History of IBM Power hardware technologies
1. What is VIO ?
2.Architecure View Of VIO Server.
3.Supported virtual Devices
4.Evaluvation of VIO and Editions
5.VIO Benefits And Considerations
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************
History Of Hardware :Before Proceeding to VIO, Would like review LPAR history.
Early 2000 , Organizations/ people purchased individual Machines (it makes hardware/ Data center cost more expensive). Early 2001 IBM introduced it's mainframe technology in UNIX with Server partitioning
i.e. LPAR on Power4. Here the partitions was limited to few resources like memory and CPU with physical I/O ... But Still you Need down time to change any boundaries for LPAR. In 2002 IBM, Integrated Logical partitions with dynamic operations to change it's limits and i.e. DPLAR. All modern LPARs are DLPAR capable. This feature does Not required any down time to change boundaries limited some parts). Later it Had many add-on's like Shared Process pool in 2005 for p5, Multiple shared process pools for P6 and IVE(Integrated Virtual Ethernet without VIO). N Port ID Virtualization on new HBA's, Memory Sharing on p6 above for VIOS2.1
Requirement of VIO : Power5/6 architecture supports up to 254 Partitions. Hardware supports more partitions than PCI slots.. Here the Limiting factor to utilize the full hardware is PCI slot. Example : for each LPAR it required Minimum 1 slot for boot disk (SCSI/FSC) and 1 for Ethernet adapter. A Fully Configured p5-570 supports up to 160 partitions (16 Processors*10) and will support 160 PCI slots but to configure One LPAR it required Minimum two slots so Here the Lemmatization factor is slot without PowerVM I can create max of 80 LPARS.
1.What Is VIO ?
VIOS is a special purpose partition/LPAR that can serve I/O resources to other partitions. The type of LPAR is set at while creation of LPAR as VIOS capable. The VIOS LPAR allows for the creation of virtual server adapters, where a traditional AIX LPAR does not. VIO is Not a hypervisor .
Simple words : VIO allows the sharing of physical resources (adapter and devices) between partitions on the same server.
Example: One disk can provide storage to one or more LPARS.
Exampl2: One physical Ethernet adapter can be shared by multiple partitions to access the external network.
How we can serve I/O from VIOS to VIOC?
VIOS works by owning a physical resource and mapping that physical resource to virtual resources. Client LPARs can connect to the physical resource via these mappings. ( The Mapping Will describes the config
of your VIOC and VIOS).
2.Architecure View Of VIO Server.
<< OLE Object: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) >>
VIO Servers are not Intend to run any applications other than which directly supports the VIOS functions. When configuring the VIOS, allocate all of the physical adapters to it which will be used to provide virtual devices. Once installed on disk, The VIOS Image will only boot in a special type of partitions that provides the special virtual I/O server environment.
To communicate with VIOS and VIOC , Network packets on an internal VLAN can be bridged to an external adapter vi SEA (shared Ethernet Adapter) on the VIOS. Then The Virtual adapter will Communicate VIOC.
VIOC can have mix of physical and virtual adapters. (Live partition Mobility / Active memory Sharing Won't support physical adapters on VIOC).
3.Supported virtual Devices:There are three types virtual devices
a) Special purpose Virtual Device
b) Virtual devices that do NOT require VIO
c) Virtual devices that required VIO.
a) Special purpose Virtual Device: 1.Virtual Serial Adapter 2.VASI Adapter
1.Virtual Serial Adapter: This virtual adapter is required on all VIOC for HMC to LPAR virtual console connection.
2.VASI Adapter : This VASI (virtual Asynchronous Service Interface) used only for Live partition mobility and Active Memory Sharing (high end administration tasks).
b) Virtual devices that do NOT require VIO:1.Virtual Ethernet Adapter 2.Integrated Virtual Ethernet Adapter (p6 above).
1.Virtual Ethernet Adapter: Partitions on same system to communicate without using physical adapter. There is no actual Ethernet required to implement this feature. This will work only to communicate
with in same hardware.
2.Integrated Virtual Ethernet Adapter (p6 above): IVE Normally used to connect external network for Partitions using dedicated ports without need of VIO. This will enhance the throughput and latency
as this adapter connected to GX+ bus. This adapter also known as Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA).
c) Virtual devices that required VIO : 1.Virtual SCSI 2.Shared Ethernet Adapter 3. Virtual Fiber channel Adapter.
1.Virtual SCSI: Virtual SCSI allows secure communication between VIOC and VIOS that provides the backing storage devices Logical volumes, PV's , tapes... ). The combination of virtual SCSI and the Virtual I/O Server capabilities allows us to share storage adapter bandwidth and to subdivide single large disks into smaller segments. The adapters and disks can then be shared across multiple partitions, increasing utilization.
2.Shared Ethernet Adapter: The SEA is a network bridge that can connect the virtual Ethernet traffic on a servers to a physical Ethernet adapter and this traffic bridge to an External network.
3. Virtual Fiber channel Adapter: The vFCA capability allows client partitions to access SAN devices using NPIV(N-port ID Virtualization). NPIV is an Industry standard technology used in FC networks. Each partition is identified by a unique WWPN as is it had own physical HBA.
4.Evaluvation of VIO and Editions:
PowerVM will be shipped with three different of editions 1.Express 2.Standard 3.Enterprise
1.Express
a. Only available on limited lower-end P6 systems (blade Servers)
b.Maximum of 3 LPARs (1 VIOS and 2 VIOC)
c.CPU Micro-Partitions with single processor pool
d.VIOS/IVM only, no HMC support
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX0000XXXXXX -----> Express
2.Standard: The default Edition is Standard
a. Supports p5 above Servers
b.Up to the maximum partitions supported on each server
c.Multiple shared processor pools
d.IVM or HMC managed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX2C00XXXXXX -----> Standard
3.Enterprise:
a. Supports p6 above Servers
b. Express + Standard edition features
c.Advanced options Live partition Mobility / Active Memory Sharing.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX2C20XXXXXX -----> Enterprise
Support for 2 year product -- fixes for Only latest VIOS ..If any Issues at lower level no fixes will provide.
5.VIO Benefits And Considerations:
Benefits:
1.Reduced the Infrastructure complexity and Economic model by reducing num of Adapters and cables
2.Quick Deployment. No Need to wait for Hardware shipment as most of the devices are logical
3.Server Consolidations: can reduce no. of small physical Servers into one or two Large machines This will reduce the datacenter space as well as power and Maintain.
4.No Down time required for hardware repairs using Live Partition mobility..
5.Effective utilization of hardware by Increasing num of LPAR's , Memory Sharing , multiple shared process pools.
Considerations:
1.Limited to high end hardware configuration. All features available for p6 above hardware.
2.Planning and design the configuration of VIOS and clients.
3.Limited access to root user with limited native AIX commands for administration. Required skill trainee.
4.Physical hardware will effect all VIOC connected to specific VIOS.
5.Processor utilization of hypervisor is more.
https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set/sas/f/vios --- VIOS Information center
http://www-912.ibm.com/pod/pod --- VIOS Product license
1. What is VIO ?
2.Architecure View Of VIO Server.
3.Supported virtual Devices
4.Evaluvation of VIO and Editions
5.VIO Benefits And Considerations
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************
History Of Hardware :Before Proceeding to VIO, Would like review LPAR history.
Early 2000 , Organizations/ people purchased individual Machines (it makes hardware/ Data center cost more expensive). Early 2001 IBM introduced it's mainframe technology in UNIX with Server partitioning
i.e. LPAR on Power4. Here the partitions was limited to few resources like memory and CPU with physical I/O ... But Still you Need down time to change any boundaries for LPAR. In 2002 IBM, Integrated Logical partitions with dynamic operations to change it's limits and i.e. DPLAR. All modern LPARs are DLPAR capable. This feature does Not required any down time to change boundaries limited some parts). Later it Had many add-on's like Shared Process pool in 2005 for p5, Multiple shared process pools for P6 and IVE(Integrated Virtual Ethernet without VIO). N Port ID Virtualization on new HBA's, Memory Sharing on p6 above for VIOS2.1
Requirement of VIO : Power5/6 architecture supports up to 254 Partitions. Hardware supports more partitions than PCI slots.. Here the Limiting factor to utilize the full hardware is PCI slot. Example : for each LPAR it required Minimum 1 slot for boot disk (SCSI/FSC) and 1 for Ethernet adapter. A Fully Configured p5-570 supports up to 160 partitions (16 Processors*10) and will support 160 PCI slots but to configure One LPAR it required Minimum two slots so Here the Lemmatization factor is slot without PowerVM I can create max of 80 LPARS.
1.What Is VIO ?
VIOS is a special purpose partition/LPAR that can serve I/O resources to other partitions. The type of LPAR is set at while creation of LPAR as VIOS capable. The VIOS LPAR allows for the creation of virtual server adapters, where a traditional AIX LPAR does not. VIO is Not a hypervisor .
Simple words : VIO allows the sharing of physical resources (adapter and devices) between partitions on the same server.
Example: One disk can provide storage to one or more LPARS.
Exampl2: One physical Ethernet adapter can be shared by multiple partitions to access the external network.
How we can serve I/O from VIOS to VIOC?
VIOS works by owning a physical resource and mapping that physical resource to virtual resources. Client LPARs can connect to the physical resource via these mappings. ( The Mapping Will describes the config
of your VIOC and VIOS).
2.Architecure View Of VIO Server.
<< OLE Object: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) >>
VIO Servers are not Intend to run any applications other than which directly supports the VIOS functions. When configuring the VIOS, allocate all of the physical adapters to it which will be used to provide virtual devices. Once installed on disk, The VIOS Image will only boot in a special type of partitions that provides the special virtual I/O server environment.
To communicate with VIOS and VIOC , Network packets on an internal VLAN can be bridged to an external adapter vi SEA (shared Ethernet Adapter) on the VIOS. Then The Virtual adapter will Communicate VIOC.
VIOC can have mix of physical and virtual adapters. (Live partition Mobility / Active memory Sharing Won't support physical adapters on VIOC).
3.Supported virtual Devices:There are three types virtual devices
a) Special purpose Virtual Device
b) Virtual devices that do NOT require VIO
c) Virtual devices that required VIO.
a) Special purpose Virtual Device: 1.Virtual Serial Adapter 2.VASI Adapter
1.Virtual Serial Adapter: This virtual adapter is required on all VIOC for HMC to LPAR virtual console connection.
2.VASI Adapter : This VASI (virtual Asynchronous Service Interface) used only for Live partition mobility and Active Memory Sharing (high end administration tasks).
b) Virtual devices that do NOT require VIO:1.Virtual Ethernet Adapter 2.Integrated Virtual Ethernet Adapter (p6 above).
1.Virtual Ethernet Adapter: Partitions on same system to communicate without using physical adapter. There is no actual Ethernet required to implement this feature. This will work only to communicate
with in same hardware.
2.Integrated Virtual Ethernet Adapter (p6 above): IVE Normally used to connect external network for Partitions using dedicated ports without need of VIO. This will enhance the throughput and latency
as this adapter connected to GX+ bus. This adapter also known as Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA).
c) Virtual devices that required VIO : 1.Virtual SCSI 2.Shared Ethernet Adapter 3. Virtual Fiber channel Adapter.
1.Virtual SCSI: Virtual SCSI allows secure communication between VIOC and VIOS that provides the backing storage devices Logical volumes, PV's , tapes... ). The combination of virtual SCSI and the Virtual I/O Server capabilities allows us to share storage adapter bandwidth and to subdivide single large disks into smaller segments. The adapters and disks can then be shared across multiple partitions, increasing utilization.
2.Shared Ethernet Adapter: The SEA is a network bridge that can connect the virtual Ethernet traffic on a servers to a physical Ethernet adapter and this traffic bridge to an External network.
3. Virtual Fiber channel Adapter: The vFCA capability allows client partitions to access SAN devices using NPIV(N-port ID Virtualization). NPIV is an Industry standard technology used in FC networks. Each partition is identified by a unique WWPN as is it had own physical HBA.
4.Evaluvation of VIO and Editions:
PowerVM will be shipped with three different of editions 1.Express 2.Standard 3.Enterprise
1.Express
a. Only available on limited lower-end P6 systems (blade Servers)
b.Maximum of 3 LPARs (1 VIOS and 2 VIOC)
c.CPU Micro-Partitions with single processor pool
d.VIOS/IVM only, no HMC support
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX0000XXXXXX -----> Express
2.Standard: The default Edition is Standard
a. Supports p5 above Servers
b.Up to the maximum partitions supported on each server
c.Multiple shared processor pools
d.IVM or HMC managed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX2C00XXXXXX -----> Standard
3.Enterprise:
a. Supports p6 above Servers
b. Express + Standard edition features
c.Advanced options Live partition Mobility / Active Memory Sharing.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX2C20XXXXXX -----> Enterprise
Support for 2 year product -- fixes for Only latest VIOS ..If any Issues at lower level no fixes will provide.
5.VIO Benefits And Considerations:
Benefits:
1.Reduced the Infrastructure complexity and Economic model by reducing num of Adapters and cables
2.Quick Deployment. No Need to wait for Hardware shipment as most of the devices are logical
3.Server Consolidations: can reduce no. of small physical Servers into one or two Large machines This will reduce the datacenter space as well as power and Maintain.
4.No Down time required for hardware repairs using Live Partition mobility..
5.Effective utilization of hardware by Increasing num of LPAR's , Memory Sharing , multiple shared process pools.
Considerations:
1.Limited to high end hardware configuration. All features available for p6 above hardware.
2.Planning and design the configuration of VIOS and clients.
3.Limited access to root user with limited native AIX commands for administration. Required skill trainee.
4.Physical hardware will effect all VIOC connected to specific VIOS.
5.Processor utilization of hypervisor is more.
https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set/sas/f/vios --- VIOS Information center
http://www-912.ibm.com/pod/pod --- VIOS Product license
