Removing disk from VIOS server

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Removing disk from VIOS server

To remove disk from VIOS server use below steps:

1. Login to VIOS server (padmin)
2. Find the hdisk name of the disk to be removed using:

   lspv

   Example output

   $ $ lspv
   NAME             PVID                                 VG               STATUS
   hdisk120         00c2eae02d3989c8                     None
   hdisk121         00c2eae095ba1018                     None
   hdisk122         none                                 None
   hdisk123         none                                 None

3. Note if the disk is not initialized at VIOS level using:

   bootinfo -s hdisk124
   chdev -l hdisk124 -a algorithm=shortest_queue -a reserve_policy=no_reserve
   chdev -l hdisk124 -a pv=yes

   then PVID column may show none instead of hexademical value. We cannot assume a particular hdisk is unused just based on PVID column.

4. Thus, first we should check output of

   lsmap -all | more

   to see which physical volumes (lspv hdisk) are mapped with which partition. Against each partition for each PV there is a VTD value, which is a unique ID identifying mapping of this PV (hdisk) to the LPAR / partition.

5. If we want to remove this mapping between hdisk and partition, we can use below as root user (r o #OR oem_setup_env):

   rmdev -dev <VTD of mapping between hdisk and partition>

6. Additionally if we want to validate (map) a particular hdisk to a LUN at storage level use, we can find the volume serial(UID) number and other details for hdisk using:

   lsmpio -ql <device-name>

   For Ex:

   lsmpio -ql hdisk4

   This can help in validating we have correct hdisk against storage LUN IDs

7. After validating that disk is not mapped to partition and we are removing correct disk as seen at storage end, for actual removal use:
   1. Switch to elevation mode

      r o

   2. Remove the disk which is not mapped to any partition via

      rmdev -Rdl <device-name>

      For Ex:

      rmdev -Rdl hdisk4

8. Then finally remove the disk from storage via
   1. Login to storage and Go to Volumes
   2. Unmap the volume
      1. Select the volume by validating name and UID number
      2. Right click on the volume, Select "Unmap All Hosts"
      3. Enter the mappings number in "Verify the number of mappings that this operation affects", and click on "Unmap"
   3. Delete the volume
      1. Right click on the volume again, select "Delete"
      2. Enter the number of volumes in "Verify the number of volumes that you are deleting", then click on "Delete"

Refer:

• https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.2?topic=r-rmdev-command
• https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power7?topic=commands-lsmap-command
• https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/vio-server-and-lpar-client-relationship-and-storage-mapping

Vhost without any mapping

If 'lsmap -all | more' shows vhost with no target such as:

SVSA            Physloc                                      Client Partition ID
--------------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------
vhost42         U9223.22H.782EAE0-V1-C16                     0x00000006

VTD                   NO VIRTUAL TARGET DEVICE FOUND

SVSA            Physloc                                      Client Partition ID
--------------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------
vhost43         U9223.22H.782EAE0-V1-C17                     0x00000006

VTD                   NO VIRTUAL TARGET DEVICE FOUND

and vhost are part of

lsdev

output also. Then using either of below does not seems to delete the vhost device in one case:

rmdev -Rdl vhost42
rmdev -dev vhost42

While in other case we were able to delete the device via 'rmdev -dev <vhost-device-name>' without any problem. Having such devices led to alert LED on the power server. Then LED was cleared after deleting the vhost device using any one option from below:

Using diag menu

1. diag
2. Task Selection (Diagnostics, Advanced Diagnostics, Service Aids, etc.)
3. Identify and Attention Indicators
4. Set System Attention Indicator to NORMAL
5. Enter and press F7 to commit

Using command

/usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/usysfault -s normal

From ASMI

1. Login to ASMI
2. Service indicators
3. System Attention Indicator
4. Turn off the system attention indicators .

From HMC

1. Login to HMC
2. Systems Management
3. Servers
4. Select the problematic server.
5. In the pop-up menu, click on Operations> LED status> Deactivate attention LED.

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