1. System model.
2. Machine serial number.
3. Processor type, number of processors and clock speed of processors.
4. Network information.
5. File system information.
6. Paging space information.
7. Devices information.
8. Total memory size.

The explanation will be on the basis of AIX.
Now, information on prtconf command will be represented in the form of question and answers.

How To Gather General Machine Information
Using the command prtconf alone provides the whole information of machine.
The sample is given below. Some actual values have been replaced with other values for the sake of security.

wiw_labs: $ prtconf

System Model: IBM,9133-55A
Machine Serial Number: 06F865G
Processor Type: PowerPC_POWER5
Number Of Processors: 4
Processor Clock Speed: 1499 MHz
CPU Type: 64-bit
Kernel Type: 64-bit
LPAR Info: 1 galaxy198
Memory Size: 4096 MB
Good Memory Size: 4096 MB
Platform Firmware level: Not Available
Firmware Version: IBM,SF240_338
Console Login: enable
Auto Restart: true
Full Core: false
Network Information
Host Name: galaxy198
IP Address: 192.168.10.29
Sub Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.10.1
Name Server: 192.168.19.28
Domain Name: foo.com
Paging Space Information
Total Paging Space: 8192MB
Percent Used: 1%
Volume Groups Information
==============================================================================
rootvg:
PV_NAME           PV STATE          TOTAL PPs   FREE PPs    FREE DISTRIBUTION
hdisk0            active            525         383         109..24..42..99..109
==============================================================================
INSTALLED RESOURCE LIST
The following resources are installed on the machine.
+/- = Added or deleted from Resource List.
*   = Diagnostic support not available.
Model Architecture: chrp
Model Implementation: Multiple Processor, PCI bus
+ sys0                                                                           System Object
+ sysplanar0                                                                     System Planar
* vio0                                                                           Virtual I/O Bus
* vsa0             U9133.55A.06F865G-V1-C0                                       LPAR Virtual Serial Adapter
* vty0             U9133.55A.06F865G-V1-C0-L0                                    Asynchronous Terminal
* pci2             U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1                                          PCI Bus
* pci7             U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1                                          PCI Bus
+ ent2             U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1-T9                                       2-Port 10/100/1000 Base-TX PCI-X Adapter (14108902)
+ ent3             U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1-T10                                      2-Port 10/100/1000 Base-TX PCI-X Adapter (14108902)
* pci8             U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1                                          PCI Bus
+ usbhc0           U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1                                          USB Host Controller (33103500)
+ usbhc1           U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1                                          USB Host Controller (33103500)
* pci9             U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1                                          PCI Bus
+ fcs2             U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1-C1-T1                                    FC Adapter
* fcnet2           U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1-C1-T1                                    Fibre Channel Network Protocol Device
* fscsi2           U787B.001.DNWCF4C-P1-C1-T1                                    FC SCSI I/O Controller Protocol Device
+ mem0                                                                           Memory
+ proc0                                                                          Processor
+ proc2                                                                          Processor
+ proc4                                                                          Processor
+ proc6                                                                          Processor

How To Get The Processor Clock Speed
For this issue the command with -s parameter.
wiw_labs: $ prtconf -s

How To Get CPU Type
To know if the cpu type is 32 bit or 64 bit, issue the command with -c parameter.
wiw_labs: $ prtconf -c

How To Know The Type of Kenel
To know which type of kernel is in use 32 bit or 64 bit, issue the command with -k parameter.
wiw_labs: $ prtconf -k

How To Get The LPAR Information of Machine
To know what is the LPAR partition number and partition name, issue with -L.
wiw_labs: $ prtconf -L

If its not LPAR, then “-1 NULL” will be returned.

How To Get The Physical Memory Size of Machine
To know the physical memory size of the machine, issue the command with -m flag.
wiw_labs: $ prtconf -m

How To Get The Details of All Physical Devices of The Machine
To know the Vital Product Data of all physical devices internal or attached to the machine, use -v option.
wiw_labs: $prtconf -v

Almost all of the information gathered by above commands is shown above in the output of prtconf command.

mksysb is a command to create backup of rootvg on AIX systems.  It creates bootable image of all the filesystems mounted at the time of taking mksysb backup. And backup created is called mksysb backup. Ultimately we can use this backup to restore the exact image of the system which it had at the time of taking backup.

Important Ideas About mksysb

1. mksysb Does Not Backup Everything

mksysb does not backup everything on the system. Any user defined paging spaces and raw devices are not backed up.

2. mksysb Image Is Bootable Only If Taken On Tape

mksysb image is only bootable if its taken on some device like tape. If it’s stored as file then it won’t be a bootable image.

Components of mksysb

mksysb has 4 important components:

1. BOS boot image.
2. mkinsttape image.
3. dummy.toc
4. rootvg data

These are explained briefly one by one.

BOS Boot Image

This is the first image in mksysb backup. BOS is Base Operating System. It contains kernel device drivers. Its used to boot the system from mksysb image. It uses block size of 512 KB.

mkinsttape Image

mkinsttape is the second image in mksysb backup. It also uses block size of 512KB. It has 3 important files:

./tapeblksz

This contains block size on tape which was set at the time of taking backup.

./bosinst.data

This file contains customized BOS install procedure. This is used to tailor the mksysb to adjust to the target system.

./image.data

This file has the information regarding sizes, names, maps and mount points of logical volumes(LVs). This file can also be customized using mkszfile command. It can be used to exclude certain files and directories from mksysb backup.

dummy.toc

It contains dummy Table of Contents. It’s used so that mksysb tape will have same number of images as on BOS install tape.

rootvg Data

This has all of the data of rootvg. Whatever filesystems are mounted at the time of mksysb image, will be backed up.

Can We Exclude Some File From Backup

Yes. Simply create a file as /etc/exclude.rootvg.

In this file you can list absolute paths of files and directories to be excluded, one per line:

e.g

/tmp

/usr

etc.

How To Take Backup Using mksysb

You can take mksysb backup as mentioned below:

1. Use command as below:

mksysb /dev/rmt0

2. If you want to exclude file as per specifications in /etc/exclude.rootvg

then run the command as:

mksysb -e /dev/rmt0

1. Non Concurrent VG
2. Concurrent VG
3. Enhanced Concurrent VG

Often the confusion arises among these types. I am trying to clarify the differences. The terms often apply in clustering scenario.

Non Concurrent VG

In Non Concurrent VG, application runs typically on a single node only and data of VG is accessible to that node only. If however present node fails then application moves to other nodes and VG is varied on that node. Then only present node can access the data on VG.

Concurrent VG

In concurrent VG, the application runs on all nodes of cluster simultaneously. All of the nodes can access the data at the same time. All of the nodes can read and write the data simultaneously. The data integrity is then the responsibility of the application.

Enhanced Concurrent VG

In enhanced concurrent VG, access to VG is allowed on all of the nodes of cluster. Certain restrictions apply in this case. The VG can be varied on different nodes in active or passibe states.

Active State Varyon

In active state varyon of VG,  the following operations are allowed:

1. Filesystem operations and mounting of filesystems.
2. Operations on Logical Volumes.
3. Operations on application.
4. Syncing of VGs.

Passive State Varyon

In passive state varyon of VG certain restrictions apply:

1. Filesystems mounting and operations on filesystems are not allowed.
2. No operations on Lvs are allowed.
3. Syncing of VGs is not allowed.

The following are allowed:

1. LVM read only access to Vgs special file is allowed.
2. LVM read only access to first 4k of all Lvs under VG is allowed.

The details have been provided with the help of two books:

1. SC23-4862-08  HACMP Administration Guide.
2. SG24-6769-00 Implementing High Availability Cluster Multi-Processing (HACMP) Cookbook.

Both of the books are available for free download from redbooks.ibm.com.

What is CC

CC is Common Criteria. Its an ISO15408 standard for assurance evaluation of IT products. Any system evaluated according to Common Criteria will be CC Evaluated System.

What is CAPP

CAPP is Controlled Access Protection Profile, another standard for evaluating the security of system according to Common Criteria(CC). So, a CAPP compliant system is one which is designed for meeting CAPP according to CC.

What is LSPP

LSPP is Labeled security Protection Profile. LSPP has further security restrictions and is available for

installation with “Trusted AIX” only.

What is EAL4+

EAL4+ is Evaluation Assurance Level 4. Any CAPP system will be called CAOO/EAL4+ system. EAL4+ puts some restrictions on software installation during Base Operating System Install(BOS). Network access is also restricted according to these standards. The other profile available with LSPP/EAL4+.

If a system is evaluated according to CC, then it will remain valid only till the specific hardware/software configuration of the system is unchanged. Making any changes to the configuration brings the system in non evaluated state. That simply means that system is no longer certified. This does not necessarily mean that the system is in non-secured configuration.

A CAPP/EAL4+ technology option will be only available if

1. Installation is set to New and Complete Overwrite.
2. 64 bit kernel is being used.
3. English language is used.
4. JFS2 is enabled.

After setting CAPP/EAL4+, TCB is automatically set to ‘Yes’.

The topics are discussed in full details in the book SC23-6603-00. The book is available for free download from redbooks website.