HP Instant Capacity User's Guide for Versions 8.x

Global Instant Capacity Grouping Rules
A Global Instant Capacity group consists of a list of server complexes that are allowed to share
Instant Capacity usage rights (for cores, cell boards, and memory) and temporary capacity. Other
than performance considerations, there are no particular constraints on the number of servers
allowed to be in a group, but there are grouping rules defined by HP to specify the types of
servers allowed to group together.
NOTE: The Instant Capacity installation does not include a default grouping rules file. Grouping
rules must be downloaded from the HP Utility Pricing Solutions web portal, located at:
http://www.hp.com/go/icap/portal.
The format and file name of the grouping rules file changed with the release of Instant Capacity
version 8.01. Earlier versions of the grouping rules file are invalid.
Grouping rules are defined based on server class. The price structure of usage rights is also based
on server class. Since GiCAP pools usage rights, these usage rights can be used on any type of
server regardless of the server class for which they were originally purchased. Therefore, grouping
rules were created to define the classes of servers allowed to share usage rights.
You can use the icapmanage -R command to view the hardware grouping information. When
used in combination with a list of host names, it reports all hardware types with which the hosts
might be grouped. If the hosts are not compatible with each other, no hardware will be reported.
Without a list of host names, it will report all supported hardware and grouping rules.
Under some circumstances you may need to acquire newer grouping rules from the portal (for
example, when adding new hardware not previously covered by the grouping rules currently
in use). You install the encrypted rules file on the Group Manager system using the
icapmanage -i command. The icapmanage -R command shows the version number of the
grouping rules installed, and when you download a new grouping rules file you can use
icapmanage -R -U to compare the version and supported systems before deciding to install
the new grouping rules.
The following example installs a grouping rules file, retrieved from the portal, on the Group
Manager system:
Example 7-1 Installing a grouping rules file
icapmanage -i -U FSTL012234_gicap.encrypt
102 Global Instant Capacity