Using z/VM v 6.2 Single System Image (SSI) and Live Guest Relocation (LGR)


Book Description

In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, we expand upon the concepts and experiences described in "An introduction to z/VM Single System Image (SSI) and Live Guest Relocation (LGR)", SG24-8006. An overview of that book is provided in Chapter 1, "Overview of SSI and LGR" on page 1. In writing this book, we re-used the same lab environment used in the first book, but expanded it to include IBM DB2® v10 on Linux on System z®, two IBM WebSphere® Application Server environments, and added a WebSphere application, used for performance benchmarking, which provided a workload that allowed us to observe the performance of the WebSphere Application Server during relocation of the z/VM® 6.2 member that was hosting the application server. Additionally, this book examines the use of small computer system interface (SCSI) disks in the z/VM v6.2 environment and the results of using single system images (SSI) and live guest relocation (LGR) in this type of environment. In the previous book, a detailed explanation of relocation domains was provided. In this book, we expand that discussion and provide use cases of relocation domains in different situations. Finally, because the ability to back up and restore your data is of paramount importance, we have provided a discussion about how to use one tool, the IBM Backup and Restore Manager for z/VM, which can be used in the new z/VM6.2 environment. We provide a brief overview of the tool and describe the changes in the installation process as a result of using single system image clusters. We also demonstrate how to set up the configuration file, and how to back up and restore both a user and an identity. This publication is intended for IT architects who will be responsible for designing the system and IT specialists who will have to build the system.




An Introduction to z/VM Single System Image (SSI) and Live Guest Relocation (LGR)


Book Description

IBM® z/VM® 6.2 introduces significant changes to z/VM in the form of multi-system clustering technology allowing up to four z/VM instances in a single system image (SSI) cluster. This technology is important, because it offers clients an attractive alternative to vertical growth by adding new z/VM systems. In the past, this capability required duplicate efforts to install, maintain, and manage each system. With SSI, these duplicate efforts are reduced or eliminated. Support for live guest relocation (LGR) allows you to move Linux virtual servers without disruption to the business, helping you to avoid planned outages. The z/VM systems are aware of each other and can take advantage of their combined resources. LGR enables clients to avoid loss of service due to planned outages by relocating guests from a system requiring maintenance to a system that remains active during the maintenance period. Together, the SSI and LGR technologies offer substantial client value, and they are a major departure from past z/VM practices. This IBM Redbooks® publication gives you a broad understanding of the new SSI architecture and an overview of LGR. We show an LGR example that shows a typical SAP user environment. In our example, the SAP Application Server Central Instance resides on a Linux on System z® guest and an IBM DB2® 10 database server runs on z/OS®. This book is written for IT architects, who design the systems, and IT specialists, who build the systems.




DB2 10 for Linux on System z Using z/VM v6.2, Single System Image Clusters and Live Guest Relocation


Book Description

IBM® z/VM® 6.2 introduced significant changes to z/VM with a multi-system clustering technology that allows up to four z/VM instances in a single system image (SSI) cluster. This technology is important because it offers you an attractive alternative to vertical growth by adding new z/VM systems. In the past, this capability required duplicate efforts to install, maintain, and manage each system. With SSI, these duplicate efforts are reduced or eliminated. Support for live guest relocation (LGR) allows you to move Linux virtual servers without disrupting your business or incurring loss of service, thus reducing planned outages. The z/VM systems are aware of each other and take advantage of their combined resources. LGR enables you to relocate guests from a system requiring maintenance to a system that will remain active during maintenance. A major advantage for DB2 v10 customers is that using z/VM 6.2 does not require any changes to existing DB2 structures. This remarkable benefit is due to the fact that DB2 v10 is installed as part of the LInux guest on z/VM and is fully integrated into LGR. This allows you to smoothly move DB2 v10 when you move Linux virtual servers, without interrupting either DB2 v10 or z/VM operations and services. This IBM Redbooks® publication will help you understand how DB2 10 on Linux for System z® behaves while running on a z/VM that is being relocated using z/VM's 6.2 Live Guest Relocation feature. In this book, we explore memory management, the DB2 Self-tuning memory manager feature, time synchronization, networking, and storage and performance considerations with regards to relocation. We also offer some best practices found during a live guest relocation for DB2 v10.




Scale up for Linux on IBM Z


Book Description

This book was written by IBM® IT specialists who have experience implementing IBM Z® solutions, especially Linux on IBM LinuxONETM (LinuxONE) or IBM Z servers. Therefore, the content of this book follows the guidelines from Linux and IBM z/VM® regarding LinuxONE and IBM Z installations. The preferred practices described in this book are gathered from the experiences of those specialists in hundreds of projects at IBM and customer environments. This publication provides you with all of the information that you need to decide the best scaling architecture when implementing Linux on IBM Z or LinuxONE. This book has the following goals: To inform you about x86 sprawl problems To inform you that x86 Vertical Scale out architectures are problematic going forward To provide solutions to x86 server sprawl problems To inform you about the LinuxONE and IBM Z differentiation for each x86 server sprawl problem To provide virtulization and security options for LinuxOne and IBM Z The scaling up and scaling out architectures enable you to scale the capacity of an existing system to attend a sporadic application demand or an application workload. This gives you some freedom to operate in the environment. However, if this activity is performed without correct planning and the correct architecture choice, it leads to a server sprawl situation where your environment houses more servers than it should based on its current and predicted requirements. Although scaling out on x86 systems is a common form of scaling because of their popularity, the x86 systems were originally designed as cheap computers. Unfortunately, the scale out on x86 can easily become a problem in terms of total cost of ownership (TCO) when the environment starts to increase in terms of number of physical servers. The LinuxONE and IBM Z servers solve the sprawl problem caused by the scaling out of x86 servers, and are an excellent choice for cloud, mobile, big data, blockchain, analytics, and other workloads that require a robust and flexible environment. This publication describes the advantages and disadvantages of the scaling options. The audience of this publication consists of the following groups: Customers, IBM Business Partners, and IBM consultants planning and installing Linux on IBM Z, IBM Z family or x86 platform System administrators administering the Linux Systems If you are a customer considering LinuxONE and IBM Z family as a platform for your applications (analytics, blockchain, cloud, or other) or a pre-sales person, read those publications.




Practical Migration from x86 to LinuxONE


Book Description

LinuxONE is a portfolio of hardware, software, and solutions for an enterprise-grade Linux environment. It has been designed to run more transactions faster and with more security and reliability specifically for the open community. It fully embraces open source-based technology. Two servers are available for LinuxONE: The IBM® LinuxONE III LT1 and IBM LinuxONE III LT2. We describe these servers in "IBM LinuxONE servers" on page 5. Aside from still running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and Red Hat Enterprise Linux Servers, LinuxONE runs Ubuntu, which is popular on x86 hardware. Ubuntu, which runs the cloud, smartphones, a computer that can remote control a planetary rover for NASA, many market-leading companies, and the Internet of Things, is now available on IBM LinuxONE servers. Together, these two technology communities deliver the perfect environment for cloud and DevOps. Ubuntu 16.04 on LinuxONE offers developers, enterprises, and Cloud Service Providers a scalable and secure platform for next generation applications that include OpenStack, KVM, Docker, and JuJu. The following are reasons why you would want to optimize your servers through virtualization using LinuxONE: Too many distributed physical servers with low utilization A lengthy provisioning process that delays the implementation of new applications Limitations in data center power and floor space High total cost of ownership (TCO) Difficulty allocating processing power for a dynamic environment This IBM Redbooks® publication provides a technical planning reference for IT organizations that are considering a migration from their x86 distributed servers to LinuxONE. This book walks you through some of the important considerations and planning issues that you might encounter during a migration project. Within the context of a pre-existing UNIX based or x86 environment, it presents an end-to-end view of the technical challenges and methods necessary to complete a successful migration to LinuxONE.




Security for Linux on System z


Book Description

No IT server platform is 100% secure and useful at the same time. If your server is installed in a secure vault, three floors underground in a double-locked room, not connected to any network and switched off, one would say it was reasonably secure, but it would be a stretch to call it useful. This IBM® Redbooks® publication is about switching on the power to your Linux® on System z® server, connecting it to the data and to the network, and letting users have access to this formidable resource space in a secure, controlled, and auditable fashion to make sure the System z server and Linux are useful to your business. As the quotation illustrates, the book is also about ensuring that, before you start designing a security solution, you understand what the solution has to achieve. The base for a secure system is tightly related to the way the architecture and virtualization has been implemented on IBM System z. Since its inception 45 years ago, the architecture has been continuously developed to meet the increasing demands for a more secure and stable platform. This book is intended for system engineers and security administrators who want to customize a Linux on System z environment to meet strict security, audit, and control regulations. For additional information, there is a tech note that describes the best practices for securing your network. It can be found at: http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips0981.html?Open




Set up Linux on IBM System z for Production


Book Description

This IBM® Redbooks® publication shows the power of IBM System z® virtualization and flexibility in sharing resources in a flexible production environment. In this book, we outline the planning and setup of Linux on System z to move from a development or test environment into production. As an example, we use one logical partition (LPAR) with shared CPUs with memory for a production environment and another LPAR that shares some CPUs, but also has a dedicated one for production. Running in IBM z/VM® mode allows for virtualization of servers and based on z/VM shares, can prioritize and control their resources. The size of the LPAR or z/VM resources depends on the workload and the applications that run that workload. We examine a typical web server environment, Java applications, and describe it by using a database management system, such as IBM DB2®. Network decisions are examined with regards to VSWITCH, shared Open Systems Adapter (OSA), IBM HiperSocketsTM and the HiperPAV, or FCP/SCSI attachment used with a storage area network (SAN) Volume Controller along with performance and throughput expectations. The intended audience for this IBM Redbooks publication is IT architects who are responsible for planning production environments and IT specialists who are responsible for implementation of production environments.




The Virtualization Cookbook for IBM Z Volume 1: IBM z/VM 7.2


Book Description

This IBM® Redbooks® publication is volume one of five in a series of books entitled The Virtualization Cookbook for IBM Z. The series includes the following volumes: The Virtualization Cookbook for IBM z Systems® Volume 1: IBM z/VM® 7.2, SG24-8147 The Virtualization Cookbook for IBM Z Volume 2: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Servers, SG24-8303 The Virtualization Cookbook for IBM z Systems Volume 3: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, SG24-8890 The Virtualization Cookbook for IBM z Systems Volume 4: Ubuntu Server 16.04, SG24-8354 Virtualization Cookbook for IBM Z Volume 5: KVM, SG24-8463 It is recommended that you start with Volume 1 of this series because the IBM z/VM hypervisor is the foundation (or base "layer") for installing Linux on IBM Z®. This book series assumes that you are generally familiar with IBM Z technology and terminology. It does not assume an in-depth understanding of z/VM or Linux. It is written for individuals who want to start quickly with z/VM and Linux, and get virtual servers up and running in a short time (days, not weeks or months). Volume 1 starts with a solution orientation, discusses planning and security, and then, describes z/VM installation methods, configuration, hardening, automation, servicing, networking, optional features, and more. It adopts a "cookbook-style" format that provides a concise, repeatable set of procedures for installing, configuring, administering, and maintaining z/VM. This volume also includes a chapter on monitoring z/VM and the Linux virtual servers that are hosted. Volumes 2, 3, and 4 assume that you completed all of the steps that are described in Volume 1. From that common foundation, these volumes describe how to create your own Linux virtual servers on IBM Z hardware under IBM z/VM. The cookbook format continues with installing and customizing Linux. Volume 5 provides an explanation of the kernel-based virtual machine (KVM) on IBM Z and how it can use the z/Architecture®. It focuses on the planning of the environment and provides installation and configuration definitions that are necessary to build, manage, and monitor a KVM on Z environment. This publication applies to the supported Linux on Z distributions (Red Hat, SUSE, and Ubuntu).




IBM Wave for z/VM Installation, Implementation, and Exploitation


Book Description

IBM® Wave for z/VM® (IBM Wave) is a virtualization management solution for IBM z/VM and Linux on z SystemsTM. This virtualization management software provides a simplified and cost-effective way for companies to harness the consolidation capabilities of the IBM zTM Systems platform and its ability to host the workloads of tens of thousands of commodity servers. IBM Wave is a complete management solution for z Systems based virtual server farms. This IBM Redbooks® publication provides a guide to understanding IBM Wave by providing information about the IBM Wave architecture and how it fits into the cloud. This publication also provides a planning and design guide that is based on common scenarios. This publication also provides installation and configuration task information and how to manage and operate the environment. The intended audience for this publication is IT Architects who are responsible for planning their IBM Wave environments and IT Specialists who are responsible for implementing them.




Improving z/OS Application Availability by Managing Planned Outages


Book Description

This IBM® Redbooks® publication is intended to make System Programmers, Operators, and Availability Managers aware of the enhancements to recent releases of IBM z/OS® and its major subsystems in the area of planned outage avoidance. It is a follow-on to, rather than a replacement for, z/OS Planned Outage Avoidance Checklist, SG24-7328. Its primary objective is to bring together in one place information that is already available, but widely dispersed. It also presents a different perspective on planned outage avoidance. Most businesses care about application availability rather than the availability of a specific system. Also, a planned outage is not necessarily a bad thing, if it does not affect application availability. In fact, running for too long without an IPL or subsystem restart might have a negative impact on application availability because it impacts your ability to apply preventive service. Therefore, this book places more focus on decoupling the ability to make changes and updates to your system from IPLing or restarting your systems.