file can then be used at order time to ensure the cards are deployed in the slots and on the planars that provide the best options for performance and redundancy.

Use

I use SPT for two things: Documentation and verification. It can also be used as input to econfig, the IBM Power Systems Configuration tool, for ordering and deployment into the HMC. For every LPAR, SPT provides not only the memory and processor information but also the information on virtual Ethernet and virtual SCSI slots and a list of all of the resources the LPAR uses. Additionally, SPT provides diagrams of the server and planars with a list of the slots and the cards in them. If I ever have to rebuild the system, I can work from a printout if I can’t find the .sysplan file.

After installation, clicking on the SPT icon will bring up the tool in a Web browser. Currently, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox both support SPT. You may also need to enable pop ups for your browser, as SPT makes extensive use of pop ups. Additionally SPT uses JavaScript, so active scripting will need to be installed and enabled. By default, SPT uses the first TCP/IP port after 6001, unless you provide it with a specific port. To change the default port, go into “Settings” when SPT is up.

Once you build a .sysplan file or bring one over from the HMC, it can be saved and changes can be made. If the .sysplan file is brought in from an HMC or Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM), it will have to be converted before it can be edited. The option to convert shows up when the file is imported. There is also a Copy/Import Partitions Wizard that allows you to only import specific LPARs into the system plan you’re creating. This can be very useful for pre-documenting the move of an LPAR. When the final copy is ready to use for deployment or with econfig, then it gets exported in the correct format. Instructions to do this are on the bottom of the page when you save the .sysplan file. Additionally, you can use the Report function within SPT to generate a .txt version.

 

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