Here are some questions on HMC and some of the technologies related to it. 1.

Whats the maximum # of Servers and Partitions HMC can support ? HMC can support up to 32 servers with a total of 254 logical partitions

2. IS it requried to configure HMC as DHCP? Justify your answer. 3. How do we connect P4 and P5 servers to a HMC? POWER5 HMCs cannot manage POWER4 servers, and vice versa

4. Can we use the same HMC to manage P4, P5 and P5+ servers ? Existing POWER4 HMCs can be upgraded to support POWER5 servers This involves a complete overwrite of the disk and the loss of all previous configuration information, including user profiles If you want to recreate partition profiles from an HMC being upgraded, capture the profiles using the Command Line Interface or screen captures

The profiles will have to be re-entered manually on the newly installed POWER5 HMC 5. When we power on a HMC for the first time, which username and password we use for logon ? When the HMC is powered on the first time, login as hscroot and use abc123, the default password

6. What for we use the Recovery CD that comes with the HMC ? New HMCs come preinstalled The Recovery CD that comes with the HMC is used to reinstall, such as following a disk failure

When used with a current Critical Console Date backup, it will restore profiles, userids, passwords, etc., after a disk is lost or corrupted 7. Can we manage a server without an HMC ? Plz explain. Managing a server without an HMC

Server can run in Manufacturing Default Mode, with all resources but no logical partitioning, CoD or Service Focal Point, or 8. Why we use private connection for HMC ? Private network connects only the HMC and the servers it manages Private network replaces the serial connection on POWER4 servers

Dual HMCs require two unique private networks 9. If a HMC is not able to ping/reach/resovle hsotname the LPARs? Whats the consequence ? 10. What are the default IP Address of the service processors? Default service processor connections: HMC1 255.255.255.0 192.168.2.147 HMC2 255.255.255.0 192.168.3.147

Eth0 Eth1

11. How many service processors are there in a P5 Server ? 2 service processors 12. How will you connect a HMC to a 9118-575 and 9119-590 servers? Through ether net cable for 9119-590 Through serial cable for 9118-575 13. How you login to the ASMI? What username and password (for the first time) you use? Use a laptop attached to one of the two service processor Ethernet ports and access the ASMl User name :admin p/w: admin 14. Can we set static IP for the 9119-590/595 servers' Flexible Service Processors (FSP) ? Justify your answer. 15. After connecting a P5 server to a HMC, what are the default user id's available and which userid will be created ? Default user ids are admin and general 16. What are the name of the those ports available in P5 servers which are used to connect to a HMC ? Port name is front side BPA0 (J01)and back side BPA1(J01) 17. What is the difference between desktop model and rackmount HMC model ? 18. What are the 2 ways to connect to a HMC ? 1 . Websm 2. Telnet (or) SSH

19. How will you shutdown/reboot a HMC ? When I logoff it will ask me to shutdown / reboot. 20. Can we use IVM running in a P5 server to manage LPARs in another P5 server ? 21. How do we connect a I/O drawers to P5 CEC ? 22. Expand the abbreviations ... HMC LPAR DLPAR MPAR BPD BPC BPF BPE BPA BPR FSP DCA UEPO PU Book AMD MDA MSA VPD OSC DCA CEC DDR RIO LIC 23. How do we update firmware in P4 and P5 servers ? 24. What are the different levels of firmware in P4/P5 servers ? 25. What daemons are required for a successfull DLPAR operation ? 26. In which file, RMC daemon stores the node id ? 27. How will you find the HMC name/IP from login to a LPAR ? 28. Do HMC need a /etc/hosts. If not, how do the hmc gets the TCPIP details of each LPAR ? 29. When does the ASMI on web browser available ? 30. How to find the good memory in a LPAR? "lsattr -El mem0" might report wrong if a DLPAR operation failed.

Guys as usual I have collected some questions on HACMP.

1. What are the different kind of failures HACMP will answer(respond) ? 2. List some of Cluster Topology objects? 3. List some of Cluster Resources ? 4. Do HACMP detect VG mirror failures ? If not how to make it(VG) redundant or how to findout/sort out the mirror failures? 5. List the steps required to configure a cluster ? 6. List out some of the HACMP log files ? 7. What are the 3 policies related to resource group configuration ? 8. Expand the following : a) HACMP b) RG c) C-SPOC d) SPOF e) ODM f) SRC g) RSCT 9. How to list the info on heartbeat data ? 10. How to list out the info on cluster manager and DNP Information ? 11. What is the HA daemon that gets started by /etc/inittab ? 12. How will you start cluster services in a node? Give the command as well as smitty fastpath. 13. How many network adapters are required/recommended in a node belonging to a cluster ? 14. For a 2 node cluster (with 1 RG) with 2 N/W adapters for each node, how many IP Label /Address are required. Give some example ? 15. How can we achieve non-ip network (for hearbeat) ? 16. What are the different ways to set up achieve IP Address Takeover ? 17. Is a non-ip network requried for a cluster? Say Yes/No. Also justify your answer 18. How many service IP addresses we can have for a single resoruce group ?

19. What is the difference between communication interface adn communication device? Also list their usage. 20. Persistent IP Label/Address is a floating IP Label. True/False. Justify your answer 21. Which of the following IP Label is stored in AIX ODM. a) Service IP b) Boot IP c) Stand-by IP d) Persistent IP 22. If we use a (LUN)disk for a heartbeat, what type of VG it should belong? Normal, Big, Scalable, Enhanced Concurrent Mode Vg ? 23. While stopping cluster services, what are the different type of shutdown modes available? Do justify. 24. How will you view the cluster status ? 25. How to list out the RG Status? 26. What are the ways to eliminate Single Points of Failure ? 27. What is the max. # of nodes we can configure in a single cluster ? 28. What is the max. # of resoruce groups we can configure in a single cluster ? 29. What is the max. # of IP address can be known to a single cluster ? 30. Which of the following disk technologies are supported by HACMP ? a) SSA b) SCSI c) FC 31. Which command lists the cluster topology ? 32. Which command sync's the cluster ? 33. What is the latest version of HACMP and what versions of AIX it supports ?
1. What are the different kind of failures HACMP will answer(respond) ? ANS: a) Node Failure b) Network Failure c) Network Adapter Failure For other failures like disk, application we have to configure seperately using LVM, application monitoring scripts, etc.. Be clear that HACMP is just fault resilience and not fault tolerant

like mainframes. They cant go for mainframe becoz of its high cost. Thats the reason people are going for ha clsuters. 2. List some of Cluster Topology objects? ANS: a) Node b) Network (IP and Non-IP) c) Network Adapter d) Physical Volumes 3. List some of Cluster Resources ? ANS: a) Application Server b) Volume Groups c) Logical Volumes d) File Systems e) Service IP Label/Addresses f) Tape resources g) Communication Links 4. Do HACMP detect VG mirror failures ? If not how to make it(VG) redundant or how to findout/sort out the mirror failures? ANS: HACMP dont detect VG failures. This has to be implemented using AIX LVM Soft Mirroring or else in SAN side. 5. List the steps required to configure a cluster ? ANS: a) Plan AIX, HACMP levels, Cluster configuration, network diagram, etc.. b) Install AIX, fixes c) Configure AIX - Storage (Adapters, VG, LV, File Ssytems) - Network (IP Interfaces, /etc/hosts, non-IP networks and devices) - Application Start and stop scripts d) Install HACMP file sets and fixes in all the cluster nodes. Then reboot all the ndoes in the clusters e) Configure HACMP Environment - Topology (Cluster, node names, HACMP IP and non-ip networks) - Resources (Application Server, Service Label, VG, File System, NFS) - Resource Groups (Identify name, nodes, policies) f) Synchronize and test the cluster g) Tune the system and HACMP based on test result - syncd frequency

- Basic VMM Tuning - Failure detection rate - I/O Pacing h) Start HACMP Services

6. List out some of the HACMP log files ? ANS: a) /usr/es/adm/cluster.log - Messages from scripts and daemons (Date Time Node Subsystem PID Message) b) /tmp/hacmp.out - Output from configuration, start and stop event scripts c) /usr/es/sbin/cluster/history/cluster.mmddyy d) /tmp/clrmgr.debug - Cluster manager activity e) /tmp/clappmon.<app>.log - Application monitor logs f) /var/ha/log/top*,/var/ha/log/grpsvcs* - RSCT Logs g) /var/hacmp/clcomd/clcomd.log - communications daemon log h) /var/hacmp/clverify - Previous successful and unsuccessful verification attempts i) /var/hacmp/log/cl_testtool.log - Cluster test tool logs 7. What are the 3 policies related to a resource group ? ANS: a) Start up - Online On Home Node Only, Online On First Available Node, Online Using Node Distribution Policy, Online On All Available Nodes. b) Fallover - Fallover To Next Priority Node In The List, Fallover Using Dynamic Node Priority, Bring Offline (On Error Node Only). c) Fall back - Fallback To Higher Priority Node In The List, Never Fallback 8. Expand the following : ANS: a) HACMP - High Availability Cluster Multi Proccessing b) RG - Resource Group c) C-SPOC - Central Single Point of Contact d) SPOF - Single Point of Failure e) ODM - Object Data Manager f) SRC - System Resource Controller g) RSCT - Reliable Scalable Cluster Technology 9. How to list the info on heartbeat data ? ANS: # lssrc -ls topsvcs 10. How to list out the info on cluster manager and DNP Information ?

ANS: # lssrc -ls clstrmgrES 11. What is the HA daemon that gets started by /etc/inittab ? ANS: clcomd gets started by init process. It has an entry in /etc/ inittab 12. How will you start cluster services in a node? Give the command as well as smitty fastpath. ANS: To Start Cluster Services: Command: #/usr/es/sbin/cluster/etc/rc.cluster (Check the options available for tis command) Smitty Fast Path: clstart To Stop Cluster Services: Command: /usr/es/sbin/cluster/utilities/clstop Smitty Fast Path: clstop 13. How many network adapters are required/recommended in a node belonging to a cluster ? ANS: Minimum 2 network adapters are required per node. This is required to manage network adapter failure event. 14. For a 2 node cluster (with 1 RG) with 2 N/W adapters for each node, how many IP Label /Address are required. Give some example ? ANS: Lets consider a very much used cluster configuration. Cluster cluster_DB with 2 nodes nodea and nodeb. Nodea have 2 network adapters with nodea_boot ip label and nodea_stdby ip label on en0 and en1 resepctively. And Nodeb have 2 network adapters with nodeb_bootip and nodeb_stdbyip on en0 and en1 resepctively. This cluster have a VG, Service IP grouped in a resource group. Minimum 1 service IP is required for a RG. When we start RG in nodea, ndoea_bootip on en0 will bet replaced/ aliased by the service ip. 15. How can we achieve non-ip network (for hearbeat) ? ANS: Non-IP Network can be achieved thru any of the following ways a) Serial/rs232 Connection (using /dev/ttyx devices) - Widely used in old clusters b) Disk based heart beat (over an ECM(VG) disk) - Widely used in recent clusters. Becoz People want to eliminate those lengthy serial cables.

c) Target Mode SCSI - Not widely used d) Target Mode SSA - Not widely used 16. What are the different ways to set up achieve IP Address Takeover ? ANS: a) IP Address Takeover via IP Alias b) IP Address Takeover via IP Replacement 17. Is a non-ip network requried for a cluster? Say Yes/No. Also justify your answer ANS: Yes. To avoid split-brain problem. 18. How many service IP addresses we can have for a single resoruce group ? ANS: Not sure. Have to check in smitty screen. 19. What is the difference between communication interface and communication device? Also list their usage. ANS: Dont know how to explain. Below line should answer: /dev/en0 is a communication interface whereas /dev/tty1 is a communication device. /edv/en0 is used for IP Network and /dev/tty1 is used for non-ip network. I mean tty1 is used only for heardtbeat. 20. Persistent IP Label/Address is a floating IP Label. True/False. Justify your answer ANS: No. It resides on a single ndoe and dont move to another node. 21. Which of the following IP Label is stored in AIX ODM. a) Service IP b) Boot IP c) Stand-by IP d) Persistent IP Ans: Only Boot IP and Stand-by IP are stored in AIX ODM.

22. If we use a SAN disk for a heartbeat, what type of VG it should belong? Normal, Big, Scalable, Enhanced Concurrent Mode Vg ? ANS: ECM (Enhanced Concurrent Mode) Volume Group

23. While stopping cluster services, what are the different type of shutdown modes available? Do justify. ANS: a) graceful b) graceful with takeover c) forced 24. How will you view the cluster status ? ANS: #/usr/es/sbin/cluster/clstat 25. How to list out the RG Status? ANS: #/usr/es/sbin/cluster/sbin/utilities/clRGinfo 26. What are the ways to eliminate Single Points of Failure ? ANS: a) Node : Using multiple nodes b) Power Source : Using multiple circuits or uninterruptible power supplies c) Network Adapters : Using redundant network adapters d) Network : Using multiple networks to connect nodes e) TCP/IP Subsystem : Using non-IP networks to connect adjoining nodes and clients f) Disk Adapter : Using redundant disk adapter or multipath hardware g) Disk : Using multiple disks with mirroring or raid h) Application : Add node for takeover; configure application monitor i) Administrator : Add backup or very detailed operations guide j) Site : Add additional site Dont assume that HACMP will eliminate all SPOF. We have to plan to eliminate all kindaa SPOF including UPS and AC for the Data Center. 27. What is the max. # of nodes we can configure in a single cluster ? ANS: Max. we can have 32 nodes in a cluster 28. What is the max. # of resoruce groups we can configure in a single cluster ? ANS: Max. we can have 64 resource groups in a cluster 29. What is the max. # of IP address can be known to a single cluster ? ANS: Max. 265 IP addresses/labels can be known to a cluster 30. Which of the following disk technologies are supported by HACMP ?

ANS: a) SCSI b) SSA c) SAN 31. Which command list the cluster topology ? ANS: /usr/es/sbin/cluster/utilities/cltopinfo Its a widely used command by HACMP admin to view the cluster topology configuration 32. Which command sync's the cluster ? ANS: #cldare -rtV normal 33. What is the latest version of HACMP and what versions of AIX it supports ? ANS: HACMP 5.4 is the latest version of HACMP. This version supports only from AIX 5.2 34. How to test the disk hearbeat in a cluster ? ANS: To test the disk heartbeat link on nodes A and B, where hdisk1 is the heartbeat path: On Node A, #dhb_read -p hdisk1 -r On Node B, #dhb_read -p hdisk1 -t If the link is active, you see this message on both nodes: Link operating normally. 35. List the daemons running for HA cluster. ANS: clcomd - STarted during boot thru /etc/inittab clstrmgrES - Started during clstart clsmuxpdES - Started during clstart. This daemon is not available from HACMP 5.3; SNMP server functions are included in clstrmgrES itself. clinfoES - Started during clstart 36. What is the command used to move RG online ? ANS: cldare and clRGmove