Considerations and limitations for IBM i client partitions managed by the Integrated Virtualization Manager

This information summarizes unique IBM® i considerations when you install, service, and use APIs, commands, and Common Information Model (CIM), and you perform save and restore operations on IBM i client logical partitions with virtual hardware.

Because only virtual resources can be assigned to an IBM i client logical partition that is managed by Integrated Virtualization Manager, IBM i partitions have unique system, storage, networking, and operating system requirements and considerations.

The IBM i limitations do not apply to IBM i client logical partitions in the Hardware Management Console (HMC) environment because you can assign physical hardware to a partition.

In a logical partition with only virtual hardware (IBM i partition that is a client to the Virtual I/O Server and managed by Integrated Virtualization Manager), you might need to change your existing applications and operational procedures to work in this environment. Key differences include the following items:

IBM i client logical partitions do not own any physical I/O resources. All I/O resources on the IBM i client logical partition are virtual Ethernet and virtual storage (disk and optical).
You can view the physical and virtual hardware using the system plan on the Integrated Virtualization Manager interface. However, the IBM i client logical partition has no view of the physical hardware. This affects servicing of the physical hardware, and also the operation and amount of data returned by some commands, APIs, and the MATMATR machine instruction.

Note: A minimum of 1 GB of memory is recommended for VIOS with an IBM i client on a blade or POWER® processor-based system.

Installation considerations

The best way to install IBM i is from a physical DVD drive that is owned by Virtual I/O Server. Use Integrated Virtualization Manager to virtualize and assign the optical drive, which is physically owned by Virtual I/O Server, to IBM i. Then you can access the DVD drive virtually from the IBM i partition.

If the Virtual I/O Server does not have a DVD drive, you can upload the IBM i install media to a virtual optical file in the Virtual I/O Server. Because the installation media for IBM i is greater than 2 GB, you must use the Virtual I/O Server command line to upload the IBM i installation media to the Virtual I/O Server.

For more information about installing IBM i on a blade server, see the IBM i on a POWER Blade Read-me First document.

Backup and recovery

Backup and recovery is supported for IBM i partitions by tape devices virtualized by the Virtual I/O Server. For more information, see the backup and restore information in the IBM i on a POWER Blade Read-me First document.

Cryptographic coprocessors

Cryptographic coprocessors are not supported in this environment. You also cannot use a Cryptographic coprocessor to generate and store private keys associated with digital certificates. None of the Common Cryptographic Architecture APIs in Option 35 - CCA Cryptographic Service Provider are supported, because these APIs route requests to cryptographic hardware.

Applications that use IBM i Cryptographic Services APIs must use a software cryptographic service provider because hardware cryptographic service providers are not supported.

Disk Management graphical interface

The Disk Management graphical interface has some restrictions in this environment because the view of the disk resources is virtual rather than physical. You can still get information about disk capacity and utilization, but the following physical information is not available to the IBM i partition:

These columns are blank in the main Disk Units List:
- Location
- Part number
- Device position
- Frame unit
- Frame unit number
If you use the graphical view from any of the containers or directly from the tasks, the main graph that displays the map of the system with the slots is not visible.
The Physical Location graph in the Disk Unit properties is blank.
The following lists are blank:
- Disk units by location
- Parity set list
The following functions are unavailable:
- Replace a failed disk unit with a new one.
- Install a disk unit.
- Start parity and other tasks related with parity.
- Change optimization.
- Resynchronize, include a disk unit, or exclude a disk unit.

Hardware resource APIs

The following hardware resource APIs return different information in this environment. Some of the fields return blank information or return the "No" value for hardware and virtual resources. For information about each API, use the API finder:

Retrieve Hardware Resource Information (QGYRHRI, QgyRtvHdwRscInfo) API
Retrieve Hardware Resource List (QGYRHRL, QgyRtvHdwRscList) API
Retrieve Hardware Resource Relative (QRZRTVR) API
Retrieve Resource Information (QRZRRSI) API
Search Hardware Resource Entry (QRZSCHE) API

Management Central

You cannot view physical resources in this environment using Hardware Inventory functions in Management Central. Instead, you can view physical resources using Integrated Virtualization Manager. For more information about viewing physical resources, see the PowerVM® Editions topic in the IBM Power Systems™ Hardware Information Center.

MATMATR MI instruction

The only information that is returned using Materialize Machine Attributes (MATMATR) option 012C is the Central Electronic Complex vital product data (VPD) information. The pseudo model number field in the VPD information is blank. For more information, see the Materialize Machine Attributes (MATMATR) topic.

Operations Console

In the Integrated Virtualization Manager environment, you must use a PC and Operations Console LAN to manage the IBM i client logical partitions. You can use the same PC that is running the Integrated Virtualization Manager for the client logical partitions, or you can use separate PCs. To access the console, you must configure virtual Ethernet bridging on the Integrated Virtualization Manager. You cannot configure a local console directly attached to the server.

Servicing of the partition

Servicing of the physical hardware is performed from the Virtual I/O Server, not from the IBM i client logical partition. The error messages might direct you to the Virtual I/O Server partition, which is where you would service the physical hardware.

System dumps:

You can obtain dumps in one of the following ways:

You can write the data to storage, copy it to virtual tape that is backed by files from the integrated file system, and then send it to IBM service and support using FTP.
You can write the data to virtual file-backed optical media, transfer the data to physical tape, and then send the physical tape to IBM service and support.

Electronic customer support and Electronic Service Agent™:

If you plan to configure Electronic customer support or Electronic Service Agent (ESA), you must use either a direct or multi-hop connection. You cannot use a modem or dial-up connection. You need to configure Electronic customer support on each IBM i client partition. To configure Electronic customer support, use either the Create Service Configuration (CRTSRVCFG) command or the Universal Connection Wizard in System i® Navigator.

Dedicated service tools (DST):

Physical tape is not supported for DST functions.

Because the following Work with disk units options require the use of a tape, they are not supported in this environment. However, you can use other disk management options:

Save disk unit data
Restore disk unit data
Save storage
Restore storage

Other disk management options that use tape also are not supported.

System service tools (SST):

The physical location fields in the Disk Unit Hardware Resource Information Details display are blank. However, you still can use SST to obtain information about virtual disks.

Hardware Service Manager:

Hardware Service Manager, which is available under SST or under DST, allows you to display, work with, and print the stored hardware resources information. In this environment, some of the Hardware Service Manager options provide information for virtual hardware, and other options do not display any information.

Technologies that are not supported on IBM i client logical partitions

The following technologies are not supported on IBM i client logical partitions:

Virtual OptiConnect
Cryptographic coprocessors
IBM Facsimile Support for i licensed program

You can use the IBM Universal Manageability Enablement for i licensed program (5770-UME) on IBM i client logical partitions, with limitations. For details, see the Common Information Model topic.