Configuring your IBM i virtual machine (VM)

First boot of IBM i

When you use IBM i 7.5 stock OS Image on an IBM® Power® Virtual Server, you must first reset the Dedicated Service Tools (DST) password for the IBM i standard user QSECOFR through the console. This step needs to be completed within an hour of VM deployment for the TCP configuration to finish.

The IBM i standard user QSECOFR is set to the password QSECOFR, and must be changed to a password with 15 characters (no blank spaces) through the VNC Console. For a refresh of VNC Console usage with IBM i, see Tips for working with the IBM i console.

For steps on changing the DST password, see First boot change password.

ibmcloud pi service-list
ibmcloud pi service-target <<IBM_POWER_VS_WORKSPACE_CRN>>
for i in $(ibmcloud pi instances --json | jq -r '.pvmInstances.[] | select(.osType=="ibmi").serverName'); do echo "" && ibmcloud pi instance-get-console "$i"; done

Tips for working with the IBM i console

• The standard IBM i user/password is QSECOFR/QSECOFR.
• IBM i uses function keys extensively. At the bottom of the console, you can see PF1 through PF12. To get to PF13 to PF24, click the Next... button.
• If you see a red X in the console during the configuration process, use your keyboard's CONTROL button to exit.
• You can use CONTROL+W to end a hung session. If this happens, you must perform a bypass by clicking PF18 and logging on again.
• It is recommended to first shut down the system before you restart it.
• If you are using a Mac computer, the Page Down key is the same as FN + Down Arrow.
• CRTUSRPRF and CHGUSRPRF use the same new security rules as QSECOFR, requiring at least a 15 character password.

Verify licenses and network configuration

To verify that cloud-init configured your IP addresses correctly, on the IBM i main menu screen type the cfgtcp command in the console window (on line "Selection or command ===>"), press ENTER, choose 1 and press ENTER again.

One or more IP addresses with "Line Description" as CLOUDINIT<<0..n>> should be shown and match the network interfaces for the attached IBM Power VS network subnets that are shown in the IBM Power Virtual Server workspace. If the IP addresses match, then cloud-init configuration ran successfully.

See an example below of the cloud-init configuration verification:

                    Work with TCP/IP Interfaces
                                                                      System: KCW73A
Type options, press Enter.
  1=Add   2=Change    4=Remove    5=Display   9=Start   10=End

          Internet          Subnet            Line                Line
Opt       Address           Mask              Description         Type
___       127.0.0.1         255.0.0.0         *LOOPBACK           *NONE
___       10.1.1.5          255.255.255.192   CLOUDINIT1          *ELAN
___       192.168.128.138   255.255.255.248   CLOUDINIT2          *ELAN

                                                                              Bottom
F3=Exit       F5=Refresh      F6 Print list     F11-Display interface status
F12=Cancel    F17=Top         F18=Bottom

For external IP addresses, if you do not see the external IP address in the Work with TCP/IP Interfaces screen, wait approximately 10 minutes, open another terminal and ping the external IP address. The external address must match what is shown in the Power Virtual Server user interface within your instance's Server details page. Contact support or delete and reprovision your IBM i VM if the ping doesn't return anything.

Lastly, on the IBM i main menu screen type the WRKLICINF command in the console window (on line "Selection or command ===>"), press ENTER, then click PF11 at the bottom of the console window to display the usage information. The Usage Limit, Usage Count and Peak Usage values should be populated for each license.

When you have verified your network and license key configuration, you can initial program load (IPL) the LPAR.

If license keys for the operating system or any IBM i licensed program Products (LPP) are not applied, follow instructions in the PowerVS license key issues document.

If this is an upgraded system that contained license Keys before, allow a weekend (Saturday-Sunday) to process the updated keys before collecting the PowerVS license key issues information.

The IBM i virtual machine might result in a timeout error, if you update the IBM i virtual machine license and memory together.

Changing the System Service Tools (SST) and Dedicated Service Tools (DST) passwords

By default, the SST, and DST passwords are expired. Complete the following tasks to get into SST, change your passwords, and configure the newly attached disk. Configuring a newly attached disk is required and must be done if other disks are attached.

For more information on user ID types, see Managing service tools user IDs.

To change the System Service Tools (SST) and Dedicated Service Tools (DST) passwords complete the following steps:

1. Click the VM instance to view the Server details page and click Operations.
2. Choose (21) Active dedicated service tools option from the displayed list under the Job operations.
3. Click Run action.

For more information on user ID types, see Managing service tools user IDs.

Managing the IBM i VM instance

You can use the Operations page to manage advanced VM operations and configuration. To open the Operations page and to run job operations or boot operations, complete the following steps:

1. Click the VM instance to view the Server details page.

2. Click Operations. The Operations button is available only for the IBM i VM instances.

3. In the Operations page, in the Job operations tab, click one of the following actions as per your requirements:

   Job operations:

   • (21) Activate dedicated service tools – Activates dedicated service tools (DST) and makes it available on the system console display. You can use DST from the system console display to work with Licensed Internal Code (LIC), disk units, configuration and resources, and to verify devices and communications.

   • (34) Retry Dump – Retries a failed main storage dump (MSD) operation. You can run this function when the VM instance is hung during the MSD operation or when you want to reattempt the initial program load (IPL) operation without losing the original dump information.

   • (66) Enable remote service - Activates the communications port that is used by a remote service session or operations console.

   • (67) Disk unit IOP reset/reload - Initiates an I/O processor (IOP) dump operation and a disk unit IOP reset or reload operation. The function is enabled only when specific system reference codes (SRCs) are displayed on the control page and the associated IOP supports a reset or reload operation. This function is not available for all system types.

   • (70) IOP Control storage dump - Saves the contents of the service processor control storage into a nonvolatile storage for potential use from an error log file.

   • (22) Dump restart - Copies main storage data and processor data to the disk. Run this function only when an MSD operation is necessary, for example, after a suspended (system hang) condition or after an operating system failure.

   You must not shut down the system before the MSD operation. This action can cause data loss.

4. In the Operations page, in the Boot operations tab, configure one of the following options according to your requirements:

   Boot operations:

   • Server boot mode

     • A- Perform an IPL operation from a disk by using the copy A of the system LIC.
     • B- Perform an IPL operation from a disk by using the copy B of the system LIC.
     • C- Reserved for hardware service use only.
     • D- Perform an IPL operation from a media other than the load-source disk. Perform an alternative IPL operation for code installation support.

   • Server operating mode

     • Normal - Allows you to access the operating system and perform an unattended IPL operation. After the system power-on, operating the system in Normal (unattended) mode requires no operator intervention during the IPL operation. When you turn on the system in Normal mode, the system performs the IPL operation and presents the Sign On display on all available display stations. The operator cannot change the internal system environment during the IPL operation. Dedicated service tools (DST) and the operating system do not present any menus or options during this IPL operation.
     • Manual - Allows you to access DST and perform an attended IPL operation. After the system power-on, operating the system in Manual (attended) mode means that an operator uses the Operation page or the control page to direct the system for special needs. During the IPL operation in Manual mode, DST and the operating system present menus and prompts you to change the internal system environment. These modifications can include entering debug mode for service representatives to diagnose difficult problems. For more information, see Operating mode of an IPL.

5. Click Run Action.