Author Topic: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel  (Read 7446 times)

j

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Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« on: February 12, 2024, 07:28:11 am »
I would like to have a diskless ArcaOS (or Warp 4, but preferably ArcaOS) machine. For that I would like to boot and run diskless from iSCSI or Fiber Channel or FCoE (Fiberchannel over Ethernet.)

Either way it will be booting from a Netapp filter.

It's just much more convenient for us, as it allows us to take filesystem snapshots, replicate storage remotely; and it gets automatically backed up; plus naturally, it's a very reliable SAN underneath with parity; and finally, it's more "aligned" with how we run things around here.

The initial OS installation can be done to Virtualbox (because I don't think you can readily install to FC or iSCSI), then the contents of the disk *could* be moved (more precisely dd if=virtualboxdisk.raw of=/dev/remoteblockdevice bs=512 or something like that) to the SAN block device, but I'm not certain how things would boot (ECSBOOT.COM?); naturally, I could use a Qlogic HBA with iSCSI boot support (sometimes they do that for windows or AIX) but I'm not sure if that was ever attempted for OS/2; although, because it's a fairly common way to do things in large organizations i would be surprised to hear that it was never done with OS/2.

GOALS: Note that I don't want to boot or run diskless os/2 from os/2 (or ecomstation or another operating system) or run os/2 "virtualized" here; the goal is to boot and run os/2 from a machine with no disk. So please refrain asking "why would you do this", "use a raid controller", "use reliable drives", etc. Finally, the GOAL is not to simply boot, but have the block device exposed over network or fiber channel; or basically run "diskless" via iscsi/FCoE or fiber channel.

Quick search on Google didn't show anything extremely useful (which hardware to use, which HBAs are supported etc) or how to accomplish this, so I'm turning to the community for ideas and pointers.

Thanks in advance -- J.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2024, 07:31:24 am by j »

Roderick Klein

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2024, 12:20:22 pm »
I would like to have a diskless ArcaOS (or Warp 4, but preferably ArcaOS) machine. For that I would like to boot and run diskless from iSCSI or Fiber Channel or FCoE (Fiberchannel over Ethernet.)

Either way it will be booting from a Netapp filter.

It's just much more convenient for us, as it allows us to take filesystem snapshots, replicate storage remotely; and it gets automatically backed up; plus naturally, it's a very reliable SAN underneath with parity; and finally, it's more "aligned" with how we run things around here.

The initial OS installation can be done to Virtualbox (because I don't think you can readily install to FC or iSCSI), then the contents of the disk *could* be moved (more precisely dd if=virtualboxdisk.raw of=/dev/remoteblockdevice bs=512 or something like that) to the SAN block device, but I'm not certain how things would boot (ECSBOOT.COM?); naturally, I could use a Qlogic HBA with iSCSI boot support (sometimes they do that for windows or AIX) but I'm not sure if that was ever attempted for OS/2; although, because it's a fairly common way to do things in large organizations i would be surprised to hear that it was never done with OS/2.

GOALS: Note that I don't want to boot or run diskless os/2 from os/2 (or ecomstation or another operating system) or run os/2 "virtualized" here; the goal is to boot and run os/2 from a machine with no disk. So please refrain asking "why would you do this", "use a raid controller", "use reliable drives", etc. Finally, the GOAL is not to simply boot, but have the block device exposed over network or fiber channel; or basically run "diskless" via iscsi/FCoE or fiber channel.

Quick search on Google didn't show anything extremely useful (which hardware to use, which HBAs are supported etc) or how to accomplish this, so I'm turning to the community for ideas and pointers.

Thanks in advance -- J.

Sorry best I can tell this is game over. Maybe just maybe the current ArcaOS UEFI loader MIGHT work to load from iSCSI. The problem is that would load ArcaOS for a small portion. But once ArcaOS starts to boot with the UEFI loader your dead in the water.
The problem is that you would need some sort of iSCSI add driver (I think). This is really uncharted terrain and I think your chances or low of getting this to work.


Roderick Klein

ivan

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2024, 07:19:56 pm »
Hi J,

From what you say I assume you are going to write the necessary OS/2 iSCSI initiator because as far as I know that is what you need to communicate between server and target - no initiator no service.

j

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2024, 06:37:53 am »
What about fiber channel, is there any FC adapter known to work with OS/2?

ivan

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2024, 11:42:24 am »
No, both iSCSI and fibre channel need an initiator which we don't have you should know that since you want ti use it.

Martin Iturbide

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2024, 01:06:07 pm »
Hello

What is the difference between using iSCSI, Fiber Channel for a remote boot of a diskless thin client, if we compare it RIPL and PXE used by IBM WorkSpace On-Demand? It is just the protocols?


I was told that PXE or RIPL were supported on IBM WorkSpace On-Demand 2.0 (for OS/2), but never try harder to experiment it. Making a little "IBM WorkSpace On-Demand" OS/2 lab (even with VMs) is my wish list.   ;D

Regards
« Last Edit: February 13, 2024, 01:14:49 pm by Martin Iturbide »
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JTA

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2024, 03:46:19 pm »
I would offer that you can build up a Windows or Linux OS that boots diskless in your corporate environment. All infrastructure is 64-bit (OS, hba software, etc.), and the OS is up and running.

On that minimal HostOS that now has all the infrastructure in place, run only Virtualbox and ArcaOS within a VM, and run that VM full-screen. Within the VM, ArcaOS has access to all resources of the HostOS, including 64-bit apps. If the HostOS can provide it, most likely ArcaOS can access it virtually. At this point, you've captured the ArcaOS setup via the HostOS, wrt backups & such.

You'll need to license ArcaOS, and most likely Virtualbox (in a corporate environment), in addition to whatever HostOS requirements might be needed for ISCSI, FC, etc.

Look in the Virtualization category of OS2World for all the AToF documents which describe the approach to virtualizing ArcaOS, and which gets you around all this device driver grief.

Hope this helps!

Bogdan

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2024, 05:23:27 pm »
What about fiber channel, is there any FC adapter known to work with OS/2?
Yes, of course. The Compaq StorageWorks around 1999/2000 supported OS/2 Warp Server (http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00688043.pdf).

ivan

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Re: Boot from iscsi or fiber channel
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2024, 06:32:37 pm »
For those interested the attached pdf should give the general requirements.