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everRun Quick Start Guide

Use the everRun Quick Start Guide to get your everRun system up and running as quickly as possible.

An everRun system requires two x86-64 host servers (referred to as physical machines, or PMs) that can support multiple virtual machines (VMs), and a remote management computer that can run the everRun Availability Console. This guide explains how to set up your PMs and guides you through the basic installation and start-up tasks, including:

Note: If you need assistance during the installation process:

Assembling Required Items

You need the following items/information:

Configuring Your RAID Controller

Stratus strongly recommends that your everRun system uses a storage RAID controller. The RAID controllers in an everRun system create logical disks from the system's physical disks, and the logical disks are then collected into a storage group. Configuration recommendations follow:

Cabling Your System

Attach the following cables:

The following illustration shows these connections:

Note: When installing software on the first PM, connect the keyboard and monitor to the first PM. When installing software on the second PM, connect the keyboard and monitor to the second PM. When software installation is complete, disconnect the keyboard and monitor from the system.

Burning the Software to a DVD

Obtain the ISO image, verify it, and burn it to a DVD:

  1. From any computer connected to the Internet, go to the Downloads page at http://www.stratus.com/go/support/everrun.
  2. To download the everRun software ISO image (everRun_install-7.x.x.x-xxx.iso), under Product Download, click everRun 7.x.x.x ISO Image. Save the ISO image.

    Occasionally a file can be corrupted during the download process. To confirm that the downloaded file is not corrupted, verify the ISO image. After you verify the ISO image, or if you choose to skip verification, go to Step 3.

    Verifying the ISO Image (Windows)

    1. Download the Microsoft File Checksum Integrity Verifier (FCIV) executable file from the Microsoft Support Website. Save the file to the directory that contains the downloaded ISO file.
    1. Download the FCIV verification file. Under Product Download, click everRun 7.x.x.x ISO fciv. Save the file to the directory that contains the downloaded ISO file.
    2. Open a command prompt. From the directory containing the ISO, executable, and verification files, type the following command to check the ISO image's status:

      fciv –v –xml everRun_install-7.x.x.x-xxx.xml

    3. If the command succeeds (that is, it returns the message All files verified successfully), go to Step 3. If the command fails, repeat the download.

    Verifying the ISO Image (Linux)

    1. Download the md5sum verification file. Under Product Download, click everRun 7.x.x.x ISO md5sum. Save the file to the directory that contains the downloaded ISO file.
    2. From the directory containing the ISO and verification files, type the following command to check the ISO image's status:

      md5sum -c everRun_install-7.x.x.x-xxx.md5

    3. If the command succeeds (that is, it returns the message everRun_install-7.x.x.x-xxx.iso: OK), go to Step 3. If the command fails, repeat the download.

  3. When the validation is complete, use a commonly available DVD application to burn the ISO image to a DVD. For example, if you have the Roxio application installed, right click the ISO file and select the option to burn a DVD.

For additional information, see Obtaining everRun Software.

Installing the everRun Software

Allow 60 to 90 minutes to complete the everRun software installation process.

  1. Install the everRun software on the first PM:
    1. Power on the first PM and insert the DVD.
    2. As the PM powers on, configure the following BIOS settings:

      • Set the first boot device to the Optical Drive.
      • Enable Virtualization Technology.
      • Enable Execute-Disable Bit Capability.

      Note: If you need to configure your keyboard for a different layout, see Mapping Your Keyboard.
    3. From the installation software's Welcome screen, use the arrow keys to select Install everRun, Create a new system, and press Enter.

    4. From the Select interface for private Physical Machine connection screen, select the first embedded port, em1 (if it is not already selected), and press F12.
    5. From the Select interface for managing the system (ibiz0) screen, select the second embedded port, em2 (if it is not already selected), and press F12.
    6. From the Select the method to configure ibiz0 screen, select Manual configuration (Static Address) and press F12.

      Note: To perform a dynamic IP configuration, select Automatic configuration via DHCP instead and skip to Step 1h, where you will need to write down the IPv4 address as described in Recording the Management IP Address.
    7. From the Configure em2 screen, enter the IPv4 address, netmask, default gateway address, and DNS address values that you received from your network administrator, and then press F12.
    8. No action from you is necessary until after the PM reboots. At that time, eject the DVD, connect the keyboard/console to the second PM, and go to Step 2.
  2. Install the everRun software on the second PM:
    1. Power on the second PM and insert the DVD.
    2. As the PM powers on, configure the BIOS as described in Step 1b.
    3. From the installation software's Welcome screen, use the arrow keys to select Replace PM, Join system: Initialize data, and press Enter.
    4. Perform Steps 1c through 1f.
    5. No action from you is necessary until after the second PM reboots. At that time, eject the DVD, disconnect the keyboard/console, and log on to the everRun Availability Console.

Logging On to the everRun Availability Console

  1. From the remote management computer, type the IP address of node0 (primary) into a browser address bar.

  2. The logon page of the everRun Availability Console appears. Enter admin for the Username and admin for Password, and then click LOGIN.

  3. The Stratus everRun EULA appears. Read the EULA and click Accept to accept it.

  4. The INITIAL CONFIGURATION page appears. Under NOTIFICATIONS, the box for Enable Support Notifications is checked, by default. If you do not want the everRun system to send health and status notifications to your authorized Stratus service representative, uncheck the box. You can change this setting later (see Configuring Remote Support Settings).
  5. Under SYSTEM IP, for IP Address, enter the address you obtained from your network administrator.

    After you have entered the network information, click Continue.

  6. The Portal Restart Required window appears. After waiting a minute (as indicated in the window), click OK to refresh the console and to continue.
  7. The LICENSE INFORMATION window appears. Under Upload License Key, click Browse and navigate to the license .KEY file that you received from Stratus. Select the license file and click Upload.

    For security, change the default user login name and password for the admin account on the Users & Groups page.

The everRun Availability Console appears. Bookmark or make note of the system IP address for use when logging in to the console in the future.

Creating a Protected Virtual Machine

First, create a virtual CD (VCD) to make software installation media available to the virtual machine (VM).

  1. Open the Virtual CDs page in the everRun Availability Console
  2. Click Create VCD to open the Virtual CD Creation Wizard.
  3. Follow creation wizard prompts. For details, see Creating a Virtual CD in the online help.

Next, create a new virtual machine (VM) and install a guest operating system on your everRun system.

  1. On the Virtual Machines page, click Create to open the VM Creation Wizard.
  2. Follow the creation wizard prompts. For details, see Creating a New Virtual Machine in the online help.

After you install the operating system, perform any other guest OS configuration tasks (for example, initializing disks and installing applications). For details, see Post-Installation Tasks in the online help.

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