In this module, I'm going to cover Linux systems management specifically on power systems. I'll cover systems management strategies in general, and then managing networks, installing software, and close out with a topic that's related to software installation, a concept called the Virtual Media Library specific to power systems. Now some of which you learn in this module will apply to any Linux environment, but there are some aspects of Linux administration that is different on power systems and that difference in some cases means better. So let's get started. So Linux administration should not vary when you consider the platform that it's installed on, right? Yes, there are some device differences, and some new tools may be needed, but the general concepts of system administration should not confuse an existing Linux administrator. Once active, power systems running Linux will look and feel just like any Linux implementation on any Linux platform. Most standard Linux tools will function as they do on X86. Like I said, there are some new tools that will be required. Now, one fundamental system management concept is how you interact with the operating system. Now, I've already covered the command line and graphical or desktop concepts in the first course, but it is worth noting that the desktop will look the same on power Linux as on other hardware platforms. But getting a console for command line access on a power Linux LPAR is unique from other platforms. Power systems unlike X86 systems, are almost always managed by ethernet network connection. Now, occasionally it will be a serial connection as well. Now, to achieve that serial console connection, you'll want to remember back to something I covered in the first few videos of this course. That is the HMC is the management console for the power system and that it's through the HMC that you open up our consoles, but I didn't tell you how. So the graphic shows the administrator accessing the HMC or potentially PowerVC actually. The HMC GUI can provide serial console access, but honestly because it requires Java, it really is easier to use the HMC CLI. So you'll SSH into the HMC and log in. It's just an ID and a password. From there, you can use either the mkvterm command to explicitly open a console for an LPAR, or you can use the vtmenu command. Now the vtmenu command is pretty powerful. It displays a list of managed systems, and once you look at the managed system list and you choose one of them, a list of LPAR's is then displayed. Now you choose the number associated with the LPAR to which you want to open a console, and that results in the console opening in your HMC SSH session. So it replaces the login to the HMC with that console to the LPAR that you've tried to log into. Now, once you're done with the console, exit the console session, exit the Linux session, and then strike the keys tilde dot, the tilde is above the back tick on a US English keyboard, and then the dot. You do it in fairly close sequence, and you'll be returned to the HMC SSH session. Now, if you're using Nova link, you can use to make V term command as on the HMC, or you can use PowerVC to open the console. Now this is again Nova link only. Since PowerVC is primarily a GUI tool, you'll use the graphical and under the covers, the PowerVC server launches that console. Once you're in the console, the interaction with the Linux operating system is the same as on any platform.
