Charon-PAR/PA9-32 Guest - Basic Configuration and Installation

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Last updated: Apr 25, 2022Version comment

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Please note: All Linux and HP-UX sample commands in this section are performed as the root user (prompt = #). This may not be necessary for all commands in all environments depending on the local permission settings. The commands can be executed on the Charon host graphical console or via a non-graphical login (e.g., SSH). However, for accessing the running emulator, the use of PuTTY is strongly recommended because it works best with the emulator environment.

The Charon-PAR/PA9-32 functionality of Charon-PAR emulates historic 32-bit PA-RISC hardware. This section shows a sample installation of a 32-bit guest system.

HP-UX ISO Installation Medium 

To install a basic HP-UX system running as a guest system in an emulator instance, you need to provide an HP-UX ISO installation medium.

Charon-PAR/PA9-32 currently supports HP-UX 9.07, 10.20, and 11.00. The installation procedure for versions 10.20 and 11.00 is very simiar to the one for Charon-PAR/PA9-64. However, the procedure for HP-UX 9.0.7 is quite different. Hence, it is used for this example. For this version of HP-UX, two ISO files are required:

  • HP-UX 9.07 install ISO (mini-system installation)
  • HP-UX 9.07 Core_OS ISO (operating system filesets)

Copy the ISO files to the directory you prepared for the disk containers of your emulated instance.

Creating a Virtual Disk Container for the System Disk

The emulated system requires a disk on which the HP-UX system will be installed. Create a system disk as shown in the following example:


StepCommand
1Change to the directory where you store your virtual disks.# cd /data/Stromasys/host1/Data/Disk/
2

Create an empty disk container. Note that the actual size of the disk will depend on the requirements of your emulated system. The disk name shown is just an example.

Please note: HP-UX 9.07 allows a maximum root disk size of 2GB. The number of blocks should be a multiple of 512.

With dd:

# dd if=/dev/zero of=ldev1.dsk bs=1K count=2091520


With fallocate (very fast alternative):

# fallocate --length 2147483648 ldev1.dsk


Adapting the Configuration File Template

The configuration file template must be adapted to the customer environment and the required guest system characteristics. This section describes the minimum number of changes required to configure a Charon-PAR/PA9-32 emulator instance. Please refer to Configuration File Reference for a detailed description of the configuration file options.

Perform the following steps to create a basic configuration file for a Charon-PAR/PA9-32 emulated system:


StepDescription
1Create a copy of the configuration file template.

Example: 

# cd /data/Stromasys/host1/

# cp /opt/charon/cfg/pa9-32.cfg host1.cfg

2Open the configuration file in a text editor.

# vi host1.cfg

or

# gedit host1.cfg

3Configure the system model.

model "720"

Configured model must be covered by your license.

4Configure the RAM for the emulated system (in MB).memory 64
5Configure the serial console for telnet via PuTTY.

Use the method 2 of the serial line section in the configuration file and make sure the definition of the asp.uart0.device is:

asp.uart0.device.command="putty -load PAR-Telnet-VT100"

6Configure disk 1 (system disk).

Change definition of DKA0 to:

DKA0.image="/data/Stromasys/host1/Data/Disk/ldev1.dsk"

7Add a definition for disk 2 (ISO file) or (if it already exists) modify the definition to point to your ISO installation file for the mini-system (the install disk).

load DKA100

DKA100.image="/data/Stromasys/host1/Data/Disk/HP-UX_9.07_Install_S700.iso"

8Configure a network card based on a physical host NIC. This NIC is dedicated to the guest operating system and cannot be used for network communication by the host system. To share an interface, a virtual bridge would have to be used (see Ethernet configuration sections in this document).

In the configuration file template, comment out the dummy interface and the tap interface configuration. Then uncomment the interface configuration of the physical interface example. Change the definition of EWA0 to the interface that is assigned to the emulated system (example: eth1) and disable the offload parameters for the interface:

system.lan0.card.mapping_mode="RAW"

system.lan0.card.iface="eth1"

system.lan0.card.initialize_command="ethtool -K $IFACE rx off ; ethtool -K $IFACE tx off ; ethtool -K $IFACE sg off ; ethtool -K $IFACE gso off ; ethtool -K $IFACE gro off ; ethtool -K $IFACE txvlan off ; ethtool -K $IFACE rxvlan off"

Please note: Depending on the capabilities of the Ethernet device, not all off-load parameters maybe be available. This will create a warning message. The variable IFACE is set by the system before executing the initialize command.

9Save the configuration file.

Starting the Emulated System and Installing the Guest System

This section shows how to start the emulator and install a HP-UX system.

Please note: The examples in this section assume that a graphical interface is used, on which a PuTTY session can be run. Should this not be possible, you can access the console of the emulated system by using, for example, a telnet client and pointing it to the TCP port on the Charon host defined for the serial console port in the configuration file. The default port is 30000 (sample command:  $ telnet <charon-host> 30000).

Starting the Emulator

To start the emulated Charon-PAR/PA9-32 system, perform the following steps:


StepCommand
1Go to the directory where the configuration file has been stored.# cd /data/Stromasys/host1/
2Start the emulator instance.# /opt/charon/bin/charon-par -f host1.cfg

If everything works, you will see log output in the current terminal window ending an a pa9-32> prompt. This is the Charon-PAR emulator console. It displays log information, allows to set configuration parameters and to stop the emulator.

At the same time, a green PuTTY console window will open.

Please note: Should there be an error from PuTTY about missing fonts, start PuTTY as the root user, load the PAR-Telnet-VT100 profile, set a font that is available on the host system, save the configuration.

Booting from the Install ISO File

In green PuTTY console window perform the following steps to boot the installation ISO file (containing a very basic system):

  • Press the Enter key.
  • This should produce the prompt Main Menu: Enter command or menu >.
  • Enter the command boot 2/0/1.1.0 to boot from the ISO and confirm by pressing the Enter key.
  • At the prompt Interact with IPL (Y or N)?> answer N.
  • At the next prompt, press the Enter key to proceed to the installation overview. Please note that it may take a little while until this prompt is displayed.

HP-UX 9.07 Installation Phase 1: Installing the Basic System

During this phase, a basic system is installed to the root disk that will enable the installation of the rest of the operating system.

After booting the install ISO file as described above, you will eventually see an overview of the installation steps:

After you've read the information, press any key to continue with the next step: the root disk selection.

The following image shows a sample:

In the above sample, select the offered disk by entering its number and press Return.


Before the installation starts, you have to select if the root disk should support long file names:

You will be offered additional installation options as shown in the sample below:


Then you are asked to configure the swap space for the system:


And eventually, you have to confirm that the installation should be performed:

After the confirmation, the basic system with the essential operating system components will be installed and the system is automatically shut down.

You will be returned to the console prompt.

Type exit at the pa9-32> prompt to stop the emulator.



HP-UX 9.07 Installation Phase 2: Installing the Operating System Filesets

During this step, the basic system will be used to install the other components of the operating system.

Step 1: replace the install ISO file in the emulator configuration with the Core_OS ISO file as described below:

  • Open the emulator configuration file in a text editor.
  • Find the definition for the virtual CD-ROM (DKA100 in this example).
  • Modify the definition to point to your Core_OS ISO file for the mini-system.
    Example:
    DKA100.image="/data/Stromasys/host1/Data/Disk/HP-UX_9.07_Core_OS_S700.iso"

Step 2: start the emulator and boot the basic HP-UX system as described below:

  • Go to the directory where the emulator configuration file is stored.
  • Start the emulator.
    Example:
    # /opt/charon/bin/charon-par -f host1.cfg
  • In the green PuTTY window, at the prompt Main Menu: Enter command or menu >, enter the boot command
    boot 2/0/1.0.0 and press Return to boot from the system disk (DKA0 in this example).
  • Enter N at the Interact with IPL prompt.
  • The basic HP-UX system should boot.

Step 3: install the Core OS filesets as described below:

  • Confirm that you have the correct ISO installed.
  • Enter your choice for the fileset selection (normally all filesets of the Core OS).
  • You will be asked to confirm your choice twice.
  • Then, the loading of the filesets begins.
  • At the end, the HP-UX system is shut down and returns to the console environment.

HP-UX 9.07 Installation Phase 3: Booting and Configuring HP-UX

Upon boot, you will be asked a few questions for the initial configuration of your system.

Step 1: decide if the system should be connected to a network:

If you answer yes to this question, you will be lead through a series of questions and dialogs allowing you to configure

  • hostname
  • IP address and netmask
  • default gateway
  • DNS
  • fontserver

Step 2: configure the timezone and time.

A set of questions and dialogs will lead you through this step. Note that HP-UX 9.07 may not allow you to set the current year (last year to set may be 1999). You can set the date later using the date command:
# date [-u] [mmddhhmm[[cc]yy]]
(Format: month / day of month / hour / minutes / century / year)


Step 3: set the root password.

Step 4: login and terminal configuration.

After the above steps have been completed, you will be able to login as the root user and start using the system. At the beginning, you have to select your terminal settings.


Stopping the Emulator

In order to stop the emulator in an orderly manner, perform the following steps:

1. Shut down the guest operating system:

# shutdown -h now

Starting with Charon-PAR version 3.0.5 this will, by default, automatically stop the emulator when it detects that the operating system has been halted. See the system.stop_on_halt parameter in the Configuration File Reference. If the emulator is not stopped automatically, continue with step 2 below.

2. After the guest operating system shutdown is complete, stop the emulator (if it is not stopped automatically after the shutdown of the guest operating system). Different methods must be used for different situations:

  • The emulator was started in interactive mode and the Charon-PAR console is available in current terminal: enter the exit command at the pa9-32> prompt and hit Enter. This will cause the emulator to close the disk images of the emulated system and to exit.
  • The Charon-PAR console is available on a local TCP port (emulator started with -c or --console-port parameter): this situation will exist most frequently if the emulator has been started as a daemon or service. To stop the emulator access the Charon-PAR console via telnet to localhost on the port specified when starting the emulator, enter the exit command at the pa9-32> prompt, and hit Enter.
    Access to the Charon-PAR console via a TCP port is available starting with Charon-PAR version 3.0.1. The CTRL+B key combination has been disabled on the emulator console starting with this version.
  • The emulator was started as a daemon or service and the Charon-PAR console is not available via a local TCP port: This situation can occur if you run a version before 3.0.1 or you started the emulator without the -c option.
    • For versions 3.0.1 and higher: the emulator must be stopped using the kill command from the root user on the Charon host system. Perform the following steps to stop the Charon-PAR process:
      • Find the PID (process id) of the process: # ps -ef | grep -i charon-par
      • Stop the process: # kill <charon-par-pid>
    • For versions before 3.0.1: on the emulator console, after shutting down the guest operating system, press CTRL+B. After a few seconds, a traceback may be shown. Then the PDC console prompt (Main menu:) will appear. Type exit to stop the emulator.

For more information about the Charon-PAR console, please refer to Charon-PAR Console. For more information about the Charon-PAR command-line options, please refer to Charon-PAR Command-Line Options.


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