Installing CentOS on IBM Power System L server

This guide helps you install CentOS 8 on an IBM Power System L server. Use these instructions for the following IBM Power System servers:

  • 88247-22L (IBM Power System S822L)

  • 8247-21L (IBM Power System S812L)

  • 8247-42L (IBM Power System S824L)

For a list of supported distributions, see Supported Linux distributions for POWER8 and POWER9 Linux on Power systems.

Overview

Use this information to install CentOS 8 on a non-virtualized or bare metal IBM Power System L server. This procedure follows these general steps:

  • Complete prerequisites

  • Connecting to the ASMI

    • Connect using DHCP

    • Connect using Static IP

  • Enabling IPMI

  • Powering on your server with IPMI

    • Connecting from Linux notebook

    • Connecting from Windows notebook

  • Configuring Petitboot and installing CentOS 8

Completing the prerequisites and booting your firmware on L server

Before you install CentOS 8, ensure that you have the following items:

  • Ethernet cable

  • VGA monitor. The VGA resolution must be set to 1024x768-60Hz.

  • USB Keyboard

  • Power cords and outlet for your system

Before you power on the system, follow these steps:

  • If your system belongs in a rack, install your system into that rack. For instructions, see IBM Power Systems information at https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/.

  • Remove the shipping brackets from the power supplies. Ensure that the power supplies are fully seated in the system

  • Access the server control panel.

  • Connect the power cords to the system and plug them into the outlets.

At this point, your firmware is booting. Wait for the green power LED on the control panel to start flashing, indicating that it is ready to use, and for the prompt 01 N OPAL T to appear on the display.

Connecting to ASMI with DHCP

To connect to the Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) you need to set up your network connection. You can set up DHCP or static IP.

Use this type of connection if you are using DHCP. Use these steps to find the IP address of the service processor and then connect with the ASMI web interface. If you know what IP address that your server is using, complete step 1 and then skip to Step 5: Enabling

  1. Connect an Ethernet cable to the HMC1 or HMC2 port on the back of your Power system to your DHCP network.

  2. Access the control panel for your server.

  3. Scroll to function 02 using Increment (↑) or Decrement (↓) buttons (up and down arrows) and then press Enter.

  4. Move the cursor to the N by pressing Enter. The display looks like this example: 02 A N< T

  5. Change N to M to start manual mode using the Increment (↑) or Decrement (↓) buttons. The display looks like this example: 02 A M< T

  6. Press Enter two times to exit the mode menu.

  7. Scroll to function 30 using Increment or Decrement buttons

  8. Press Enter to enter subfunction. The display looks like this example: 30**

  9. Use the Increment (↑) or Decrement (↓) buttons to select a network device. 3000 displays the IP address that is assigned to ETH0 (HMC1). 3001 displays the IP address that is assigned to ETH1 (HMC2)

  10. Press Enter to display the selected IP address. Be sure to record this IP address.

  11. Use the Increment (↑) or Decrement (↓) buttons to select subfunction exit (30**).

  12. Press Enter to exit subfunction mode.

  13. Scroll to 02 using Increment (↑) or Decrement (↓) buttons and press Enter.

  14. Change the mode to N. The display looks like this example: 02 A N< T

Connecting to ASMI with static IP address

Use this type of connection if you are using a static IP address. This connection configures a console interface to the ASMI.

  1. Connect an Ethernet cable from the PC or notebook to the Ethernet port labeled HMC1 on the back of the managed system.

  2. Set your IP address on your PC or notebook to match the default values on your Power system. IP address on PC or notebook:

169.254.2.140 Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
The default IP address of HMC1: 169.254.2.147

The default values of HMC1 are already set and you do not need to change them. If you want to verify the IP address, follow the steps in Connecting to ASMI with DHCP to find the IP addresses with the control panel.

If you are running Linux on your PC or notebook, set your IP address by following these steps:

  1. Log in as root.

  2. Start a terminal session.

  3. Run the follow command: ifconfig -a. Record these values so that you can reset your network connection later.

  4. Type ifconfig ethx 169.254.2.140 netmask 255.255.255.0. Replace ethx with either eth0 or eth1, depending on what your PC or notepad is using.

If you are running Windows 7 on your PC or notebook, set your IP address by following these steps:

  1. Click Start > Control Panel.

  2. Select Network and Sharing Center.

  3. Click the network that is displayed in Connections.

  4. Click Properties.

  5. If the Security dialog box is displayed, click Continue.

  6. Select Internet Protocol Version 4.

  7. Click Properties.

  8. Select Use the following IP address.

  9. Use 169.254.2.140 for IP address and 255.255.255.0 for Subnet mask.

  10. Click OK > Close > Close

If HMC1 is occupied, use HMC2. Use IP address 169.254.3.140 and Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 on your PC or notebook. The default IP address of the HMC2 is 169.254.3.147.

Enabling IPMI

  1. The first time that you connect to the firmware, enter the admin ID admin and password admin. After you log in, you will be forced to change the password. Be sure to record this password!

  2. From the main menu, select System Configuration→Firmware Configuration. Verify that OPAL is selected as your Hypervisor Mode.

  3. Follow these steps to set a password for your IPMI session:

    1. From the main menu, select Login Profile → Change Passwords.

    2. Select IPMI from the list of user IDs.

    3. Enter the current password for the administrator (set in step 2) and then enter and confirm a password for IPMI.

    4. Click Continue.

  4. If your Power system is not using DHCP, you need to configure Network access. From the main menu, select Network Services > Network Configuration. To configure network access, follow these steps:

    1. From the Network Configuration display, select IPv4 and Continue.

    2. Select Configure this interface?

    3. Verify that IPv4 is enabled.

    4. Select Static for the type of IP address.

    5. Enter a name for the host system.

    6. Enter an IP address for the system.

    7. Enter a subnet mask.

    8. At the bottom of the page, enter a default gateway, Domain name, and IP address for the DNS server.

    9. After you set the values for the Network configuration, click Continue.

    10. Click Save Settings.

    11. If you connected with a PC or notebook, you can remove the Ethernet cable from your PC or notebook and connect it to the network switch. To continue with a console connection, change the default IP address to the IP address that you assigned to the service processor.

Powering on your L server with IPMI

Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is the default console to use when you configure your Power system. If you are using a Linux notebook or PC, use the ipmitool utility. If you are using a Windows notebook or PC, use the ipmiutil utility.

As the system powers up, you might notice the following actions:

  • System reference codes appear on the control panel display while the system is being started.

  • The system cooling fans are activated after approximately 30 seconds and accelerate to operating speed.

  • The power LED on the control panel stops flashing and remains on, indicating that system power is on.

After your system powers on, the Petitboot interface loads. If you do not interrupt the boot process by pressing any key within 10 seconds, Petitboot automatically boots the first option.

Powering on your system from a notebook or PC running Linux

To power on your server from a notebook or PC running Linux, follow these steps:

  1. Open a terminal program.

  2. To power on your server, run the following command:

    ipmitool -I lanplus -H fsp_ip_address -P _ipmi_password_ power on

    Where ipaddress is the IP address of the Power system and ipmi_password is the password set up for IPMI.

  3. Immediately activate your IPMI console by running this command:

    ipmitool -I lanplus -H fsp_ip_address -P ipmi_password sol activate

    Use your keyboard up arrow to display the previous ipmitool command. You can edit previous commands to avoid typing the entire command again.

If you need to restart your system, follow these steps:

  1. Deactivate the console by running this command:

    ipmitool -I lanplus -H fsp_ip_address -P ipmi_password sol deactivate

  2. Power your system off with this command:

     ipmitool -I lanplus -H fsp_ip_address -P ipmi_password power off

  3. Power your system on with this command:

     ipmitool -I lanplus -H fsp_ip_address -P ipmi_password power on

If you have not already done so, insert your DVD into the DVD drive or confirm the installer image in your network

Powering on your system from a notebook or PC running Windows

To power on your server from a notebook or PC running Windows, follow these steps:

  1. Open a command prompt and change the directory to C:\Program Files\sourceforge\ipmiutil

  2. To power on your server, run the following command

    ipmiutil power -u -N ipaddress -P ipmi_password

    Where ipaddress is the IP address of the Power system and ipmi_password is the password set up for IPMI.

  3. Immediately activate your IPMI console by running this command:

     ipmiutil sol -a -r -N ipaddress -P ipmi_password

Use your keyboard up arrow to display the previous ipmiutil command. You can edit previous commands to avoid typing the entire command again.

If you need to restart your system, follow these steps: . Deactivate the console by running this command:

ipmiutil sol -d -N ipaddress -P ipmi_password

  1. Power your system off with this command:

ipmiutil power -d -N ipaddress -P ipmi_password

  1. Power your system on with this command:

ipmiutil power -u -N ipaddress -P ipmi_password

If you have not already done so, insert your DVD into the DVD drive or confirm the installer image in your network.

Configuring Petitboot and installing CentOS 8

After the system powers on, the Petitboot bootloader scans local boot devices and network interfaces to find boot options that are available to the system. If you do not have network connectivity or the installation DVD in the disk drive, there will not be any boot options listed.

  1. On the Petitboot main screen, verify that you are booting CentOS 8 from the DVD drive.

  2. Select the CentOS installer boot option and then press Enter.

  3. The installation will begin.

If you do not interrupt the boot process by pressing any key within 10 seconds after the Petitboot main screen appears, Petitboot automatically boots the first option.