Navigator for i Enhancements

You may remember the IBM announcement last October that included “IBM Navigator for i usability and performance enhancements.” Late in December, all of the required PTFs for this functionality were made available. However, the announcement information did not include all of the details of the new enhancements. If you take a look at the PTF cover letter of the IBM Navigator for i service pack update, SI47573, you will discover there are more enhancements that have been made than were included in the announcement information.

The announcement information covered the general usability and performance enhancements to the user interface – significant improvements have been made to the navigation with expandable sections in the left-hand navigation frame, which makes it more like System i Navigator. The usability and performance of tabs and tables have also been significantly improved. The Navigator for i page on the developerWorks site has additional information.

One area that had major enhancements that was not included in the announcement information was the Performance Data Investigator. The blog last fall, Performance Data Investigator – Better than Ever, reviewed those changes. The IBM i developerWorks site was recently updated with more information on these Fall 2012 enhancements.

If you read the PTF cover letter referenced above, you will discover that there are additional enhancements to IFS support, Disk Management support, OmniFind, DHCP and Database. Most of the enhancements are available for both the 6.1 and 7.1 releases and at the end of this article is a list of the PTFs you will need for each release.

I encourage you to install these PTFs if you have not yet done so and start using the latest features. You’ll be ready to explore the additional enhancements that I will write about in the upcoming weeks.

You need the following PTFs for full functionality. Note the PTF group levels listed below are the latest levels available as of the writing of this blog.

 

◦       IBM HTTP server for i group PTF (includes the java toolbox PTFs)
This PTF will provide the functionality you need for the Navigator console.

▪       7.1 - SF99368 level 17

▪       6.1 – SF99115 level 29

◦       Java group PTF
Since the Navigator function is implemented in Java, it's always a good idea to have the latest Java group PTF installed.

▪       7.1 - SF99572 level 12

▪       6.1 – SF99562 level 23

◦       Database group PTF
Many enhancements were made to the database capabilities so you also need the latest DB2 PTFs on the partitions you are managing. Performance Data Investigator enhancements for DB2 are only supported on 7.1.

▪       7.1 - SF99701 level 23

▪       6.1 – SF99601 level 28

◦       Performance Tools group PTF
The Performance Data Investigator enhancements also have operating system enhancements that are required; you will need these PTFs on the partitions you are managing.

▪       7.1 - SF99145 level 5

▪       6.1 – SF99144 level 6

 

 

 

New PowerHA SystemMirror Enhancements

This week’s blog was written by Jenny Dervin. Jenny is the technology leader for IBM i High Availability.

Last week, as part of the IBM i 7.1 TR6 announcement, we also announced several new enhancements to PowerHA SystemMirror for i. These enhancements will be available by the end of March via PTFs (SI48371, SI48522, and SI48540). All the changes will be available for the 7.1 release in every language currently supported by PowerHA.

Since PowerHA support for SAN Volume Controller (SVC) and Storwize V7000 replication services was made available last year, many customers have also requested LUN or logical unit switching for those storage devices. With the upcoming PTFs, PowerHA will support LUN level switching for the SVC, Storwize V7000, and Storwize 3700 storage devices. PowerHA LUN level switching support requires NPIV (N Port ID Virtualization) attachment of the storage device, and thus requires IBM i TR6.

With LUN level switching, access to a single IASP can be switched from one IBM i instance to another. This protects against planned or unplanned IBM i or Power systems outages. Since it does not protect against disk subsystem outages or disasters, the LUN level switching technology is commonly used in conjunction with a replication technology such as Metro Mirror or Global Mirror. While Metro Mirror and Global Mirror are not yet available on the Storwize V3700, the storage team has issued a statement of direction that support is coming.

Another PowerHA enhancement is the completion of support for all functionality within the PowerHA GUI. The PowerHA GUI was PTFed into 7.1 last year and supported a subset of the functionality within the PowerHA licensed product. Now, the PowerHA GUI will support all of the technologies available in the PowerHA product, including all of the enhancements available in March. The PowerHA GUI contains wizards to help in creating an IASP and moving libraries and directories into an IASP, as well as configuration and management capability for a hardware based replication solution. The PowerHA GUI is available as part of IBM Navigator for i.

A new ‘Work With’ command to manage administrative domain is available. The Work With Administrative Domain Monitored Resource Entries (WRKCADMRE) command will make it easier to manage a large number of monitored resource entries (MREs). The entries can be sorted by name, typeor status, and it’s also possible to position to specific MRE names or types.

There are other enhancements included in the PTFs as well. We’ve made usability and availability improvements to our administrative domain, FlashCopy, and replication functions to work from any cluster node. We’ve improved the availability of adding and removing administrative domain MREs. For our customers using the geographic mirroring technology, changing the synchronization priority is now less disruptive. For more information on these enhancements, as well as links to other PowerHA resources, go to the PowerHA developerWorks wiki.

To keep up-to-date with PowerHA enhancements as well as fixes, we now periodically update high availability PTF groups for both 6.1 and 7.1. The 6.1 PTF number is SF99606 and the 7.1 PTF number is SF99706. These latest enhancements will be included in the next 7.1 high availability PTF group refresh.

 

 

 

IBM i Now Supports USB Flash Drives

I’d like to thank Jim Tilbury who is the lead of the IBM i removable media team for writing this blog article.

Last October, IBM i introduced Removable Mass Storage (RMS) technology with the RDX removable disk cartridge. The blog “Removable Mass Storage” reviewed that capability. Today, IBM is adding support to use USB Flash Drives as a second type of RMS technology. Flash drives can hold as much data as multiple DVDs and can typically access the data much faster. This allows a much more convenient way to move data (either IFS or save data) to another machine. IBM does not qualify nor recommended any particular device, but typical USB 2.0 devices from 2 to 32GB have been used in our testing. Performance varies from device to device, but ranges of 1 to 4 MB/S for IFS writes are typical. If a particular flash drive does not work, it may not comply with the USB interface specifications, and a different drive should be used.

The device appears to the system when plugged into a USB port that is configured to be in an i partition. Like RDX, it is an optical class device, and may be used with save/restore or with the QOPT file system in IFS. Because there is no eject button to remove media, users should be careful to not unplug the device when it is in use. The file system expects safe removal of media; for Flash Drives, this is done by varying off the device description, or logically removing the media with the RMVOPTCTG command (option 4 on WRKOPTVOL) prior to unplugging the device.

Once a configuration is active, the operating system will allow the same operations to change media as devices that remain operational when the media is removed. This means the configuration may be varied off and on when the media is removed, and the device will remain operational but report “no media”.

If a flash drive is inserted that has files on it, but displays on the system as unknown format, it is probably formatted with a file system that IBM i does not recognize (Microsoft NTFS, for example). When it is initialized on IBM i, it is initialized with the UDF file system. This file system is supported on Microsoft Windows-7, and files can be moved between i and Windows using this format.

If an IBM i 7.1 TR 6 partition owns the device it will have a device type of 63BC. An IBM i 7.1 partition is capable of hosting this device to another i partition that is at 6.1.1 or 7.1. On a client partition running IBM i 6.1.1 with current PTFs a flash drive will be detected as a device type 632C. On an IBM i client partition running 7.1 a Flash Drive will be detected as device type 63BC. There is no VIOS support for Flash Drives.

Save/restore operations are done just as with a DVD, for example SAVLIB DEV(RMS01).... Because it is an optical class device, you can also use IFS to manage data, e.g. WRKLNK OBJ('/QOPT/RDXVOL'). Commands are the normal optical storage commands (WRKOPTVOL, INZOPT, etc). See this article in the IBM i Information Center.

 

 

 

Move My i

Today is a major announcement day for IBM i with Technology Refresh 4 (TR4). Steve's “You and i” blog reviews the content of this announcement.

Last year, IBM provided support to suspend an i partition, which I previously wrote about in “Suspend my i”. 

The most significant function in IBM i TR4 is Live Partition Mobility. With Live Partition Mobility, you can take an active, running IBM i partition and move it from one frame to another frame, without disruption to your applications. I'm not going to discuss more about what mobility is and why you might want to use it, as Steve covered that in his blog. What I do want to write about is a little more detail on just what you need to accomplish this.

There are both hardware and software prerequisites:

• POWER7 tower/rack system for both the source and destination systems
  • Firmware service pack 730_xx, 740_xx, or later
  • IBM Hardware Management Console V7R7.5.0M0, or later
• All I/O must be virtual and supported by VIOS; it can be Virtual SCSI (VSCSI), Virtual Fibre Channel (NPIV) or Virtual Ethernet
• The configuration must use only external storage and that storage must be accessible to both the source and destination systems
• Both source and destination systems must be on the same Ethernet network
• IBM i 7.1 TR4 PTF group – SF99707 level 4
• PowerVM Enterprise Edition on both the source and target system
• VIOS 2.2.1.5 (FP25 SP3) on both the source and target system [[CORRECTION: It's VIOS 2.2.1.4]]

There are a few restrictions that are too detailed to review in this blog; the Live Partition Mobility documentation in the IBM i developerWorks site reviews the complete set of prerequisites, requirements and restrictions.

The actual move of a partition is initiated from the HMC. IBM Systems Director VMControl has relocation, which you can imagine will ultimately support IBM i as well.

In general, applications and the operating system are unaware that the partition is moved from one system to another. There are some exceptions to this, such as Collection Services; when the partition is starting to run on the target system, the Collection Services collector job will cycle the collection so correct hardware information is recorded on the target system.

There are two new work management exit points that are part of the IBM i suspend and mobility support. These exit points allow to you run a program before and after a partition is suspended or moved. (These exit points are the same, regardless of whether you are suspending a partition or moving a partition). 

            Work with Registration Information

 

 Type options, press Enter.

  5=Display exit point  8=Work with exit programs

 

              Exit

   Exit         Point

 Opt Point         Format  Registered Text

 _  QIBM_QWC_RESUME    RSMS0100   *YES   Resume system

 _  QIBM_QWC_SUSPEND   SSPS0100   *YES   Suspend system  

The suspend exit is called before the partition is suspended or moved and is called two twice. The first time it is called to check to see if the operation is allowed. The second call is to prepare for the move or suspend operation.

The resume exit is called after the move is complete or after the system has been restarted from a suspended state. Applications can use these exit points to monitor and accept or refuse move or suspend requests. Running an exit program after a move or suspend also allows an application to refresh any copies of any system-specific information, log information about mobility requests for licensing or other purposes, adjust heart beat rates or whatever actions an application may require.

For more information on these exit points, refer to the “What's New”for APIs in the IBM i 7.1 Information Center.

The following messages may be logged to the QSYSOPR message queue as part of the suspend or move request:

• CPI09A5 - Partition suspend request in progress.
• CPI09A6 - Partition not ready for suspend request.
• CPI09A7 - Partition suspend request canceled.
• CPI09A8 - Partition resumed after migration.
• CPI09A9 - Partition resumed from hibernation.

The system serial number will change when a partition has been moved. The model and processor feature may also change.

The documentation on enhancements added to IBM i via Technology Refreshes can be found on the IBM developerWorks web site.

Other sources for documentation on Live Partition Mobility for IBM i include:

• Partition mobility overview for HMC
  
• IBM PowerVM Live Partition Mobility
  
• API Guide (For registering system exits)
• Licensing information
• Software Knowledge Base

          Search for “Live Partition Mobility” to find any usage notes.

 

IBM i 7.1 Enhancements – Something for Everyone

Last week, IBM had a major announcement, which included several significant IBM i enhancements. There were so many great things announced for i that this blog will just review the latest updates at a high level and future blogs will discuss some of these enhancements in more detail. This is a departure from my usual approach to technical topics – but there was just so much content in this announcement that I wanted to make sure it gets the awareness it deserves. There was no way I could pick just one topic to write about this week.

It's great to see so much function coming to i outside of a major release update. The challenge, of course, is how to document the new content. While the IBM i 7.1 Information Center gets updated on an ongoing basis, the IBM i developerWorks site is where you will find information on the latest updates and enhancements.

Once you get to the i developerWorks site, the “Technology udpates” link, found in the left-hand navigation pane, is where you can find more information regarding the ongoing enhancements being made to i. I wrote about this in the recent blog “iZone Shows You the Enhancements.” 

Once you get to the Technology Updates page, you will discover additional navigation options. Information regarding the latest DB2 updates, i operating system updates, hardware and firmware updates and more can be found from here.

There were a couple little gems within the 7.1 announcement last week, including native zip and unzip capability and improved scaling in locking support within the operating system. Other areas that were enhanced include:

• Application Runtime Expert
• Integrated Web service client
• DB2 Web Query
• Zend PHP
• IBM Toolbox for Java / JTOpen
• Rational tools
• A new Business Intelligence solution offering

The content of IBM i Technology Refresh 3 (TR3) is pretty amazing; not only is there support for the latest POWER7 systems and I/O features that were announced, but you will also discover support for Ethernet Link Aggregation and Ethernet Layer 2 Bridging. In addition, the Virtual Partition Manager can now be used to create IBM i client partitions.

For the complete summary of these i enhancements, refer to the 7.1 Release for Announcement. 

Finally, in case you haven't seen it, IBM has released a new video (filmed at the Spring COMMON Conference) where our i clients describe the value of i to their businesses. The video can be found here or on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

Suspend My i

Another IBM announcement day; there were several IBM i-related enhancements, one of which is Suspend/Resume, a feature of PowerVM that was already supported on AIX and Linux and is now available on i.

From the RFA:
PowerVM includes support for an IBM i 7.1 partition to be suspended, and later resumed. Using Suspend/Resume, clients can perform long-term suspension of partitions, which frees server resources used by that partition, and later resume operation of that partition and its applications on the same server.

Why might you be interested in suspending an i partition? There are numerous examples:

•    Free up system resources for other partitions to use.
•    Suspend workloads and applications so that hardware maintenance can be done, resuming the partitions later, thus starting up where they were running and avoiding a full IPL of each partition.
•    Energy savings; use fewer processors when the workloads aren’t needed.
•    Perhaps you have some long-running tests, but you'd like to save energy by not running those tests overnight; you could suspend the work and only run the tests during the day, without losing the work you've already done.


To use Suspend/Resume with i requires the following:

•    IBM i 7.1 with Technology Refresh 2 PTF Group
•    The logical partition must be configured to use all virtual I/O (i.e., the virtual I/O server is required and you must be using external storage)
•    The partition must be managed by an HMC or the newly announced IBM Systems Director Management Console (SDMC)
•    The partition must be configured to allow it to be suspended through the HMC or SDMC
•    The resume of the partition must occur on the same system on which the suspend was done

Control of suspending--and subsequently resuming--an IBM i partition is done through the HMC or SDMC as an interactive procedure. The operating system will validate that it’s in a state that’s acceptable to suspend.

A partition can remain suspended indefinitely. When you resume a partition, its saved state is restored and it will begin to function as it had prior to the suspend. There may be a burst of activity that occurs when a partition is resumed since it will appear to the system that the clock has been moved forward. Functions that are time-interval based may begin running immediately when the partition is resumed, while other functions will run when the next timer interval expires. 

The capability to suspend an IBM i partition is an exciting new enhancement. If you aren’t yet on the 7.1 release, perhaps this new capability (or one of the many other features announced) will provide the incentive to take a good look at 7.1.