RE: completely shut down multiple lpars and hmc

What is your definition of "from the iSeries LPAR itself" when talking
about the actual command PWRDWNSYS?

Let's first assume that you are talking about initiating PWRDWNSYS from a
5250 interface and not from FTP, ODBC, etc.
Having said that it is best to run it from the system console and not from
some other interactive session running in some interactive subsystem,
typically QINTER.
Most people with an HMC tend to use that to support their system console
also. I suppose there may be some weirdo who already has an HMC but wants
to use Lan Console to run their system console.
Let's also assume that we're talking about a currently supported version
of the OS, thus this leaves out twinax, ascii console, and the
gone-in-a-flash systems management console.

I never use a "dedicated" session when running my console on an HMC. I
always use a "shared" console session. It makes it really nice,
especially when your HMC is out of state in a lights out building. That
is perfectly ok to run a remote shared console session and run PWRDWNSYS.
With 15 lpars of IBM i scattered across three Power systems I do this
quite regularly.

There is another thing you can do from HMC which I only use on a totally
non responsive system. Let's say you got the system to restricted state
but your console is no longer working. There is a way on the HMC GUI to
tell it to power off the lpar. There's an option to try the OS command to
power it off (in IBM i, speak try the PWRDWNSYS). There's also an option
to just shut it down, again, something I only use in drastic situations.
Perhaps this was what you were talking about?


Rob Berendt