How to Download AIX: A Guide for Beginners
If you are looking for a secure, scalable, and robust UNIX operating system for your IBM Power servers, you might want to consider AIX. AIX is IBM's proprietary UNIX operating system that has been trusted by organizations for over three decades to run their most mission-critical applications. In this article, we will show you how to download AIX ISO images from IBM, and how to install AIX on your system.
What is AIX and Why You Need It
AIX stands for Advanced Interactive eXecutive, and it is a series of proprietary UNIX operating systems developed and sold by IBM for several of its computer platforms. AIX is based on UNIX System V with 4.3BSD-compatible extensions, and it provides fully integrated support for 32 and 64 bit applications. AIX is certified to the UNIX 03 and UNIX V7 marks of the Single UNIX Specification, which means it conforms to the industry standards for UNIX operating systems.
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AIX Features and Benefits
AIX has many features and benefits that make it a powerful and reliable operating system for your business needs. Some of the key features and benefits of AIX are:
Security: AIX provides strong, enduring security with features that include Trusted AIX and Trusted Execution, which prevent unauthorized access and tampering of the system. AIX also supports encryption, authentication, authorization, auditing, firewall, and intrusion detection capabilities.
Performance: AIX delivers high performance and scalability with features such as processor, disk, and network virtualization, dynamic hardware resource allocation, workload management, live partition mobility, and live update. AIX also supports running AI inference directly in the core with AIX 7.3.
Reliability: AIX offers best-in-class reliability and availability with features such as journaling file system, online backup and restore, error logging and reporting, fault tolerance, clustering, disaster recovery, and serviceability tools.
Innovation: AIX drives innovation with hybrid cloud and open-source capabilities that help you build and deploy modern applications in a secure and resilient environment. AIX supports cloud deployment with IBM Power Systems Virtual Server, containerization with IBM Workload Partitions (WPARs), orchestration with Ansible, application modernization with IBM accelerators and tools, and integration with popular open-source software.
Compatibility: AIX ensures compatibility and portability with features such as binary compatibility, which allows applications to run unchanged and without recompilation on the newest releases of AIX. AIX also supports POSIX / SUS standards, common desktop environment (CDE), KornShell (ksh88), OpenGL graphics library, X Window System, NFS file sharing protocol, TCP/IP networking protocol, LDAP directory service protocol, SNMP network management protocol, Kerberos security protocol, NTP time synchronization protocol, SSH secure shell protocol, SFTP secure file transfer protocol, SSL/TLS secure sockets layer protocol, SMTP email protocol, HTTP web protocol, FTP file transfer protocol, Telnet remote login protocol, RSH remote shell protocol, RCP remote copy protocol.
AIX Versions and Support Lifecycle
AIX has different versions and technology levels (TLs) that are released periodically by IBM. Each version of AIX has a different support lifecycle that indicates the availability of fixes and updates for that version. The current versions of AIX are:
AIX VersionRelease DateEnd of Service Pack Support (EoSPS)
AIX 7.3December 2021April 2032
AIX 7.2December 2015April 2030
AIX 7.1September 2010April 2022
AIX 6.1November 2007April 2019
AIX 5.3August 2004April 2017
You can check the latest AIX support lifecycle information on the IBM website. You can also subscribe to the AIX newsletter to get the latest news and updates on AIX.
How to Download AIX ISO Images from IBM
If you want to download AIX ISO images from IBM, you need to have an IBM ID and an entitlement to access the Entitled Software Support (ESS) website. ESS is a web-based tool that allows you to download software, fixes, and updates for your IBM products. You can also use ESS to order physical media such as DVDs or CDs if you prefer.
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Prerequisites for Downloading AIX
Before you can download AIX ISO images from ESS, you need to meet the following prerequisites:
You need to have an IBM ID, which is a free account that you can create on the IBM website. You need to use your IBM ID to log in to ESS and other IBM services.
You need to have an entitlement, which is a license or a contract that grants you the right to use a specific IBM product or service. You can check your entitlements on the IBM My Entitlements website. If you don't have an entitlement, you can contact your IBM sales representative or business partner to obtain one.
You need to have a supported browser, which is a web browser that meets the minimum requirements for using ESS. The supported browsers are Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Edge. You also need to enable JavaScript and cookies in your browser settings.
You need to have a sufficient disk space, which is enough storage space on your computer or external device to save the downloaded AIX ISO images. The size of the AIX ISO images varies depending on the version and the technology level, but it is usually around 4 GB per image. You can check the size of the AIX ISO images on the ESS website before downloading them.
You need to have a reliable internet connection, which is a stable and fast network connection that allows you to download the AIX ISO images without interruption or corruption. The download speed depends on your internet service provider and your network bandwidth, but it is recommended to have at least 10 Mbps for optimal performance.
You need to have a download manager software, which is an optional but recommended tool that helps you manage and resume your downloads in case of network issues or power outages. Some examples of download manager software are Free Download Manager, Internet Download Manager, and JDownloader. You can also use the built-in download manager of your browser, but it may not support resuming downloads or verifying checksums.
You need to have a checksum verification software, which is an optional but recommended tool that helps you verify the integrity and authenticity of the downloaded AIX ISO images. A checksum is a unique code that is generated from the content of a file, and it can be used to compare two files and detect any errors or modifications. Some examples of checksum verification software are MD5summer, WinMD5Free, and HashTab. You can also use the built-in checksum verification feature of some download manager software.
Steps to Download AIX from Entitled Software Support (ESS)
Once you have met all the prerequisites for downloading AIX, you can follow these steps to download AIX ISO images from ESS:
Go to the and log in with your IBM ID and password.
Select AIX Operating System Software Downloads from the left navigation menu.
Select the AIX version that you want to download from the drop -down list. You can also filter the results by Technology Level and Service Pack if you want to download a specific release of AIX.
Select the Download Options button next to the AIX version that you want to download. You will see a list of available ISO images for that version, along with their size, description, and checksum.
Select the Download button next to the ISO image that you want to download. You will be prompted to choose a download method and a destination folder for saving the ISO image.
Choose your preferred download method. You can either use the HTTP Download Director, which is a Java applet that allows you to download multiple files at once, or the Download using http, which is a direct link that allows you to download one file at a time. If you use the HTTP Download Director, you will need to accept the security warning and allow the applet to run on your browser. If you use the Download using http, you will need to use a download manager software to manage and resume your download.
Choose your destination folder for saving the ISO image. You can either use the default folder suggested by the download method, or browse and select a different folder on your computer or external device. Make sure you have enough disk space available on your destination folder before starting the download.
Start the download. Depending on your download method, you may see a progress bar, a status message, or a pop-up window that shows the status of your download. You can also pause, resume, or cancel your download at any time.
Verify the checksum of the downloaded ISO image. After the download is complete, you can use a checksum verification software to compare the checksum of the downloaded ISO image with the checksum provided on the ESS website. If the checksums match, it means that the ISO image is intact and authentic. If the checksums do not match, it means that there was an error or corruption during the download, and you need to delete and re-download the ISO image.
Repeat steps 4 to 8 for each ISO image that you want to download. You can download as many ISO images as you need, depending on your AIX version and installation requirements.
Tips and Troubleshooting for Downloading AIX
Here are some tips and troubleshooting suggestions for downloading AIX from ESS:
If you encounter any issues with logging in to ESS, check your IBM ID and password, and make sure they are correct and valid. If you forgot your IBM ID or password, you can reset them on the IBM website. If you still have problems with logging in, contact IBM Support for assistance.
If you encounter any issues with accessing ESS, check your internet connection, browser settings, firewall settings, and antivirus settings, and make sure they are not blocking or interfering with ESS. If you still have problems with accessing ESS, contact IBM Support for assistance.
If you encounter any issues with downloading AIX from ESS, check your disk space, network bandwidth, download manager software, checksum verification software, and power supply, and make sure they are not causing any errors or interruptions during the download. If you still have problems with downloading AIX from ESS, contact IBM Support for assistance.
If you need more information or guidance on downloading AIX from ESS, you can refer to the , which provides answers to common questions and issues related to downloading AIX from ESS.
How to Install AIX on Your System
After you have downloaded AIX ISO images from ESS, you can install AIX on your system. Installing AIX involves preparing for the installation, choosing an installation method, and performing the installation.
Preparing for AIX Installation
Before you can install AIX on your system, you need to prepare for the installation by doing the following tasks:
Burn the downloaded AIX ISO images onto blank DVDs or CDs using a DVD/CD burning software such as Nero Burning ROM or ImgBurn. Alternatively, you can use a USB flash drive or an external hard drive as an installation media by copying the boot menu and selecting the DVD/CD drive as the boot device. Alternatively, you can change the boot order in the system BIOS to make the DVD/CD drive the first boot device.
Select the installation type that you want to perform. You can choose between Standard, which is the default and recommended option that installs AIX with the default settings and options, or Custom, which allows you to customize the installation settings and options according to your needs and preferences.
Select the installation mode that you want to use. You can choose between Preservation, which preserves your existing data and configuration files on your system, or New and Complete Overwrite, which erases your existing data and configuration files on your system. If you choose Preservation, you need to specify the volume group that contains your root file system. If you choose New and Complete Overwrite, you need to specify the disk that you want to use for installing AIX.
Select the installation source that you want to use. You can choose between DVD/CD, which uses the DVD/CD media that contains the AIX ISO images as the installation source, or NIM, which uses a NIM server as the installation source. If you choose NIM, you need to specify the IP address or hostname of the NIM server, and the name of the NIM resource that contains the AIX ISO images.
Select the installation target that you want to use. You can choose between Local Disk, which installs AIX on a local disk on your system, or Remote Disk, which installs AIX on a remote disk on another system. If you choose Remote Disk, you need to specify the IP address or hostname of the remote system, and the name of the remote disk that you want to use.
Select the installation language that you want to use. You can choose from a list of supported languages for installing AIX, such as English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, etc.
Enter the root password that you want to use for your AIX system. The root password is a secret and secure password that allows you to access and manage your AIX system as the superuser or administrator. You need to enter and confirm the root password, and make sure it meets the minimum requirements for length and complexity.
Configure the network settings for your AIX system. You can either use DHCP, which automatically assigns an IP address and other network parameters to your AIX system from a DHCP server on your network, or Manual, which allows you to manually enter an IP address and other network parameters for your AIX system. You also need to enter a hostname for your AIX system, which is a unique name that identifies your AIX system on your network.
Partition the disk for installing AIX. You can either use Automatic, which automatically creates and sizes the disk partitions for installing AIX based on the default or recommended values, or Manual, which allows you to manually create and size the disk partitions for installing AIX according to your needs and preferences. You need to create at least one partition for installing AIX, which is called the root partition or rootvg. You can also create additional partitions for storing data or applications, which are called logical volumes or user-defined volume groups.
Select the software that you want to install with AIX. You can either use Default, which installs AIX with the default or recommended software packages, or Customize, which allows you to customize the software packages that you want to install with AIX according to your needs and preferences. You can choose from a list of software groups and bundles that contain various software packages for different purposes and functions, such as base operating system, filesets, languages, devices, security, networking, web, database, etc.
Start the installation. After you have selected all the installation options and parameters, you can start the installation by selecting Install. You will see a progress bar and a status message that shows the status of the installation. The installation may take several minutes or hours depending on your system configuration and network speed.
Complete the installation. After the installation is complete, you will see a confirmation message that indicates that the installation was successful. You can then select Reboot to restart your system and boot into your new AIX system.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to download AIX ISO images from IBM, and how to install AIX on your system. We hope that this article has helped you understand the basics of AIX and how to get started with it. AIX is a powerful and reliable UNIX operating system that can help you run your most mission-critical applications in a secure and resilient environment. If you want to learn more about AIX and how to use it, you can refer to the following resources:
: This is the official documentation for AIX that provides detailed information and instructions on how to use AIX and its features.
: This is a collection of learning resources for AIX that includes courses, videos, blogs, podcasts, webinars, and events.
: This is a platform for AIX users and experts to share their knowledge and experience, ask questions, provide feedback, and connect with each other.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers related to downloading and installing AIX:
Q: How can I update or upgrade my existing AIX system?
A: You can update or upgrade your existing AIX system by using the , which is a tool that allows you to migrate your AIX system from one version or technology level to another.
Q: How can I check the version and technology level of my AIX system?
A: You can check the version and technology level of your AIX system by using the oslevel command, which displays the current operating system level of your AIX system. For example, if you run oslevel -s, you will see an output like 7200-05-01-2038, which means that your AIX system is at version 7.2, technology level 5, service pack 1, build date 2038.
Q: How can I create a bootable DVD/CD or USB/Hard Drive from an AIX ISO image?
A: You can create a bootable DVD/CD or USB/Hard Drive from an AIX ISO image by using a DVD/CD burning software or a disk cloning software as mentioned in the article. However, you need to make sure that the DVD/CD or USB/Hard Drive has enough space to accommodate the size of the AIX ISO image, and that it is formatted with a compatible file system such as UDF or FAT32.
Q: How can I access the graphical user interface (GUI) of AIX?
A: You can access the graphical user interface (GUI) of AIX by using the startx command, which starts the X Window System and launches the default desktop environment of AIX. Alternatively, you can use the smit command, which starts the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT), which is a graphical tool that allows you to perform various system administration tasks on AIX.
Q: How can I get help or support for AIX?
A: You can get help or support for AIX by contacting IBM Support, which provides technical assistance and guidance for IBM products and services. You can contact IBM Support by phone, email, chat, or web. You can also use the , which is a web-based tool that allows you to access and manage your IBM support cases, resources, and information.
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