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Server Automation
Server Automation provides powerful automation. You can use it to sequence automation actions in steps across multiple endpoints.
Virtualization
Virtualization is a software technology that allows multiple operating systems to run on the same host computer at the same time. Additional uses of virtualization include the quick creation of new systems for testing, training, and demonstration. Using virtualized computers saves the cost of hardware, management, and administration of the server infrastructure.
PowerVM®
You can deploy and configure a management extender plug-in for PowerVM®. You can then manage PowerVM logical partitions (LPARs) from within the BigFix console.
State Management Tasks
Use these tasks to activate and deactivate individual or groups of LPARs. You can also netboot an LPAR.
Activating an LPAR
Using the PowerVM Activate a Logical Partition task, you can activate a specific profile instance of a selected LPAR.

Server Automation
Server Automation provides powerful automation. You can use it to sequence automation actions in steps across multiple endpoints.
- Overview
  BigFix Lifecycle Server Automation provides you with the capability to automate provisioning workflows. You can automate a sequence of Fixlets, Tasks, and Baselines across different endpoints, such as servers or computers. Server Automation exploits the agility and scalability of BigFix to deliver powerful functionality in a lean and efficient manner, with minimal impact on your network.
- Automation
  BigFix Lifecycle Server Automation provides you with technology to sequence actions, such as the deployment of Fixlets, across multiple endpoints. To sequence automation, you create an Automation Plan. Your Automation Plan contains all of the actions for your end-to-end automation sequence.
- Virtualization
  Virtualization is a software technology that allows multiple operating systems to run on the same host computer at the same time. Additional uses of virtualization include the quick creation of new systems for testing, training, and demonstration. Using virtualized computers saves the cost of hardware, management, and administration of the server infrastructure.
  - VMware
    You can deploy and configure a management extender plug-in for VMware. You can then manage VMware virtual machines from within BigFix the console.
  - AIX® NIM
    You can setup and configure management extender plug-in for AIX® NIM. You can then create and remove NIM Clients and Mksysb images on a NIM master server from within the BigFix console.
  - PowerVM®
    You can deploy and configure a management extender plug-in for PowerVM®. You can then manage PowerVM logical partitions (LPARs) from within the BigFix console.
    - Setup and Maintenance
      Use the information in this section for instructions and important information about how to set up the virtualization environment for PowerVM®.
    - Managed System Tasks
      Use the information in this section to create and delete logical partitions on a PowerVM® Managed System that is configured with a management extender for PowerVM
    - LPAR Tasks
      Using these tasks, you can modify, add disks, and create profiles for existing logical partitions (LPARs).
    - State Management Tasks
      Use these tasks to activate and deactivate individual or groups of LPARs. You can also netboot an LPAR.
      - Activating an LPAR
        Using the PowerVM Activate a Logical Partition task, you can activate a specific profile instance of a selected LPAR.
      - Deactivating an LPAR
        Using the PowerVM Deactivate a Logical Partition task, you can deactivate a selected LPAR.
      - Activating multiple LPARs
        Using the PowerVM Activate Multiple Logical Partitions (LPARS) task, you can power on multiple LPARs at one time from the BigFix console.
      - Deactivating multiple LPARs
        Using the PowerVM Deactivate Multiple Logical Partitions (LPARS) task, you can deactivate multiple LPARs from within the BigFix console.
      - Netbooting an LPAR
        When you create a logical partition (LPAR), you must create a NIM client for the LPAR and then netboot the LPAR. Using the PowerVM Netboot a Logical Partition (LPAR) task, you can netboot an existing LPAR.
    - Sample Automation Plans
      Server Automation provides four sample content Automation Plans for PowerVM®.
  - Management Extender Log Viewer
    The Management Extender Log Viewer dashboard provides information about each Virtualization task that you run. In the dashboard, you can view a high-level overview of the action logs. Each log entry contains a link to where you can find the original action window. Each entry also contains a link to the log file.
  - Turning off validation in a task
    Some of the Virtualization Tasks within the Server Automation domain contain a Validation button which you can use to disable validation and enter your own data for some of the parameters.
- Configuring your system
  This section describes how the BigFix architecture is relevant for Server Automation. It also describes how Server Automation can affect BigFix performance.
- Sample Automation Plans
  Server Automation is shipped with a number of sample Automation Plans that you can run out of the box. To run these Automation Plans out of the box, ensure that the Fixlets contained in them are available. Typically, you would substitute some of the Fixlets contained in these samples with particular Fixlets that you want to run. Use the information in each of the following sections to find out more about each of the sample plans.
- Server Automation content
  Server Automation provides content that you can use to automate processes and software deployment.

Activating a logical partition

Using the PowerVM Activate a Logical Partition task, you can activate a specific profile instance of a selected LPAR.

Before you begin

You must also activate the following analyses:

PowerVM® HMC Overview
PowerVM® Managed System Overview
PowerVM® LPAR Overview

To activate the analyses, navigate to the Domain Panel of the Server Automation domain and select Virtualization > PowerVM > Setup and Maintenance and select PowerVM HMC Overview. In the Analysis: PowerVM HMC Overview pane, select Activate. Repeat this action for the PowerVM® Managed System Overview and PowerVM® LPAR Overview analyses.

For information about how to disable validation on parameters in the task, see Turning off validation in a task.

Procedure

Open the Server Automation domain.
From the Domain Panel, select Virtualization > PowerVM > LPAR Operations > State Management and select PowerVM Activate a Logical Partition.
From the HMC list, select the Hardware Management Console on which the LPAR that you want to activate is located.
From the Managed System list, select the PowerVM® managed system on which the LPAR that you want to activate is located.
From the LPAR Name list, select the LPAR that you want to activate. In the LPAR State field, you can view the Power® State of the LPAR that you select. To override the validation that is provided on the parameter, select OFF in the Validation column for the parameter. For more information, see Turning off validation in a task.
From the LPAR Profile list, select the profile of the LPAR that you want to activate. To override the validation that is provided on the parameter, select OFF in the Validation column for the parameter. For more information, see Turning off validation in a task.
Click Take Action. In the Take Action dialog box, select the LPAR that you want to activate, and click OK.

Results

In the Action: PowerVM Activate a Logical Partition window, you can view the progress of the action. When the Status changes to Complete, the LPAR is activated.