Apr 25, 2015

IBM PowerVM - Introduction

1. What is a partition
Physical partition:
  • Resources are allocated in physical building blocks.
  • Blocks contain groups of processors, memory, and I/O slots


Logical partition
  • A partition is the allocation of system resources to create logically separate systems within the same physical footprint.
  • A logical partition exists when the isolation is implemented with firmware:
    • Not based on physical system building block
    • Provides configuration flexibility

Partition characteristics
Each partition has its own:
  • Operating system
  • Licensed internal code (LIC) and open firmware
  • Console
  • Resources
  • Other things expected in a stand-alone operating system environment, such as:
    • Problem logs
    • Data (libraries, objects, file systems)
    • Performance characteristics
    • Network identity
    • Date and time
  • Resources are allocated to partitions:
    • Memory allocated in units as small as the LMB size.
    • Dedicated whole processors or shared processing units.
    • Individual I/O slots.
      • Including virtual devices
  • Some resources can be shared:
    • Virtual devices.
    • Host Ethernet adapter.
  • Some core system components are inherently shared

Benefits of using partitions
  • Capacity management:
    • Flexibility to allocate resources.
  • Consolidation:
    • Consolidate hardware, floor space, software licenses, support contracts, and in-house support and operations.
    • Efficient use of resources.
  • Application isolation on a single frame:
    • Separate workloads.
    • Guaranteed resources.
    • Data integrity.
  • Merge production and test environments:
    • Test on same hardware
2. POWER Hypervisor functions

  • The POWER Hypervisor is firmware that provides:
    • Virtual memory management:
  • Controls page table and I/O access.
  • Manages real memory addresses versus offset memory addresses.
    • Virtual console support
    • Security and isolation between partitions:
  • Partitions allowed access only to resources allocated to them (enforced by the POWER Hypervisor).
    • Shared processor pool management


3. Advanced partition

Dynamic Logical Partitioning (DLPAR)
  • DLPAR is the ability to add, remove, or move resources between partitions without restarting the partitions.
  • Resources include:
    • Processors, memory, and I/O slots.
    • Add and remove virtual devices.
  • Security and isolation between LPARs are not compromised.
    • A partition sees its own resources plus other available virtual resources.
    • Resources are reset when moved.
  • Applications might or might not be DLPAR-aware


Processor concepts

Micro-partitioning: Shared processor pool

  • Time sliced sub-processor allocations are dispatched according to demand and entitled capacity.
    • This example shows one 10 ms time slice, seven running partitions, and four processors

Multiple shared processor pools

Virtual I/O

  • Each partition has virtual I/O slots.
    • Configurable for each partition.
  • Virtual slots have a virtual adapter instance.
    • Serial, Ethernet, SCSI, or Fibre Channel.
  • Virtual I/O slots can be dynamically added or removed just like physical I/O slots.
    • Cannot be dynamically moved to another partition
Integrated Virtual Ethernet
  • Also referred to as host Ethernet adapter:
    • Included in many POWER6 and POWER7 system configurations.
  • Provides network connectivity for LPARs without a Virtual I/O Server:
    • Integrated high-speed Ethernet ports with hardware-assisted virtualization capabilities.
    • Offers virtualization support for Ethernet connections.
  • Depending on the system model, multiple types are available:
    • Two port 1 Gba
    • Four port 1 Gba
    • Two port 10 Gbb
    • Two 10 Gbb and two 1 Gb portsa
  • Connected to the GX+ bus:
    • An LHEA must be created on the logical partition.


Active Memory Sharing
  • Active Memory Sharing (AMS) allows multiple LPARs to share a common pool of physical memory.
    • AMS intelligently assigns memory from one partition to another based on memory page demands.
  • Optimizes memory utilization and provides flexible memory usage

Active Memory Deduplication
Active Memory Expansion

  • Compresses in-memory data to fit more data into memory:
    • The physical memory requirements of existing LPARs is reduced.
    • Free memory capacity can be used to create more LPARs.
  • Increases a LPAR’s effective memory capacity:
    • Can increase the effective memory capacity of a LPAR.
    • Increases the memory available to a workload.

Live Partition Mobility
  • Migration or movement of an LPAR from one physical server to another.
  • Useful for:
    • Reducing the impact of planned outages and increasing application availability.
    • Workload balancing and consolidation.
    • Relocation of workload to enable workload.
    • Provision of new technology with no disruption to service (migration to newer systems).
  • Requirements:
    • –POWER6 or POWER7 systems.
    • –LPAR must only have virtual adapters.

Shared storage pools
Shared storage pools:
Provide distributed access to storage resources using a cluster. Shared storage pools use files called logical units as backup devices for virtualized storage devices.
Benefits:
•Simplify the aggregation of large numbers of disks across multiple Virtual I/O Servers.
•Improve the utilization of the available storage.
•Simplify administration tasks.

1 comment:

  1. pls provide me Official Training - NetApp Storage pdf material
    mail me the new links to vmk.netapp@gmail.com
    thanks in advance buddy

    ReplyDelete