IBM I VIRTUALIZATION - READ ME FIRST 7-9-2010, Manual

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10.2. VIOS installation and configuration 

 
Consult the VIOS planning, installation and configuration topics in the 

PowerVM Editions Guide

, 

available at:  
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/scope/hw/index.jsp?topic=/arecu/arecukickoff.ht
m. 
 
As described in section 8.2.2, once VIOS is installed and physical I/O resources are assigned to it, 
those resources can be virtualized to IBM i using the HMC.  It is not necessary to use the 
IVM/VIOS command line to assign virtual disk, optical and network resources to IBM i. 
 
 

10.3. IBM i installation and configuration 

 
The IBM i client partition configuration as a client of VIOS is the same as that for a client of an 
IBM i 6.1 host partition.  Consult the topic 

Creating an IBM i logical partition that uses IBM i 

virtual I/O resources using the HMC

 in the 

Logical Partitioning Guide

: 

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/scope/hw/topic/iphat/iphat.pdf.   
 
 

10.4. HMC provisioning of open storage in VIOS 

 
In May 2009, IBM enhanced the HMC’s capabilities to allow mapping of storage available in VIOS 
to client LPARs, such as IBM i.  This significant improvement enables graphical provisioning of 
open storage for IBM i through VIOS and removes the requirement to use the VIOS command 
line.  If the storage configuration is performed while VIOS is down or not yet installed, new 
storage will be discovered upon boot and the HMC can then be used to assign the correct LUNs 
to IBM i.  If storage changes are made while VIOS and IBM i are running, it will still be necessary 
to Telnet to VIOS and run the 

cfgdev

 command to discover newly added storage prior to using 

the HMC for assigning it to IBM i. 
 
For HMC provisioning of VIOS storage to work, the VIOS LPAR must have an active RMC 
(Resource Monitoring and Control) connection to the HMC.  The same connection is required for 
performing Dynamic LPAR (DLPAR) changes to the VIOS LPAR and it generally involves 
successful TCP/IP communication between the LPAR and the HMC.  If the HMC displays an 
RMC error while attempting VIOS storage provisioning, consult the 

DLPAR Checklist

 at:  

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/systems/articles/DLPARchecklist.html. 
 
To provision open storage in VIOS to IBM i in the HMC, use the following steps: 
 

•

Sign onto the HMC as hscroot or another superadministrator-level userid 

•

 Expand 

Systems Management

•

 Click 

Servers

•

Select the correct managed system (server) by using the checkbox 

•

Use the launch-in-context arrow and select 

Configuration 

Æ

 Virtual Resources 

Æ

Virtual Storage Management

•

Select the correct VIOS in the drop-down menu and click 

Query VIOS

•

 Click 

Physical Volumes

•

Select the first correct LUN to be assigned to IBM i and click 

Modify assignment…

•

Select the correct IBM i LPAR in the drop-down menu and click OK 

•

Repeat for all LUNs to be assigned to IBM i 

 
Note that this sequence assumes the existence of the correct VSCSI server and client adapters in 
VIOS and IBM i, respectively.  Once the assignment is performed, the new LUNs are immediately 
available in IBM i as non-configured drives.