Preparing to Install a Device

Installing devices on your system consists of identifying where the device will be attached, connecting the device physically, and configuring the device with Web-based System Manager, the Configuration Manager, or SMIT.

Devices fall into two categories: SCSI and non-SCSI devices. The installation procedures have basic similarities, but the SCSI device installation requires additional steps for identifying the device's location code and SCSI address. Refer to "Installing a SCSI Device" for more information about installing SCSI devices.

Procedure

This section documents installation tasks that are common to all devices. Due to the wide variety of devices that you can install on your system, only a general procedure is provided. Refer to the installation instructions shipped with the specific device.

Note: The following procedure requires a shutdown of your system to install the device. Not all device installations require a shutdown of your system. Refer to the documentation shipped with the specific device.

1. Stop all applications running on the system unit and shut down the system unit using the shutdown command.
2. Turn off the system unit and all attached devices.
3. Unplug the system unit and all attached devices.
4. Connect the new device to the system using the procedure described in the setup and operator guide for the device.
5. Plug in the system unit and all attached devices.
6. Turn on all the attached devices leaving the system unit turned off.
7. Turn on the system unit when all the devices complete power-on self-tests (POST).

The Configuration Manager automatically scans the attached devices and configures any new devices it detects. The new devices are configured with default attributes and recorded in the customized configuration database placing the device in Available state.

You can manually configure a device using the Web-based System Manager fast path, wsm devices, or the SMIT fast path, smit dev, if you need to customize the device's attributes or if the device is one that the Configuration Manager cannot configure automatically (see the device documentation for specific configuration requirements).