RE: Power8 PCI slots -- MIDRANGE-L

Rob,

I see said the blind man.
Yes, with VIOS I can see this working.
I'm not sure if host/guest, I need to see that config.
Also, did you know from a performance stand point an 8 gb FC port can only handle 2 LTO5 FC drives at once (bandwidth wise).
It's worse with LTO6.

Ah, they now announced a 16 gb FC card, that should solve the issue.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 9:18 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Power8 PCI slots

they are guested by VIOS.

Since you do hosting and guesting you're no stranger to this. Just VIOS is a different wrinkle.
You've got a VIOS lpar.
Type..................Adapter Id...Server/Client Partition..Partner Adapter Server Fibre Channel..12...........MAIL3(3).................12
Server Fibre Channel..13...........GDI(4)...................13
Server Fibre Channel..14...........RACK3HOST(6).............14
Server Fibre Channel..15...........GDWEB3(5)................15

Then, let's look at the MAIL3 guest lpar profile.
Type..................Adapter Id...Server/Client Partition..Partner Adapter Client Fibre Channel..12...........VIOS_2(2)................12
You know that the adapter id numbers don't have to match, it's just the way our BP does it.

Now I don't know the VIOS equivalent of CRTNWSD or whatever they do to host the fiber card. That was done by our BP.
But I do know that when I created the lpars of IBM i, with autoconfig turned on, WRKMLBSTS Device/
Resource Status Allocation
TAPKVL01 VARIED ON
TAP01 OPERATIONAL UNPROTECTED
TAP02 OPERATIONAL UNPROTECTED
TAP03 OPERATIONAL UNPROTECTED

Now, I did rename it from TAPMLB01 to TAPKVL01 to match our convention here.

WRKHDWRSC *STG
Resource Type-model Status Text
CMB03 6B25-001 Operational Storage Controller
DC03 6B25-001 Operational Storage Controller
TAPMLB01 3576-05B Operational Tape Library
9=Work with resource
Resource Type-model Status Text
TAPMLB01 3576-05B Operational Tape Library
TAP03 3580-004 Operational Tape Unit
TAP02 3580-004 Operational Tape Unit
TAP01 3580-004 Operational Tape Unit
Option 7 here will tell me the serial number of each physical drive.

And everything is all buddy buddy.
You do a brms save to TAPMLB01 and it figures out which TAPxx isn't busy and runs with it.
Fire up another save on a different lpar to TAPMLB01 and it will go to a different TAPxx.
Only time you run into a problem is if you fire up four saves and your switch and tape library only support 3 drives.
We have another 9U expansion loaded with 4 more drives due in any day.
(and this is our offsite backup location).

Our primary site does pretty much the same thing with a four fiber drive 3573. Only different is it is still running a FC per lpar. However, WRKMLBSTS still shows all drives like the above. Only here you'll see four. Again, all buddy buddy. We could do four lpars at once if one of them wasn't hosting another. That will change and the hosting lpar will be an IBM i lpar dedicated to hosting disk. May still use VIOS for virtualizing ethernet and fiber.

Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1 Group Dekko Dept 1600 Mail to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com

From: "Steinmetz, Paul" <PSteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'"
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 04/28/2014 08:44 PM
Subject: RE: Power8 PCI slots
Sent by: "MIDRANGE-L" <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Rob,

How does each LPAR see the Tape Library.
You need a FC from each LPAR?
I'm not moving an FC cards.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 8:38 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Power8 PCI slots

One card from your Power 8 box to your Brocade FC switch.
One cable from each drive to your Brocade FC switch.
Total of only 5 ports on a switch. Switches sometimes charge hundreds per
port.
You map the one port from the Power 8 box to all four drives.

Add a new lpar. Doesn't require a new SAN port or card (or open port on
existing card).

Spun up a new Power box with four lpars of IBM i in our Kendallville
office. Only took one port on our switch. Can still back up multiple
lpars at once.

Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1 Group Dekko Dept 1600 Mail
to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com

From: "Steinmetz, Paul" <PSteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'"
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 04/28/2014 07:48 PM
Subject: RE: Power8 PCI slots
Sent by: "MIDRANGE-L" <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Rob,

Our 3573 tape library has 4 LTO5 HH FC drives, we do use 4 drives
simultaneously.
We connect via a Brocade FC switch.
Switch is configured so all 4 LTO drives are available to any LPAR at
once.
Each LTO5 HH FC does need a FC connection on the i.
We have 2 FC ports on each, I'm not sure how this could be improved on.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 6:59 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Power8 PCI slots

We did separate FC for each lpar until just now.

Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1 Group Dekko Dept 1600 Mail
to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com

From: "Steinmetz, Paul" <PSteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'"
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 04/28/2014 04:53 PM
Subject: RE: Power8 PCI slots
Sent by: "MIDRANGE-L" <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Jim,

Because we really only have 2 LARS, we decided years back NOT to use
VIOS, KISS.
Each LPAR has its own hardware.
We need separate FC for tape for both production and R&D LPAR
(simultaneously both use tape), we no longer DLPAR FC for tape.
I use the CEC has a host for guest DSLO and testing LPARs only.

Yes, we need to wait and see the costs.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim

Oberholtzer
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 4:49 PM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Power8 PCI slots

Unless you really, I mean really need VIOS, I would not run it. Virtual
Ethernet and other support is so good at IBM i that unless you really need

NPIV support for external storage or Tape of some sort, I'd just use the
IBM I virtualization. It's fast, stupid easy to set up, and just works.

Rob's right you most likely could cut out all but one 4 port Ethernet
card, and depending on the tape you use, either virtualize it or if it's
fibre, then move the card(s) as it makes sense. We have not seen pricing
yet so we have no idea what that extra socket is going to cost.

--
Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 2:38 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Power8 PCI slots

Do you really need all 11 slots? Are some of these numerous fiber or
ethernet cards to support multiple lpars which would be better served
being virtualized via VIOS?

Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1 Group Dekko Dept 1600 Mail
to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com

From: "Steinmetz, Paul" <PSteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'"
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 04/28/2014 03:10 PM
Subject: Power8 PCI slots
Sent by: "MIDRANGE-L" <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

This may a bit early and maybe pre-mature.
Now that the Power8 PCI slots are again "hot swappable" (Power 5 was,
Power 6 and Power7 not).
Current Power7 is configured with 2 loops, (4 5913) each 5913 pair is
split in one of two 5877, in case of drawer and/or loop failure.

If I were to upgrade to a Power8, at some point, I theoretically could
eliminate my two 5877, put all 11 slots in Power8 CEC.
Not only would this eliminate all expansion drawers, but also both GX++
loops.
Hardware maintenance would also be reduced.

One negative would be that I'd be maxed, no room for expansion, currently
I have 9 empty slots.

Any other negatives or thoughts from the group.

Thank You
_____
Paul Steinmetz
IBM i Systems Administrator

Pencor Services, Inc.
462 Delaware Ave
Palmerton Pa 18071

610-826-9117 work
610-826-9188 fax
610-349-0913 cell
610-377-6012 home

psteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:psteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
http://www.pencor.com/

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