Troubleshooting
Problem
This document describes items that you should make note of before performing a scratch installation of the HMC. This document can also be used as a checklist to manually transfer settings to another HMC for situations such as HMC hardware upgrades or converting to vHMC.
Resolving The Problem
If you have access to the HMC before doing a scratch installation, making note of the following items will make it easier to recover the HMC after the scratch install. In the typical basic configuration, the only required setting is step 1, the HMC network information.
Note: Most information can be gathered using the GUI or command-line interface (CLI). The command-line interface option is designated "CLI: " in the steps below.
1. HMC Networking information
HMC Version 8: (classic)
HMC Management -> Change Network Settings
HMC Version 9: (enhanced)
HMC Management -> Console Settings -> Change Network Settings
Both Versions:
1) Identification tab
Record the Console name, Domain name, and Console Description.
2) Lan adapters tab
Record the "Detail" information for each LAN adapter: Private or Open Network; is DHCP server enabled; the DHCP Address range or the Static IP address. Click the Firewall settings and record.
3) Name Services tab
Record if DNS is enabled as well as DNS servers and domain suffix search order.
4) Routing tab
Record the default gateway. Record additional routes if any (rare).
CLI: lshmc -n
2. HMC Version
Record the current versions as you must ensure you install with the same version and release or newer.
Note: Back leveling an HMC is not supported and can result in corruption of the partition configuration information on any server managed by the HMC.
HMC Version 8:
From Version 8 "classic" login:
Select Updates and record the information under HMC code level.
HMC Version 9:
Click the help icon in the upper left corner then select About
CLI: lshmc -V
3. Managed Servers: Verify/reset Server HMC Access Password
After the scratch installation, the HMC will automatically re-discover servers managed over the private DHCP network. Servers managed by static IP addresses will need to be manually added. When the HMC re-connects to the server, it will prompt for the HMC Access Password. If you do not know this password, you can either reset it before the scratch or it can be reset after the scratch installation.
For each managed server,
a) Record the ip address(es)
- HMC Version 8:
Select the server then click Connections > Service processor status. Record the IP address. - HMC Version 9:
Select All Systems -> select the system -> Actions -> View System Properties - Record the IP address.
- CLI record all IP addresses: lssysconn -r all
b) Verify password
- HMC Version 8:
Select the server then click Operations > Update Password
HMC Version 9:
All Systems -> Select the system -> Actions -> View All Actions - > Operations - Change System Password
All Versions
On the update password panel, enter what you believe the password is using the same password for current, new and verify. If it is correct it will complete with no error. If it is incorrect it will return an incorrect password error.
To reset a lost HMC access password see http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1019154
CLI verify password: chsyspwd -m <system> -t access --passwd <current password> --newpasswd <current password>
4. Record Scheduled Operations
HMC Version 8:
1) Select each Managed System, select the task Operations, and Scheduled Operations. Record any scheduled operations.
2) Select each Partition, select the task Operations, then Scheduled Operations. Record any scheduled Operations.
HMC Version 9:
1) All Systems -> select the system -> Actions -> Schedule Operations - record any scheduled operation
2) All Partitions -> select a partition -> Actions -> Schedule Operations - record any scheduled operation
CLI not supported
5. Record the Call home information
HMC Version 8:
Service Management
Record the information under:
Enable Electronic Service Agent
Manage Outbound Connectivity
Manage Customer Information
HMC Version 9:
Serviceability -> Service Management -> Manage Outbound Connectivity - record data
Serviceability -> Service Management -> Manage Customer Information - record data
CLI (not supported at older releases)
lssacfg -t callhomeserver
lssacfg -t custinfo
lsproxy -t sslproxy
6. Record Additional User Profiles
HMC Version 8:
HMC Management
HMC Version 9:
Users and Security -> Users and roles -> Manage User Profiles and Access
Both Versions:
If you've created any users or Task Roles beyond what comes as default. Select the Manage HMC Users and Access and record the Users and what task roles are assigned to those users.
Select the Manage Access Task Roles and Managed Resource Roles. All default task roles start with hmc.
CLI:
The --script option lists the output in a format that can be used as input the mkhmcusr and mkaccfg commands to re-create them.
lshmcusr --script
lsaccfg -t taskrole --script
lsaccfg -t resourcerole --script
7. Record remote access settings HMC
HMC Version 8:
HMC Management
Click each one and check if they are enabled or disabled:
Remote Command Execution
Remote Virtual Terminal
Remote Operations
HMC Version 9:
Users and Security -> Systems and Console Security -> Enable Remote Operation, Enable Remote Command Execution, Enable Remote Virtual Terminal
CLI: lshmc -r
8. Additional settings
Additional but less common settings to check or save include:
HMC Security level (legacy | nist_sp800_131a)
CLI (not supported at older releases)
lssacfg -t callhomeserver
lssacfg -t custinfo
lsproxy -t sslproxy
6. Record Additional User Profiles
HMC Version 8:
HMC Management
HMC Version 9:
Users and Security -> Users and roles -> Manage User Profiles and Access
Both Versions:
If you've created any users or Task Roles beyond what comes as default. Select the Manage HMC Users and Access and record the Users and what task roles are assigned to those users.
Select the Manage Access Task Roles and Managed Resource Roles. All default task roles start with hmc.
CLI:
The --script option lists the output in a format that can be used as input the mkhmcusr and mkaccfg commands to re-create them.
lshmcusr --script
lsaccfg -t taskrole --script
lsaccfg -t resourcerole --script
7. Record remote access settings HMC
HMC Version 8:
HMC Management
Click each one and check if they are enabled or disabled:
Remote Command Execution
Remote Virtual Terminal
Remote Operations
HMC Version 9:
Users and Security -> Systems and Console Security -> Enable Remote Operation, Enable Remote Command Execution, Enable Remote Virtual Terminal
CLI: lshmc -r
8. Additional settings
Additional but less common settings to check or save include:
HMC Security level (legacy | nist_sp800_131a)
CLI: lshmc -r -F security
email or SNMP notification settings
Record Service Management > Manage Serviceable Event Notification settings
Version 9: Service Management -> Manage Event Notification
CLI:
CLI:
lssacfg -t email
lssacfg -t snmp
export any existing system plans
Under System Plans, select any existing system plans and click export System Plan to save.
CLI: cpsysplan
Save any User home directory data
Users can use USB flash, scp or sendfile commands to copy and export/save any existing user files.
For example to save to usb: cp /home/* /media/sdb1
Kerberos/LDAP/NTP
Record settings under HMC Management for
Configure KDC, Configure LDAP, Change Date and Time (time zone, NTP server etc).
CLI: lshmc -r
lshmcldap -r config
Performance/Utilization settings
For each server, Operations > Change Sampling Rate; record if it's enabled and the interval.
For each server, click Performance; note if it's enabled and the number of days to store data.
CLI: lslparutil -r config
lsperfmon
Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools
HMC 7.7.9 and later: There are additional considerations if the HMC is the primary HMC for a Power Enterprise Pool of Mobile Capacity on Demand (CoD) resources. If the HMC is the primary HMC then one of the following must be done prior to re-installing the HMC:
Option 1 - Configure a backup HMC and failover to make it the new master HMC;
Or option 2 - Locate the PEP configuration xml file needed to create a new master. This file is made available on the Capacity on Demand (CoD) website.
For more information on failing over see http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1020686
CLI: lscodpool --level pool
export any existing system plans
Under System Plans, select any existing system plans and click export System Plan to save.
CLI: cpsysplan
Save any User home directory data
Users can use USB flash, scp or sendfile commands to copy and export/save any existing user files.
For example to save to usb: cp /home/* /media/sdb1
Kerberos/LDAP/NTP
Record settings under HMC Management for
Configure KDC, Configure LDAP, Change Date and Time (time zone, NTP server etc).
CLI: lshmc -r
lshmcldap -r config
Performance/Utilization settings
For each server, Operations > Change Sampling Rate; record if it's enabled and the interval.
For each server, click Performance; note if it's enabled and the number of days to store data.
CLI: lslparutil -r config
lsperfmon
Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools
HMC 7.7.9 and later: There are additional considerations if the HMC is the primary HMC for a Power Enterprise Pool of Mobile Capacity on Demand (CoD) resources. If the HMC is the primary HMC then one of the following must be done prior to re-installing the HMC:
Option 1 - Configure a backup HMC and failover to make it the new master HMC;
Or option 2 - Locate the PEP configuration xml file needed to create a new master. This file is made available on the Capacity on Demand (CoD) website.
For more information on failing over see http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1020686
CLI: lscodpool --level pool
[{"Product":{"code":"SSB6AA","label":"Power System Hardware Management Console Physical Appliance"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Component":"HMC","Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"Version Independent","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB08","label":"Cognitive Systems"}}]
Historical Number
617117395
Was this topic helpful?
Document Information
Modified date:
22 September 2021
UID
nas8N1011269