HBA Fibre Card for VIOS IVM POWERVM

filosophizer · #1 03-13-2013

I had previously asked a question in this thread

and was answered:

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukessd

POWER7 information
Dynamically managing physical adapters

IBM

You can use the Integrated Virtualization Manager to change the physical adapters that a running logical partition uses.

ensure that the Integrated Virtualization Manager is at version 1.5 or later.

HTH

I checked the above link and checked my POWERVM IVM

For the IVM VIOS Partition
Dynamic Logical Partitioning (DLPAR)

Partition hostname or IP address: xx.xx.xx.xx
Partition communication state: Active
Memory DLPAR capable: Yes
Processing DLPAR capable: Yes
I/O adapter DLPAR capable: Yes

For all other Client Partitions, which are switched on and off
Partition hostname or IP address:
Partition communication state: Not Configured
Memory DLPAR capable: No
Processing DLPAR capable: No
I/O adapter DLPAR capable: No

Question #1 : How can I enable the client partitions to be I/O adapter DLPAR capable: YES ?

Now, my system plan on IVM VIOS shows regarding the Fibre Adapter

Code:

Cards  
Backplane Slot Bus Device Feature or CCIN Device Description Device Serial # Order Status Used by Partition / Profile 
P1    C1     3            Fibre Channel Serial Bus 1F8030C37B           Own               vios / vios

MichaelFelt · #2 03-14-2013

I use IVM a lot, but do not have any Power6, now do I have the funding for buying a SAN. My systems are not provided by work.

I have never used the feature to move I/O adapters. I have never needed it. (wanted yes, but needed, no.) Instead I use virtual scsi.

With internal disks I have two volume groups: rootvg and a vgClient. I try and only use logical partitions from vgClient as boot disks for the client partitions.

Recently I have been using iSCSI to provide additional disks. I have put iSCSI disks "into" the VIOS/IVM and been able to share these via no_reserve to multiple partitions. I have also created iSCSI luns and both traditional LP backed remote disks as well as FileBacked remote disks.

Obviously, there are better ways to get performance (buying a better NAS and getting Gbit network installed helpd a lot!).

Before I forget: the DLPAR capabilities: since they are all no (when off that is obvious - there are no RMC daemons running, so no DLPAR communication is available). If you are still seeing that - after pressing the "retrieve capabilities" button - then apparently there is no IP communication between the VIOS (functioning as HMC "master" for this purpose) and the partitions. May also be they need a few more minutes to establish the communication links (by design, may take up to 5 minutes).

Hope this helps!

filosophizer · #3 03-14-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelFelt

I use IVM a lot, but do not have any Power6, now do I have the funding for buying a SAN. My systems are not provided by work.

I have never used the feature to move I/O adapters. I have never needed it. (wanted yes, but needed, no.) Instead I use virtual scsi.

With internal disks I have two volume groups: rootvg and a vgClient. I try and only use logical partitions from vgClient as boot disks for the client partitions.

Recently I have been using iSCSI to provide additional disks. I have put iSCSI disks "into" the VIOS/IVM and been able to share these via no_reserve to multiple partitions. I have also created iSCSI luns and both traditional LP backed remote disks as well as FileBacked remote disks.

Obviously, there are better ways to get performance (buying a better NAS and getting Gbit network installed helpd a lot!).

Before I forget: the DLPAR capabilities: since they are all no (when off that is obvious - there are no RMC daemons running, so no DLPAR communication is available). If you are still seeing that - after pressing the "retrieve capabilities" button - then apparently there is no IP communication between the VIOS (functioning as HMC "master" for this purpose) and the partitions. May also be they need a few more minutes to establish the communication links (by design, may take up to 5 minutes).

Hope this helps!

I don't have POWER6 either, I have power5 without HMC.
The partitions are running for 10 days now under VIOS/IVM and still I cannot see the DLPAR communication functions availability on the client Partitions.

Thanks for the tip about sharing internal disks through vscsi.

But, I want to know if I can attach SAN Storage through switch on POWER5 running IVM VIOS. So, the disks will be owned/handled by IVM/VIOS and then as you mentioned using vscsi to assign to the partitions.

MichaelFelt · #4 03-15-2013

of course you can attach san disks to vios partition.

you can share the luns via mkvdev -dev hdiskX -vadapter vhostZ ... just as if they are internal disks.

i thought you wanted to move the HBA to the client partition. Rumor says that can be done with IVM - I have never verified that personally. please forgive any misunderstanding on my part.

hope this helps.

p.s. I will find the command to reset the RMC communication. might need an external link for a picture. really fighting with my tablet. i still strongly dislike the virtual keyboard, and my finger seems to be a failed pointer when it comes to selecting text

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The Following User Says Thank You to MichaelFelt For This Useful Post:
filosophizer (03-15-2013)