Exadata: How To Mount diag.iso On An Exadata X5 Server From A NFS Server

Introduction

I was testing Exadata Compute node snapshot restore procedure on an Exadata X5-2. As per of testing I had to start the machine in special mode using diag.iso, the easiest option is to use WEB ILOM to mount he diag.iso, but for some technical reason or BUG I was unable to mount diag.iso using WEB ILOM. Oracle provided a procedure to mount the diag.iso image using an NFS server.

In this article I will demonstrate step by step procedure on how mount diag.iso image using NFS Server along with the output.


Steps to mount diag.iso on an Exadata Compute node from NFS server:

• First login to the Compute node ILOM CLI or SSH from another Compute node 

[root@dm01db01 ~]# ssh dm01db01-ilom
Password:

Oracle(R) Integrated Lights Out Manager

Version 3.2.8.24 r114580

Copyright (c) 2016, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Warning: HTTPS certificate is set to factory default.

Hostname: dm01db01-ilom

->

• Execute the following command to mount diag.iso from a NFS server

Syntax:
set /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/remote/ server_URI=NFS_or_Samba_URI_file_location


-> set /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/remote server_URI=nfs://10.10.10.1:/export/dm01/backup1/diag.iso
Set 'server_URI' to 'nfs://10.10.10.1:/export/dm01/backup1/diag.iso'

• Verify the server_URI to make it is poing to correct NFS location

-> show /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/remote server_URI

  /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/remote
    Properties:
        server_URI = nfs://10.10.10.1:/export/dm01/backup1/diag.iso

• Execute the following command to Enable storage redirection:

-> set /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/ mode=remote
Set 'mode' to 'remote'

• Check the status of redirection:

-> show /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/ status

  /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device
    Properties:
        status = operational

Note -  Redirection is active if the status is set to either Operational or Connecting.

• Now set the next boot device to cdrom

-> set /HOST boot_device=cdrom
Set 'boot_device' to 'cdrom'

• Verify the next boot device is pointing to cdrom:

-> show /HOST

 /HOST
    Targets:
        console
        diag
        provisioning

    Properties:
        boot_device = cdrom
        generate_host_nmi = (Cannot show property)

    Commands:
        cd
        set
        show

• Execute the following command to Reboot the Server:

-> reset /SYS
Are you sure you want to reset /SYS (y/n)? y
Performing hard reset on /SYS

At this time the server boot from diag.iso, enter into interactive mode, restore/recovery the machine or correct the OS configuration that you have and when you are done, disable redirection.

Steps to Disable steps Server_URI and Storage redirection

• Execute the following command to disable Storage redirection:

-> set /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/ mode=disabled
Set 'mode' to 'disabled'

-> show /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/ mode

  /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device
    Properties:
        mode = disabled

• Execute the following command to disable Server_URI:

-> set /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/remote server_URI=''
Set 'server_URI' to ''

-> show /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/remote server_URI

  /SP/services/kvms/host_storage_device/remote
    Properties:
        server_URI = (none)

• Verify the Next boot device:

-> show /HOST

/HOST
    Targets:
        console
        diag
        provisioning

    Properties:
        boot_device = default
        generate_host_nmi = (Cannot show property)

    Commands:
        cd
        set
        show

• Reboot the server to boot with the normal Exadata kernel

-> reset /SYS
Are you sure you want to reset /SYS (y/n)? y
Performing hard reset on /SYS


Conclusion

In this article we have learned how to mount diag.iso on Exadata compute node from NFS Server. If the WEB ILOM is not working for some reason then mounting the diag.iso using NFS server comes handy. The process to mount is diag.iso from NFS Server is very simply and much faster.