5.805 bytes

Service Hints & Tips

Document ID: ROSN-4336CD

Network Station - Boot load balancing with multiple servers

Applicable to: World-Wide

Distributing the boot load across multiple servers with NVRAM

The Non-Volatile RAM (NVRAM) in the IBM Network Station allows up to three different boot servers to be specified. The IBM Network Station tries each boot server once in the order specified until a time-out occurs for each server.

To enter the data into NVRAM, use the following steps:

Power on the IBM Network Station.

Press the Esc key when the message NS0500 Search for Host System ... is displayed.

Press F5, Set Network Parameters.

Ensure NVRAM is selected, use the left and right arrow keys to select it.

Locate the lines that read: First Boot Host IP address...... Second Boot Host IP address..... Third Boot Host IP address...... Type the correct IP address for each boot host you want to use.

Press the Enter key to save the parameters.

Press the Enter key to re-boot the IBM Network Station.

You may enter the IP address of each boot host in a predetermined or rotated order on your IBM Network Stations. For example, you can type the IP address for SYSTEMA as the first boot host, SYSTEMB as the second boot host, and SYSTEMC as the third boot host on the first IBM Network Station as shown in the following example:

Important Note: Use of SYSTEMx in the following example is for illustration purposes only. In practice, use the IP addresses when you type the information in the NVRAM for each IBM Network Station.

First Boot Host IP address............SYSTEMA

Second Boot Host IP address........SYSTEMB

Third Boot Host IP address............SYSTEMC

On the second IBM Network Station, type the boot host startup sequence as follows:

First Boot Host IP address............SYSTEMC

Second Boot Host IP address........SYSTEMA

Third Boot Host IP address............SYSTEMB

The boot hosts order are typed on the third IBM Network Station as:

First Boot Host IP address............SYSTEMB

Second Boot Host IP address........SYSTEMC

Third Boot Host IP address............SYSTEMA

This rotating method is used for each IBM Network Station introduced into your environment.

If a boot host in the NVRAM fails to respond within 10 seconds, the IBM Network Station goes to the next one in the list. The startup sequence tries each host one time. If it is unsuccessful in locating a boot host from the list in NVRAM, it fails with these messages:

NS0505 Host not responding to ICMP Echo.

NS0505 Host not responding to ICMP Echo.

NS0505 Host not responding to ICMP Echo.

NS0090 Press a key to continue.

Recommendations: We recommend that accurate records be kept, perhaps on a spread sheet, so each new IBM Network Station installed at your site continues to follow the load distribution flow. Using the BootP protocol is recommended over coding network information into NVRAM.

For more documentation on the above information, please review the IBM Network Station publications Web site:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/pubs/html/netcom/pub.htm

	Search Keywords	boot, load balancing
	Hint Category	System Administration Tools
	Date Created	11-12-98
	Last Updated	22-03-99
	Revision Date	20-09-99
	Brand	IBM Network Station
	Product Family	NT Server - Network Station, OS/2 Warp Server - Network Station, AS/400 - Network Station, RS/6000 - Network Station, S/390 OS/390 - Network Station, S/390 VM/ESA - Network Station, Network Station
	Machine Type	Various, 8361, 8362
	Model
	TypeModel
	Retain Tip (if applicable)
	Reverse Doclinks and Admin Purposes