1 - C H A P T E R -

C H A P T E R 1

Introduction to WDR

WDR (WBEM dynamic reconfiguration) provides an application program interface (API) that software applications can use to perform dynamic reconfiguration (DR) operations remotely on the following systems:

Sun Fire 15K

Sun Fire 12K

Sun Fire 6800

Sun Fire 4810

Sun Fire 4800

Sun Fire 3800

Software developers and systems administrators can use the WDR API to create custom applications that remotely perform crucial system management functions such as load balancing. WDR provides an alternative to the current, conventional method of performing DR operations, which are achieved either on the Sun Fire System Controller (SC) or on the Solaris domain (using the cfgadm system library).

Hardware Required for WDR

On Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 systems, WDR runs on an external host that is referred to as the Midframe Service Processor (MSP). On Sun Fire 15K and 12K systems, WDR runs on the System Controller (SC).

Hardware Required for MSP on Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 Systems

The minimum hardware requirements for an MSP are:

Sun4U architecture

8 GB disk space

128 MB RAM

CD-ROM drive

SunSwift card or, ideally, a QuadFast Ethernet card

Software Required for WDR

WDR can be used on Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 and Sun Fire 15K/12K system domains that run the Solaris 8 2/02 and Solaris 9 software. WDR is not bundled with other software, such as the Solaris operating environment

Software Required for Sun Fire 15K/12K Systems

To enable WDR, both the WDR software and Solaris WBEM Services software must be installed on the SC. Further, the System Management Services (SMS) version 1.2 software must be installed on the SC.

Software Required for Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 Systems

To enable WDR, both the WDR software and Solaris WBEM Services software must be installed on the MSP.

About Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)

The WDR interface is based on the Web-based Enterprise Management (WBEM) industry standard, which enables Web-based management of systems, networks, and devices on a variety of platforms. WBEM was developed by members of the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF), who represent many industry leaders.

WBEM is comprised of three principal components:

A method of modeling managed objects. WBEM uses the Common Information Model (CIM) to create classes that represent managed objects. These classes have properties that represent the attributes and states of managed objects; and methods that represent operations that can be performed on managed objects.

A means of encoding CIM information so that it can be sent over the wire. WBEM uses Extensible Markup Language (XML), a powerful and extensible subset of SGML, to encode CIM classes.

A way of encapsulating XML operations for transmission over the wire. WBEM uses XML/HTTP or RMI for sending operations that get information from, set the properties of, and perform operations on, managed objects

To summarize: in WBEM, managed objects are represented as CIM classes, properties, and methods; CIM operations are represented as either XML/HTTP or RMI messages; and those messages are sent over the wire.

A comprehensive description of the WBEM standard is beyond the scope of this document. However, complete information about WBEM is available from a variety of sources, including the DMTF Web site at www.dmtf.org.

Common Information Model (CIM)

WDR is a Sun Fire system-specific extension of the CIM schema that is used to represent:

Resources on Sun Fire systems that can be managed using DR,

Events that relate to DR or affect the state of the WDR model,

DR platform resources such as attachment points, which are represented by the AttachmentPoint class and its subclasses,

The containers of DR platform resources, such as domains and slots,

Events that affect the existence and/or state of objects in the WDR schema,

Associations between objects in the WDR schema, and

DR operations themselves.

The architecture of the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 systems differs significantly from that of the Sun Fire 15K and 12K systems. WDR includes CIM schema that reflect the architectures of all the different Sun Fire systems on which it is used.

Some of the objects in the CIM schema are common to all Sun Fire systems; other objects are used only on the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 systems; while other objects are used only on the Sun Fire 15K and 12K systems.

The commonalities between the system architectures are captured in platform-independent superclasses; the differences are captured in platform-specific subclasses of those platform-independent superclasses.

Platform-Specific and Common MOF Files

The CIM schema used by WDR is expressed in three Managed Object Format (MOF) files, which are ASCII text files that define all the objects that represent managed resources on Sun Fire systems.

WDR_core1.0.mof defines the common elements of Sun Fire 15K/12K, and 6800/4810/4800/3800 systems.

WDR_XC1.0.mof defines elements specific to Sun Fire 15K/12K systems.

WDR_SG1.0.mof defines elements specific to Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 systems.

In addition to providing a schema, the MOF file also provides the software developer or systems administrator with a formal definition of the objects that comprise the WDR CIM schema.

Note - For a formal definition of CIM, see Common Information Model, Implementing the Object Model for Enterprise Management, Winston Bumpus et al., Wiley Computer Publishing, copyright 2000, New York, ISBN 0-471-35342-6.

Operations that WDR Performs

WDR can perform the following dynamic reconfiguration operations remotely:

Add a system board (a CPU/memory board) to a domain that is running the Solaris software. DR first connects the board electrically to the system, putting it into a connected state. DR then configures the system board so that it is fully available to all applications running in the domain; the board is put into the configured state.

Move a system board from one domain to another domain, via an unconfigure operation followed by a configure operation.

Remove a system board from a domain and make it available for use by other domains.

List all attachment points that are currently available to domains on the system.

Display information about the current state of a specified system board, such as its power status, availability, and domain assignment.

Retrieve the memory configuration of a configured system board.

Retrieve information about the impact on memory, such as memory drain information, that is associated with detaching a configured system board.

The functionality of WDR is the same as the underlying functionality of DR itself; WDR adds no additional operations to DR. However, WDR does enhance DR by providing information about domains and slots; associations between classes; and event notification.

WDR is designed to perform DR operations efficiently, without any noticeable degradation of performance.

Administrator Security Models

WDR enforces the administrator security models on Sun Fire 15K/12K and 6800/4810/4800/3800 systems.

For complete information about implementing security at the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 system level, see the Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 Systems Platform Administration Manual (part number 805-7373).

For complete information about implementing security at the Sun Fire 15K/12K system level, see the System Management Services (SMS) 1.2 Administrator Guide for Sun Fire 15K/12K Systems (part number 816-5259).

In addition, security that is available through Solaris WBEM Services is described in Chapter 2 "Using Solaris WBEM Services in WDR."

WDR Security

The /etc/group file shows the groups to which the currently logged in user is subscribed.

Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 System Groups

The /etc/group file, which shows group membership on a Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 system, can be edited manually.

The following table shows all the operations that users can perform based on their group membership:


Group	Tasks that the User Can Perform
None (all users)	Enumerate domains and slots
spltadm	Assign and unassign boards
spltop	No special privileges
sdxadm	Where x represent a domain, can: Enumerate attachment points in domain x. Enumerate all attachment points if the user is in the sdxadm group in all domains. Change an attachment point state, assign, unassign, power-on, and power-off a board that is in domain x's available component list.
sdxop	Where x represent a domain, can: Enumerate attachment points in domain x. Enumerate all attachment points if the user is in the sdxop group in all domains.

Sun Fire 15K and 12K System Groups

To modify the /etc/group file, which shows group membership on a Sun Fire15K or 12K system, you run the /opt/SUNWSMS/bin/smsconfig script with arguments. See the System Management Services (SMS) 1.2 Administrator Guide for Sun Fire 15K/12K Systems for more information.

The following table shows all the operations that users can perform based on their group membership:


Group	Tasks that the User Can Perform
platadmn	Assign, unassign, power-on, and power-off boards
platoper	No special privileges
dmnxadm	Where x represent a domain, can: Enumerate attachment points in domain x. Enumerate all attachment points if the user is in the dmnxadm group in all domains. Change an attachment point state, assign, unassign, power-on, and power-off a board that is in domain x's available component list.
dmnxrcfg	Where x represent a domain, can: Enumerate attachment points in domain x. Enumerate all attachment points if the user is in the dmnxrcfg group in all domains. Change an attachment point state, assign, unassign, power-on, and power-off a board that is in domain x's available component list.

Solaris WBEM Services

WDR is an extension of the Solaris WBEM Services software, which is included in the Solaris 8 2/02 and Solaris 9 operating environments. Solaris WBEM Services software provides secure access and manipulation of management data, and enables software developers to create client applications that manage system resources in the Solaris environment.

Solaris WBEM Services software consists of components that function at three levels:

The Application Layer, where WBEM clients process and display data from managed resources. Application Layer services includes the WBEM Workshop; the WBEM User Manager, which allows administrators to add and remove authorized WBEM users and set their access privileges; and the MOF compiler.

The Management Layer, where the CIM API (which forms the boundary between the Application and Management Layers) enables the administrator to perform operations such as viewing and creating classes and instances of managed resources from the CIMOM. The CIMOM, the CIM Repository, and the Provider interface all reside at the Management Layer.

The Provider Layer. At this layer resides the Solaris Provider, which provides the CIMOM instances of managed resources in the Solaris operating environment, and gets and sets information about managed resources. The Solaris Provider forms the interface between CIMOM and managed system resources.

Solaris WBEM Services components interact with the Solaris software and with the system hardware. For more information about the Solaris WBEM Services software, visit the Solaris WBEM Web site at www.sun.com/software/solaris/wbem.

Developers of load balancing and other system management applications can use Solaris WBEM Services software to obtain information about the current level of resource utilization on a Sun Fire system domain. WDR itself does not provide system performance data.

CIM Object Manager (CIMOM)

The CIMOM manages CIM objects on a WBEM system. The CIMOM transfers information between WBEM clients, the CIMOM Repository, and to managed resources via providers. The CIMOM accepts connections from management applications using the RMI protocol, and provides the following services to connected clients:

Management services. The CIMOM checks the semantics and syntax of CIM data, and distributes data between applications, the CIM Repository, and managed resources.

Security services that enable administrators to control user access to CIM information.

Logging services that consist of classes that developers can use to create applications that dynamically record CIMOM event data to, and retrieve it from, a log record.

XML services that convert XML data into CIM classes, which enables XML-based WBEM clients to communicate with the CIMOM.

WBEM Providers

WDR contains several provider classes, which are expressed in the MOF files. WBEM providers are classes that act as intermediaries between the CIMOM and managed objects on a system. WBEM providers get information from, set information on, and may perform operations on, managed devices. WBEM providers forward retrieved information to the CIMOM, which is a part of the Solaris WBEM Services software, for delivery to the requesting clients.

When the CIMOM receives a request for information that is not available in the CIMOM Repository, it forwards the request to a provider. The provider receives requests for information, and returns the information, using APIs.

Solaris WBEM Software Development Kit (SDK)

Developers of WDR applications can use the Solaris WBEM SDK. However, there is no requirement to use the Solaris WBEM SDK because WDR uses a standard set of protocols. For more information about the Solaris WBEM SDK visit the Sun Developer Connection at: