AIX

Hi experts. I want to setup a training lab.

I have a Power 5 standalone server 9110-51A (p5 510)

I want to enable PowerVM on it and create two LPARs

I don't have money for an HMC

I know I can use IVM instead

I understand IVM is part of the VIOS software

TWO QUESTIONS:

1- If I wanted to use IVM instead of HMC, the only thing I would need to do is install the VIOS software? is there anything else I would need to install besides the VIOS? Is the VIOS software free?

2- Would I still need a PowerVM activation code?

IN SUMMARY

Can I virtualize a Power 5 server without spending a single dollar in licensing fees or activation codes?

For using PowerVM, ie. create LPARs and setup VIO server, you need the PowerVM license. You can check your activated licenses in the ASMI. There is no way around.
I have a 9131-52A with 1 CPU and the license alone cost me about 400€.

Assuming that you are licenced and can get the VIO install media, this may also be a lot of work, i.e. a server re-build. The way I have it is that the VIO software runs natively on the server. From that guests are created, rather than being true LPARs, much like in the old VM/MVS days on the IBM mainframes. Typically you would install VM as a hypervisor and then have users defined there that actually ran your VM or MVS that the business wanted to use.

I fear you may need to:-You will have to consider:-On the last point, I have inherited a bad design, such that a disk failure will knock out half the hdisks in all the LPARs we have defined. You will need at least 4 real disks in your server, two will be for the VIO operating system, two to create logical disks for your LPARs. Of course, if you can SAN connect, then the requirement for disks may be mitigated by hardware redundancy in the SAN definitions of the LUNs. We have LVM mirrors on the LPARs, but there would be a lot of work to replace a single real disk failure. There are ways to mirror at the VIO server level, but that was missed by us, so we have a bit of a mess.

I don't want to worry you unnecessarily, but you need to understand that it's not a trivial matter to convert.


I hope that this helps in your planning.



Robin
Liverpool/Blackburn
UK

1 - Yes - No - Yes, once you have 2
2 - Yes
IN SUMMARY
No.

thanks a lot mates. that helps a lot. one last question:

How much does the PowerVM Express Edition activation code costs? (link?)

It'll depend on your country, system and whether you want express, standard or enterprise.

Further reading:
https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/c...4232900&ps=100

You'll need to call IBM sales or an IBM business partner for a quote to get a clear idea.

HTH

First check maybe you have PowerVM Basic license
IBM Capacity on Demand: Activation code

Here Is how to decode VET code
IBM How to tell which PowerVM Editions feature was ordered - United States

It was really hard to buy P-series box without this license.

If you still do not have it you would need to contact IBM or some IBM re-seller, they need to create Config with List price for this license.

Now come hardware part.
If your box was ever connected to hmc you need to reset FSP first.
Otherwise IVM services on VIO will not start.
This was discussed on this forum at least few time