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SMIT Help Information for Installation Assistant

Note: The information contained in this article is structured as help information for the Installation Assistant dialogs and is not intended for use as a procedural or conceptual article.

Installation Assistant Task List

Now that you have completed a Base Operating System (BOS) install, you can use these Installation Assistant tasks to tailor the system to your needs. In some cases, the tasks automatically install the required software packages for you.

The tasks are listed in a suggested order. For instance, you should make all the changes to the system before you make a backup copy of it.


Set Date and Time

Verify that the system date and time are set correctly. Some system processes use date and time settings. For example, accuracy is important if you schedule jobs to run at a later time or if your system communicates with other systems.


Set root Password

Set a password on your root user account to help restrict access to system data and resources.

During BOS installation, the root user account was created without a password. Users who identify themselves as a root user can access, modify, add, and remove system resources. To help restrict this access, assign a password to the root user account. Then, only users who know the root password can access the root user account.


Set Password for Users isso, sa and so

Set passwords for the default administrative users - isso, sa and so.

Note: The administrative users will not be able to login unless passwords are assigned.


Set Password for User isso

Set password for isso.

Note: isso will not be able to login unless a password is assigned.


Set Password for User sa

Set password for sa.

Note: sa will not be able to login unless a password is assigned.


Set Password for User so

Set password for so.

Note: so will not be able to login unless a password is assigned.


Set Installation Device

To install additional software, you should verify or set the installation device or directory where your installation media resides. This device can be a CD-ROM, tape drive, diskette drive, or a local or remote directory.

The installation device must be defined and must contain the installation media before you can complete the tasks that require installing additional software such as the Start NFS task.

If your system:

* Was preinstalled, you define your installation device so that the system can find the software to install.

* Has more than one input device available, you define the device you want to use to install the software.


INPUT device / directory for software

Specifies the input device or directory that is the source of the software you are installing. The input device can be a tape, CD-ROM, diskette drive, or a local or remote directory.

Verify that the appropriate device is listed. If the device is correct, you do not have to reset it.


Configure Network Communications

To communicate with other systems in the network and access their available resources, you install the appropriate software (contained on your installation media) and configure some essential information to get the network communications up and running.

There are four main tasks involved:

* First, install, start, and configure Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), a data communications protocol for handling the machine-to-machine data transfers across a network. To configure a different network communications protocol, refer to the documentation that came with the protocol.

Note: It is important to have TCP/IP installed, configured, and running before you perform other network tasks, such as connecting to a remote print server.

* Next, identify the host systems in the network that you want to communicate with by identifying a name server or by making a local host list.

* Then, start your distributed file system application (in this case, Network File System or NFS), which handles the access to the resources located on the remote servers.

* Finally, mount (or link to) the remote file systems that you want to access.


TCP/IP Startup

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is a communications protocol that enables your system to communicate with other systems on the network. A communications protocol handles the data sent and received from your system.

If you are using TCP/IP to connect your system to a network, you should configure and start TCP/IP.

To configure a different network communications protocol than TCP/IP, refer to the documentation for that protocol.


Add the Hostname for a Remote Server

Start NFS

NFS is a distributed file system that enables users to access and work with files and directories located on remote systems as if they were local.

In NFS, servers are systems that make their resources available on the network. Clients are systems that access resources. NFS must run on both clients and servers before clients can use the file systems.

The NFS software is on your installation media and is automatically installed during one of the steps in this task.


Mount a Remote File System

To access remote file systems (a file system on another machine), you mount the remote file system on a directory on your system. When you mount a file system, you link to it by its directory name. Then you work with the file system as if it were on your system.

To mount a remote directory, the remote server must export it (making it available) and you must have the access privileges to use it.


Manage System Storage and Paging Space (rootvg)

Managing the system storage space means to view the amount of hard-disk space used on your system volume group (rootvg) to determine if the space is satisfactory for storing your software and maintaining paging space.

During BOS installation, the files required to start and run your system are installed on the destination hard disk. The hard disk is formatted as a physical volume and becomes the system, or root, volume group (rootvg). More than one hard disk can comprise the system volume group.

As long as you keep the BOS files on rootvg, you can install the remainder of your software applications on this volume group or you can create other volume groups on which to store the additional software.

If your system has more than one hard disk and the hard disks are available (contain no information), you can add them to rootvg to increase the amount of storage space available in rootvg.

Note: Part of the hard-disk space on rootvg is allotted for paging space, which is required in multiprocessing environments.


Add/Show Disks for System Storage

This screen enables you to view information about the disks in the system volume group (volume group name is rootvg) and to add disks to rootvg.

If you have available disks that are not yet members of a volume group, you should consider whether you need additional space in rootvg. In particular, you might want to add disks to rootvg if additional space is needed for increasing the paging space or for installing optional software.

When you have plenty of disks, it is recommended that you consider placing most of them in other volume groups.


SPACE available in rootvg (MB)

This is the amount of free space in megabytes that is currently available for allocation in the system volume group (rootvg). Free space in rootvg is space that is not yet assigned to any of the file systems within rootvg or to any of the special logical volumes, such as dump and paging.

Within the space assigned to a file system, some of that space can be free (not currently being used to hold data). The df command can be used to find the amount of free and used space within a file system, and the chfs command can be used to increase the size of a file system.


Space ALLOCATED in rootvg (MB)

This is the amount of space in megabytes that is currently allocated within the system volume group (rootvg). Space that is allocated is designated for use by specific file systems or by other logical volumes within rootvg.

Within the space allocated to a file system, some of that space may be free (not currently being used to hold data). The df command can be used to find the amount of free and used space within a file system, and the chfs command can be used to increase the size of a file system.


DISKS in rootvg

This is the list of disks that are members of the system volume group (rootvg).


Disks to be ADDED

This is the input field where you can list additional disks that you wish to put into the system volume group (rootvg). Select the list option to obtain a list of disks that are available to be added to rootvg. Disks that are available to be added are configured disks that do not currently belong to any volume group.


Add/Show Paging Space

This dialog enables you to view information about the paging space size of your system and enables you to enter a new size (in megabytes) for the paging space.

Part of the disk space in the system volume group (rootvg) is assigned to your system's paging space. Paging space, in a multiprocessing environment, is disk space used by the system to temporarily hold data you have accessed but are not currently using so that active data and processes can use the real memory.

If your system does not have enough paging space to adequately swap data between real and virtual memory while installing more software or to support the processes you intend to run at one time, the system randomly stops the processes and may act unpredictably.

The recommended paging space size for a system is based on an algorithm that uses the system memory size. If the default value for the NEW paging space (MB) field is less than the value for the RECOMMENDED paging space (MB) field and if you have an available disk, you may want to consider adding another disk to rootvg.

If you plan to add disks to rootvg, it is recommended you do this before increasing the paging space. When the paging space size is changed, the additional space will be allocated by spreading it across the disks in rootvg.


MEMORY size (MB)

This is the size in megabytes of the system memory (also called read access memory, or RAM). The system memory size is used in the calculation of the recommended paging space size.


DISKS in rootvg

(same as for Add/Show Disks screen)

SPACE available in rootvg (MB)

(same as for Add/Show Disks screen)

RECOMMENDED paging space (MB)

The recommended paging space size is calculated based on an algorithm that uses the system memory size.

The amount of paging space that is needed can vary based on factors such as the workload of the system and the type of applications being run. Therefore, you may find it desirable to adjust the paging space size based on the particular needs of your system.

A paging space that is too small can cause degradation of the system's performance. On the other hand, a paging space that is much larger than needed is an unnecessary waste of disk space.


CURRENT paging space (MB)

Identifies the amount of paging space (in megabytes) currently available on your system.


NEW paging space (MB)

This is the input field where you enter the new size in megabytes for paging space. This value must be greater than or equal to the current paging space size. You are not allowed to decrease the size of the paging space in this task.

The default value shown for this field will be the recommended paging space size except under the following conditions:

* If the current paging space size is greater than the recommended size.

* If there is not sufficient available space to support increasing the paging space to the recommended size and to have a small amount of free space remaining.

* If the recommended size is greater than 20% of the total size of the root volume group.


Manage Language Environment

Create Users

Create user accounts to help maintain a secure system environment and to prevent damage to your system.

During BOS installation, the root user account and several system accounts are created to perform system functions and administrative tasks. The root user account has unrestricted access to all system files and attributes, including the ability to remove files.

To reduce the possibility of accidentally damaging system files, reserve the root user account for doing administrative tasks. Create user accounts for everyday work (such as running applications).

Note: For a multiuser system, create a user account and password for each person to help prevent unauthorized users from accessing the data and files of other users and to provide the means to track (audit) system usage.


Define Printers

To print out data and files from your system, SMIT installs your printer software and enables you to add local or remote print queues. Print queues send print jobs to printers.

If you have a local printer (one that is physically attached and located on your system), install a local print queue.

If you are on a network that uses print servers, add the remote print queues for those print servers.


Import Existing Volume Groups

If BOS was installed over an existing configuration, you may need to import existing volume groups and then mount their file systems.

The system volume group (rootvg) contains physical volumes (hard disks) which contain the files required to start and run your system. Some files, such as applications and data, could have been installed or stored on other physical volumes assigned to other volume groups. You must import these non-root volume groups before the system can recognize them.

Mount the file systems contained in the other volume groups to make them available.


Install License Passwords and Software Apps

In addition to BOS, your installation media contains other software applications. You determine which applications you want to install.

Some applications contain imbedded codes to maintain compliance with terms of licensing agreements. You can install these applications, but you cannot run them without a license password. If you have licensed passwords, you should add the licensed passwords before installing additional software so you can view what software applications you have license access to.


Add License Passwords for Applications

Some applications contain imbedded codes to maintain compliance with terms of licensing agreements. You can install these applications, but you cannot run them without a license password. If you have licensed passwords, you should add the licensed passwords before installing additional software so you can view what software applications you have license access to.

You are required to enter the license passwords only on the servers that make applications available to more than one system and on standalone systems on which the software is installed. If you need to configure a license server in a networked environment, see the iFOR/LS System Management Guide.


Set Up for Adding License Passwords

This option should be selected if have concurrent-use and use-once licenses to install for applications that will run on this machine. This will not allow the machine to serve license passwords to other machines. For information about setting up a license server in a networked environment, see the iFOR/LS System Management Guide.

Selecting this option will automatically install the iFOR/LS server software (if not already installed). In addition, it checks if an existing configuration of Network Computing System (NCS) is found and then attempts to start the iFOR/LS license server with the current configuration. If an NCS configuration does not exist, the machine will be configured as a standalone iFOR/LS server. This means that only applications that are started on this machine will be able to obtain licenses from the iFOR/LS server on this machine.


Back Up the System

Perform this task to capture your rootvg installation and configuration.

You can use this backup image to restore your system (if it breaks down or becomes damaged) or to install another system that requires an identical configuration.

Note: To duplicate the system and install from the backup image, the target system must have the same device software as the source system and have enough disk space to hold the image. For example, the system should have the same display and disk software.

If you have installed software on other volume groups, they are not backed up when you back up rootvg.

You must mount any file systems in the rootvg if you want them to appear on the backed-up image. If you do not want the file systems to appear in the image, you should unmount them before you begin.


Tasks Completed - Exit to AIX Login

Select this item once you have completed the Installation Assistant tasks and are ready to log in and use your system.

Note: If the current paging space size is the minimum of 32 megabytes, the size will be changed to the default value shown in the NEW paging space (MB) field in the Add/Show Paging Space dialog.

Selecting this item will prevent Installation Assistant from coming up on system reboots. If you want to access the Assistant menus later, enter install_assist at the command line. If you want to exit and still have the Assistant come up on your next system reboot, then enter F10 to exit. For instance, if you are not the end user for this system, you can use F10 to exit and enable the end user the opportunity to use the Assistant.

When you exit, the login specified in your profile is displayed. You can log in as the user you created in the Installation Assistant or as the root user (be sure you know the passwords you set for those accounts).



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