# Deploy Skytap AIX Landing Zone 

The primary objective of this Skytap AIX Landing Zone is to set up all necessary components for migrating AIX on-premises systems to Skytap on Azure.

### 🚀 Prerequisites: ###

1. **Install Required Tooling:** <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/azure-resource-manager/bicep/install?WT.mc_id=AZ-MVP-5000671" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">VS Code and Bicep</a>.
2. **Create Your Skytap Account:** <a href="https://www.skytap.com/blog/creating-a-skytap-on-azure-account-from-the-azure-marketplace/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Skytap on Azure</a>.
3. **Set Up ExpressRoute Connection (Optional):** <a href="https://help.skytap.com/wan-create-self-managed-expressroute.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Using the Skytap Portal</a>.
4. **Create Resource Group:** Name it `skytap-landing-zone`.

## 📝 Analysis of the Bicep template: ###

This Bicep creates a set of Azure resources, including a Virtual Network, Virtual Machines, and associated components. Here's a breakdown of the key components and their purpose:

### Parameters
 The `main.bicepparam` file defines the below:

- **Location, Resource Group Name, Storage Account Name**: Define essential values.
- **VM Settings**: Includes admin username, password, DNS label, VM size, and security type.
- **New or Existing Storage**: Determine if a new or existing storage account is used.

The template also includes settings for the virtual machine, such as the admin username, password, DNS label, VM size, and security type.

### Resources
 The `main.bicep` file defines the below:
   
   - **Virtual Network (vnet)**: Creates a virtual network with specified address space.
   - **Subnets**: Defines subnets within the virtual network, including a *GatewaySubnet* and another subnet with an associated network security group.
   - **Local Network Gateway**: Sets up a local network gateway with specified IP address and address space, typically used in hybrid network scenarios.
   - **Public IP (gatewayPublicIP, vmPublicIp)**: Configures public IP addresses for the VPN gateway and the virtual machine.
   - **Virtual Network Gateway (vnetGateway)**: Creates an ExpressRoute Gateway with specified SKU and configuration.
   - **Express Route connection**: If there's already an Express Route deployed, the Bicep template will configure the Express Route connection to Skytap.
   - **Storage Account**: This Bicep template create a new storage account or it can use an existing storage account.
   - **Private Endpoint**: Configures a private endpoint for secure access to the storage account.
   - **Network Security Group**: Sets security rules for network traffic control.
   - **Network Interface (nic)**: Configures the network interface for the virtual machine, including accelerated networking.
   - **Virtual Machine (vm)**: Creates a Windows VM with specified settings, including admin credentials, disk configuration, and security profile (TrustedLaunch if specified).
   - **VM Extension**: Adds a custom script extension to the VM to download and install the AzCopy tool.

### Outputs
   - `hostname`: The fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the VM's public IP.
   - `storageAccountId`: The ID of the storage account, depending on whether a new or existing one is used.

This template sets up a complete environment in Azure to prepare for the AIX migration, including networking, storage, and a virtual machine, with options for secure and managed infrastructure configurations.



## 📦 Deployment Options: ##

### Option 1: Local Machine Deployment

Deploy application samples directly from your local machine using Windows Terminal and Azure PowerShell.

```powershell
$date = Get-Date -Format "MM-dd-yyyy"
$rand = Get-Random -Maximum 1000
$deploymentName = "SkytapDeployment-"+"$date"+"-"+"$rand"

New-AzResourceGroupDeployment -Name $deploymentName -ResourceGroupName skytap-landing-zone -TemplateFile .\main.bicep -TemplateParameterFile .\main.bicepparam -c
```

You can also utilize a Bicep parameters file for added flexibility.

### Option 2: Azure Portal Deployment

1. Open CloudShell(PowerShell) in the <a href="https://portal.azure.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Azure Portal</a> and clone the repository:

```powershell
git clone https://github.com/daveRendon/skytap.git
cd skytap/docs/aix/code/
```

2. Run the deployment script:

```powershell
./bicep-rg-deploy.ps1
```
Deployment takes up to 45 minutes. Example output:

![Deployment Output](/assets/images/aix-landing-zone-deployment-output.jpg)


## Post-Deployment Steps

Once the deployment completes, you can follow the below steps: 

1. **Replicate Data to Azure Blob Storage**: Transfer the mksysb backups to Azure Blob Storage using the JumpboxVM and AzCopy. Transfer the Mksysb from the blob storage to the JumpboxVM data disk(s).

1. **Setup Connectivity to Skytap**: Configure a VPN connection or ExpressRoute circuit from Azure to the Skytap environment.

1. **Deploy NIM Server in Skytap**: Create a NIM Server in your Skytap environment. You can do so by using the Skytap Portal or using the following [Python Script to create NIM Server in Skytap](/docs/aix/code/nim-server.py)

     #### Preparing your python script to deploy NIM Server:
   1. **API Credentials**: You must have valid Skytap API credentials (Login name and API token). These are crucial for the authentication part of the script.

   3. **Python Environment**: Ensure Python is installed on your system along with the `requests` library. If not, you can install Python from <a href="https://www.python.org/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">python.org</a> and install the `requests` library using pip:

      ```bash
      pip install requests
      ```

   #### Considerations:
   - **Security**: The script uses basic authentication, which involves sending your username and API token in the request headers.
   - **Permissions**: Your Skytap API user account needs to have the necessary permissions to create environments. If you encounter permissions errors, you may need to adjust your account settings or contact your Skytap administrator.

   #### Running the Script:
   To run the script:
   1. Open your text editor or Python IDE.
   1. Open the `nim_server.py` file.
   1. Replace `login-name` and `api_token` with your actual Skytap API credentials.
   1. Save the file.
   1. Open a command line or terminal.
   1. Navigate to the directory where the file is saved.
   1. Run the script by typing:
      ```bash
      python create_nim_server.py
      ```

   #### Expected Outcome:
   If all configurations are correct and you have sufficient permissions, the script will authenticate to Skytap, create a new environment based on the specified template, and print the details of the newly created environment. If there are any issues, it will print the error details provided by the Skytap API.



1. **Migrate the Mksysb Backups from Blob Storage to Skytap**: Copy the Mksysb files from the JumpboxVM data disks to the NIM server using SCP. (<a href="https://winscp.net/download/WinSCP-6.3.4-Setup.exe/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Download WinSCP</a>)

1. **Restore Mksysb Files**: Initiate the Mksysb restoration process on the target systems within Skytap.

1. **Add Filesystem to Restored LPARs**: Include necessary temporary space on the restored Logical Partitions (LPARs) for savevg and database files.

1. **Transfer Additional Backup Files (copy savevg and DB files to temporary disk on restore target)**: Copy savevg and database files to the temporary disk space allocated on the restoration targets.

1. **Restore Savevg and Database Files**: Complete the restoration of savevg and database files to ensure all system and application data is accurately reinstated.