Datasheet

2.1.2.3 Optical virtualization

Any optical drive supported in the host IBM i LPAR can be virtualized to an IBM i client LPAR. An

existing VSCSI connection can be used, or a new connection can be created explicitly for optical

I/O traffic. By default, if a VSCSI connection exists between host and client, all physical and

virtual OPTxx optical drives in the host will be available to the client, where they will also be

recognized as OPTxx devices. The NWSD parameter Restricted device resources can be

used to specify which optical devices in the host a client partition cannot access.

A virtualized optical drive in the host partition can be used for a D-mode Initial Program Load

(IPL) and installation of the client partition, as well as for installing Program Temporary Fixes

(PTFs) or data. If the optical drive is writeable, the client partition will be able to write to the

physical media in the drive.

2.1.3 Network virtualization

Using a virtual LAN (VLAN) for partition-to-partition communication within a system and routing

Ethernet traffic between a virtual LAN and an external physical LAN are existing IBM i capabilities.

In order to route a client partition’s virtual Ethernet traffic through a host’s physical network

adapter, a virtual Ethernet adapter must be created in the HMC in both partitions or the SDMC in

both virtual servers. To be on the same VLAN, the two virtual Ethernet adapters must have the

same Port Virtual LAN ID (PVID). This type of adapter is recognized by IBM i as a

communications port (CMNxx) with a different type (268C). In the host partition that is at IBM i

7.1 TR3 level or newer, the virtual Ethernet adapter is then associated with the physical network

adapter via a BRIDGE parameter configuration on the line descriptions associated with both the

physical and virtual Ethernet adapters. This allows the client partition to send network packets

via the VLAN out the physical adapter port to the outside LAN. The physical adapter can be any

network adapter supported by IBM i 6.1/i7.1. An Integrated Virtual Ethernet (IVE) port, also

known as Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA) ports can NOT be bridged to an external LAN. These

ports are managed by the Power server’s hypervisor and are allocated directly to the client

partition without the involvement of VIOS or virtual Ethernet adapters.

2.2 Supported configurations

2.2.1 Hardware

One of the most significant benefits of this solution is the broad hardware support. Any storage

and network adapters and devices supported by the host IBM i partition on an IBM POWER6® or

IBM POWER7® processor-based server can be used to provide virtual I/O resources to the client

IBM i partition. Virtualization of tape devices from an IBM i host to an IBM i client is supported as

of June 2011. Table 1 lists the hardware supported.

Hardware type

Supported for

IBM i hosting

IBM i

Notes

IBM Power servers

Yes

Includes IBM POWER6 AND POWER7

servers

Does not include IBM POWER6/7

processor-based blades.

IBM Power 575/775 servers

IBM POWER5-based systems