HP Instant Capacity User's Guide for Version 9.x

1.1 Instant Capacity Summary
HP Instant Capacity software provides the ability to instantly increase or decrease computing
capacity on specified HP enterprise servers.
NOTE: HP Instant Capacity for HP 9000 and HP Integrity Servers, also known as Instant
Capacity or iCAP, was known in earlier versions as Instant Capacity on Demand, or iCOD.
Although the commands, warning messages and error messages refer to the software as iCAP,
some internal files might still refer to iCOD.
NOTE: For simplicity and commonality, this book uses the HP-UX commands in all examples.
For information about OpenVMS command equivalents, see Appendix B (page 201).
With Instant Capacity, you initially purchase an HP enterprise server with a specified amount
of active processing capacity, and a specified amount of inactive processing capacity. This amount
can vary based on your sales contract with HP.
Processing capacity consists of the system components:
• Processors containing cores
• Cell boards
• Memory
For each type of component, the number of components that can be active is equal to the number
of usage rights applied to the complex for that type of component. Components that are purchased
with a part number identifying them as “Instant Capacity” and without the label “Right to Use”
come without usage rights. Components that are not labeled “Instant Capacity” implicitly include
usage rights that can be applied to any component of that type that is installed on the complex.
Prior to activation of an inactive component, you must obtain additional usage rights. The
fundamental method is to purchase usage rights by purchasing the appropriate Instant Capacity
products that include the label “Right to Use (RTU)”. HP then supplies an RTU codeword. When
the codeword is applied to the HP enterprise server, the inactive component can be activated.
Additional methods for activating components for which usage rights have not been purchased
include:
• If an HP-UX server is a member of a Global Instant Capacity (GiCAP) group, and if extra
capacity is available from other members of the group, capacity can be “borrowed” from
another member of the group. For information about GiCAP, see Chapter 7.
• You can purchase additional temporary capacity and apply the Temporary Instant Capacity
(TiCAP) codeword in order to activate one or more cores temporarily. For more information
on TiCAP, see Chapter 5. If a server is a member of a GiCAP group, temporary capacity can
be shared among members of the group.
• You can temporarily activate one or more inactive cores using the Instant Access Capacity
(IAC) provided with the initial purchase of the Instant Capacity component. Instant Access
Capacity is the same as TiCAP except it is automatically provided with an Instant Capacity
component and cannot be purchased separately. It provides an immediate buffer of temporary
capacity in case extra capacity is needed before there is time to purchase an RTU or a TiCAP
codeword, or to set up a GiCAP group on an HP-UX system.
IMPORTANT: It is always a good idea to keep some quantity of temporary capacity in reserve.
Purchase of codewords may take one or more days, so having a buffer of temporary capacity
allows you to avoid delays in activation of additional cores. Instant Access Capacity provides
this buffer initially, but as that capacity is depleted, ongoing purchases of additional temporary
capacity are recommended to replenish it.
The Instant Capacity software product is a part of the HP Utility Pricing Solutions (formerly On
Demand Solutions) program.
18 Introduction to Instant Capacity