PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 for AIX Standard Edition Release Notes

New functions for PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 for AIX Standard Edition

PowerHA® SystemMirror® Version 7.2.3 for AIX® has the following new functions and updates:
PowerHA SystemMirror graphical user interface (GUI)
The following updates are new in PowerHA SystemMirror GUI:
  • A visual representation of availability metrics.
  • Improved snapshot management. You can clone a new cluster from a snapshot.
  • Download or print a graphical cluster report.
  • Add new clusters as a non-root user. For more information, see the Discovering a cluster as a non-root user topic.
  • Built-in role-based access control (RBAC) that is independent from the AIX operating system RBAC. For more information, see the Roles and role-based access control topic.
Availability metrics
You can use PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 to capture the performance data of PowerHA SystemMirror and AIX operating systems data during cluster recovery operations. After you analyze the captured data, you can improve the cluster recovery operations. For more information, see the cl_availability command.
Cloud backup management
You can backup application data to IBM Cloud or Amazon Web Services(AWS) by using the PowerHA SystemMirror backup solution. With PowerHA SystemMirror 7.2.3, you can use IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) storage for backing up application data to the cloud. For more information, see the Backing up data in PowerHA SystemMirror by using cloud storage topic.
Oracle database shut down option
In previous releases of PowerHA SystemMirror, Smart Assist for Oracle internally used the shutdown immediate option to shut down the Oracle database. This option might potentially affect transactions with the database. In PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3, you can specify transactional, normal, or abort as shutdown options for Smart Assist for Oracle. For more information, see the Configuring the Oracle database instance topic.
Reliable Syslog facility (rsyslog) support
You can use the /etc/rsyslog.conf file instead of the /etc/syslog.conf file. After you install and configure the rsyslog file on all nodes in the cluster, PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 automatically detects and manages the rsyslog file. For more information, see the /etc/syslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.conf files topic.
Logical Volume Manager (LVM) read option
The AIX Logical Volume Manager (LVM) function provides storage management for the AIX operating system and application data. When reading data, LVM can specify the storage that is accessed before LVM attempts to read from other instances of data. In PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3, you can configure the LVM preferred read option at the cluster level or at the individual volume group level. You can use the preferred read option to configure LVM for optimal performance. For more information, see the Changing or displaying the characteristics of a volume group topic.
Log analyzer improvements
PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 has new log analysis capabilities and a progress indicator for tasks that take more time to complete. For more information, see the clanalyze command.
Support for standalone enqueue server 2
The standalone enqueue server 2 is the successor of the standalone enqueue server, which is a component of the SAP lock concept and manages the lock table. This component ensures the consistency of data in an SAP Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP) system. In PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3, Smart Assist for SAP discovers and supports both standalone enqueue server and standalone enqueue server 2.

Software requirements

Before you install PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 for AIX, you must install all available service packs for AIX and PowerHA SystemMirror from the IBM® Fix Central website.

PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 for AIX is supported on the following version of the AIX operating system:
  • IBM AIX 7.1.4 with Service Pack 6, or later
  • IBM AIX 7.1.5 with Service Pack 2, or later
  • IBM AIX 7.2.0 with Service Pack 6, or later
  • IBM AIX 7.2.1 with Service Pack 4, or later
  • IBM AIX 7.2.2 with Service Pack 2, or later
  • IBM AIX 7.2.3 with Service Pack 1, or later
  • IBM AIX 7.2.4 with Service Pack 1, or later
PowerHA SystemMirror graphical user interface (GUI)
PowerHA SystemMirror GUI is supported only on the following web browsers:
  • Google Chrome Version 57, or later
  • Firefox Version 54, or later
The PowerHA SystemMirror GUI requires that OpenSSL is installed on the GUI server to generate a unique set of security files (keys and certificate). You must have an installation of Secure Shell (SSH) on the GUI server and on all nodes in the cluster. SSH is used to add clusters to the GUI server, to restore snapshots, and to create new clusters.
CAA auto start on DR site
CAA auto start on Disaster Recovery (DR) site is supported only on the following versions of the AIX operating system:
  • IBM AIX 7.1 with Technology Level 5, or later
  • IBM AIX 7.2 with Technology Level 2, or later
Cloud backup management options
To use the PowerHA SystemMirror cloud backup management options, can use any one of the following versions of Python:
  • Python version 2.7.x
  • Python version 3.x.x
Availability metrics options
To use the PowerHA SystemMirror availability metrics options, can use any one of the following versions of Python:
  • Python version 2.7.x
  • Python version 3.x.x

Hardware requirement

PowerHA SystemMirror graphical user interface (GUI) requires IBM POWER6® or later technology-based servers.

Installation and migration

You cannot migrate from PowerHA SystemMirror Version 6.1 to PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 for AIX. You must first migrate from PowerHA SystemMirror Version 6.1 to PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.0. For more information about migrating, see the Migrating from PowerHA SystemMirror 6.1 to PowerHA SystemMirror 7.1, or later topic.

For more information about upgrading PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.3 for AIX by using a snapshot, see the Upgrading PowerHA SystemMirror by using a snapshot topic.

For more information about upgrading an offline cluster, see the Upgrading an offline cluster for PowerHA SystemMirror topic.

For more information about rolling migration, see the Performing a rolling migration topic.

You do not have to install the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI server in a PowerHA SystemMirror cluster, but the GUI agent must be installed in a cluster. When you are migrating a PowerHA SystemMirror GUI server or agent, an attempt is made to maintain the original state of the service. For example, if the server was active when the migration operation began, an effort is made to ensure it is running again after the migration operation completes.

Additional information

PowerHA SystemMirror graphical user interface (GUI)

Review the following information about PowerHA SystemMirror GUI Version 7.2.3:
  • If you configured a cluster to change the host name when an application moves, issues can occur with the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI. You must update the /etc/hosts file for the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI to automatically identify the changed host name. The PowerHA SystemMirror GUI cannot identify temporary host name changes.
  • When you add a cluster to the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI, verify that SSH is not prompting for any unexpected input other than the password or passphrase. To verify that SSH is working correctly, run the ssh REMOTE_NODE hostname command, where REMOTE_NODE is the node you are using to add the cluster to the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI. When you run this command, only the password prompt is displayed.
  • To display the current status in the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI, the cluster must notify the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI. All core PowerHA SystemMirror events are sent to the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI. When the clmgr changes the configuration the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI is notified. However, not all of the SMIT changes, C-SPOC changes, or other commands notify the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI when changes occur.
  • To restore a cluster with a snapshot file, you must log in to the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI as a root user.
  • Node modifications are supported only on the AIX operating system.
  • You cannot remove nodes from sites by using the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI.
  • The default port for PowerHA SystemMirror GUI server is 8080. The default port for the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI agent is 8081. You must ensure that your network allows traffic on these ports. For more information about changing the values for the ports, see the Changing ports in PowerHA SystemMirror GUI topic.
  • You can use only one PowerHA SystemMirror GUI server to manage your clusters.
  • If you install the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI server within a cluster, you must install it on only one of the nodes in the cluster unless you are configuring the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI for high availability. For more information, see the Configuring the GUI to be highly available topic.
  • By default the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI server uses the IP address that is associated with the default host name. The PowerHA SystemMirror GUI agents use IP address to communicate cluster status to the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI. If you want to use an alternative IP address for the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI communication, specify the IP address in the serverAddress property in the /usr/es/sbin/cluster/ui/server/configuration-server.json file. The specified IP address is only used for clusters that are added to the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI after you add the IP address in the serverAddress property. If your PowerHA SystemMirror GUI is already managing clusters and if you want the clusters to switch to the new IP address, you can rediscover the clusters or manually edit the IP address in the serverURI property. You must restart the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI server or the PowerHA SystemMirror GUI agent by running the stopsrc and startsrc commands.

Support matrix for PowerHA SystemMirror Smart Assists

The following table describes the version of middleware that can be configured and managed with PowerHA SystemMirror Smart Assists. For information about supported PowerHA SystemMirror versions, see PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX Reference Information.
Table 1. Support matrix for PowerHA SystemMirror Smart Assists. The table describes the middleware application versions that are supported on PowerHA SystemMirror with different versions of the AIX operating system.
Middleware application AIX 7.1 with Technology Level 4, or later AIX Version 7.2 with Technology Level 2, or later
AIX print subsystem 7.1 7.2
Oracle Database Server 12CR2 or 12CR1 12CR2 or 12CR1
SAP Netwearver 7.5.3 7.5.3
DB2® 11.1 11.1
WebSphere® MQSeries® 9 9
IBM Tivoli® Directory Server 6.3 Not supported
IBM Lotus® Domino® Server 9.0.1 9.0.1
SAP liveCache Hot Standby 7.9.08 7.9.08
MaxDB 7.9 7.9
DHCP Depends on AIX level Depends on AIX level
DNS Depends on AIX level Depends on AIX level

Documentation

To view the latest updates to the documentation, see the What's new in PowerHA SystemMirror topic.

To view the latest version of the release notes, see the PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX release notes topic.

To view the documentation in PDF files, see the PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX PDFs topic.

Man pages

The man pages for the PowerHA SystemMirror commands are provided in the cluster.man.en_US.es.data fileset. The fileset is installed in the /usr/share/man/cat1 directory. To view the man pages, from the command line, enter man command_name (where command_name is the name of the command).

You can use the clmgr command to perform most of the PowerHA SystemMirror operations. For more information about the operations that you can perform by using the clmgr command, see the clmgr command: Quick reference topic.