Setup and Deployment

ZD&T License Server

ZD&T License Server is a prerequisite for running a PopUp Mainframe. Install instructions are here.


Installing PopUp Mainframe on Microsoft Azure

Popup Mainframe is available as a cloud offering through Microsoft Azure.

Watch the video to see how to spin up a PopUp on Azure, or follow the documentation below.

How to spin up PopUp on Azure from PopUp Mainframe.

1. Create Azure Virtual Machine

In the home screen of Azure portal go to Azure marketplace, click on private product/search for Popup Mainframe; Click on “Popup Mainframe” Create; the Create a virtual machine page opens:


  • Under Project details, select Subscription, and Resource group for the Virtual machine:
    Screenshot


  • Under Instance details, enter the required name for the Virtual machine name and choose PopUp Mainframe – Gen 1 for the Image. Leave the other defaults:
    Screenshot


NOTE: You can select the preferred Region, Availability options & Security type.

  • Select the required size to build the VM:
    Screenshot


NOTE: Check whether the Size is available for the selected Region.

  • Under Administrator account, select the Authentication type as SSH public key and provide a username, for PopUp VM the Username should only be “ibmsys1” and select the required SSH Public key source. If you want to use an already existing key select “Use existing key stored in Azure” and select the required key in Stored Key:
    Screenshot


  • Under Inbound port rules, choose Allow selected ports and then select SSH (22) from the drop-down. And click Next: Disks:
    Screenshot


  • Here you need to create and attach a new disk, select Create and attach a new disk:
    Screenshot


  • The recommended minimum disk size is 1024 GiB (Change this depending data size). Click OK:
    Screenshot


  • Leave the remaining defaults and then select the Review + create button at the bottom of the page.

  • After validation runs and passed, select the Create button at the bottom of the page. Deployment of the VM starts:
    Screenshot


  • After deployment is complete, Click on "Go to resource":
    Screenshot


  • Now the Virtual Machine has been created.


2. Enable Azure Ports

  • On the Networking of your VM, Click on Add Inbound port rule to create a new port:
    Screenshot


  • Enter the new inbound port – 3270 i.e. change the destination port to 3270, change the name and click Add:
    Screenshot


  • Now the new port is enabled:
    Screenshot


3. Connect to Azure VM

  • On the overview page for your VM, copy the Public IP address. click on connect on the left side to show ssh connection string:
    Screenshot


  • Logging into the newly created VM. Command: ssh -i key_path username@ip-address
    Screenshot
    Screenshot

4. Post Deployment Steps

See below for post deployment steps.


Deploying PopUp Mainframe on VMware


1. Download the OVA

Download the PopUp Mainframe OVA (or Cloud image) from the link provided to your organization by Popup Mainframe Team.


2. Deploy OVA on VMware

  1. Login using the vSphere client to the vSphere server (or vCenter Server) where you want to install PopUp
  2. In the vSphere Client, click File.
  3. Select Deploy OVA Template.
  4. Browse to the OVA file.
  5. Click Next.
  6. Select a hostname for the PopUp Mainframe.
  7. Select the data center where the PopUp Mainframe will be located.
  8. Select the cluster and the ESX host.
  9. Select one (1) data store for the PopUp Mainframe.
  10. See below for post deployment steps.


Deploying PopUp Mainframe on Virtualbox

This section aims to give an overview of the necessary basic steps/processes involved in ‘Creating a new Popup Mainframe on a Virtual Box’. However the install steps are similar for other technologies too. If you are using other Virtualization technology,we are happy to either install for you directly if you provide access or advise over a call/screen share meeting.


1. Download the PopUp Mainframe OVA

Download the Popup-mainframe OVA (or Cloud image) from the link provided to you.


2. Import PopUp Mainframe OVA

Import the OVA using VirtualBox GUI.Import using Command Line Interface(CLI) makes the process a lot faster than using GUI.Hence suggest to use the CLI.

Open the command prompt and navigate to the OVA download location and run the following command:

vboxmanage import PM_Final.ova

Further customization of the provisioned VM can be done using the command --dry-run

Run the below command to display all the avalable options:

vboxmanage import PM_Final.ova --dry-run

Check for the below output on running the above command. Note, this will not import the VM:

C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads>vboxmanage import PM_Final.ova --dry-run
0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
Interpreting C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads\PM_Final.ova...
OK.
Disks:
  vmdisk1       966367641600    -1      http://www.vmware.com/interfaces/specifications/vmdk.html#streamOptimized       PM_Final-disk001.vmdk      -1      -1

Virtual system 0:
 0: Suggested OS type: "RedHat_64"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --ostype <type>"; use "list ostypes" to list all possible values)
 1: Suggested VM name "PM_Final"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --vmname <name>")
 2: Suggested VM group "/"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --group <group>")
 3: Suggested VM settings file name "C:\Users\Administrator\VirtualBox VMs\PM_Final\PM_Final.vbox"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --settingsfile <filename>")
 4: Suggested VM base folder "C:\Users\Administrator\VirtualBox VMs"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --basefolder <path>")
 5: Number of CPUs: 1
    (change with "--vsys 0 --cpus <n>")
 6: Guest memory: 8192 MB
    (change with "--vsys 0 --memory <MB>")
 7: Network adapter: orig NAT, config 3, extra slot=0;type=NAT
 8: IDE controller, type PIIX4
    (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 8 --ignore")
 9: IDE controller, type PIIX4
    (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 9 --ignore")
10: Hard disk image: source image=PM_Final-disk001.vmdk, target path=PM_Final-disk001.vmdk, controller=8;channel=0
    (change target path with "--vsys 0 --unit 10 --disk path";
    disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 10 --ignore")

For the purpose of this documentation, the option to change the VM name --vmname is used here.

vboxmanage import PM_Final.ova --vsys 0 --vmname=pm_testing

Check for the below output, once the import is complete:

output: Screenshot


3. Customize the VirtualBox VM

Open the VirtualBox GUI and go to the newly created VM Settings > Network. The default network option is "Nat Adapter" .Change this as per your needs and ensure the VM is able to communicate with the ZD&T License Server. We use Bridged Adapter with DHCP.

4. Post Deployment Steps

See below for post deployment steps.


Post Deployment Steps

The following steps apply to all deployment target architectures.

Once logged into the Virtual Machine, you need to generate and apply the License before you can proceed with setup.

  • From ibmsys1 user execute “/usr/local/bin/request_lic”. The license request file (pm-request.lic) is created:
    Screenshot

  • Download and share the generated file with PopUp Team.

  • Popup Team will send you the updated license file (pm-update.lic)

  • Upload the “pm-update.lic” file to the server.

  • Execute “/usr/local/bin/apply_lic pm-update.lic” to apply the license:
    Screenshot

  • Upon Successful license application, Execute the “/usr/local/bin/zdt_setup” as root user:
    Screenshot

  • Now the ZD&T Setup is running. This setup may take 30minutes to 1 hour for completion:
    Screenshot

  • Once ZD&T Setup is complete, exit from root and execute the ./ipl script to start up your PopUp Mainframe:

./ipl

  • Your copy of Popup Mainframe is now running and ready to use.


Conclusion

Through this guide, you have configured, deployed, applied a ZD&T license and started up your Popup Mainframe machine successfully.

If you have any questions, please contact the Popup Support Team


Page last revised on: 2023-03-30