HCD and HCM new functions to consider

New function for Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD), Hardware Configuration Manager (HCM), and both are available in V2R1.

New function, feature, and support for HCD and HCM

Support 6 Channel Subsystems and 4 Subchannel Sets

For the new processor type the maximum number of channel subsystems is extended to 6 and the number of subchannel sets is increased. End of change

VCHID support for internal channels

For internal channel paths, like IQD and ICP CHPIDs, there does not exist a physical correspondence to hardware, hence there does not exist a PCHID value. Instead a unique virtual channel ID (VCHID) is assigned. The VCHID value is arbitrary out of a range which is beyond the range of valid PCHID values. End of change

New CS5 CHPID type

A new CHPID type CS5 based on PCIe technology is supported. End of change

Support of PCIe functions

Peripheral Component Interconnect Express® (PCIe) adapters offer new function to systems that are running on IBM® zEnterprise® EC12 and BC12 (zEC12 and zBC12) processors to connect, for example, to an IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter® Extension (zBX). Therefore, HCD/HCM introduces a new dialog where users can define PCIe functions, assign them to LPARs, and activate them through IOCP or dynamically.

The PCIe Function Summary Report displays the partitions in the access and candidate lists, which are entitled to access the available PCIe functions.
The PCIe Function Compare Report shows the changes in the function and virtual numbers and attributes of PCIe functions between processors of two IODFs.

Enhancements of the I/O autoconfiguration

HCD/HCM provide the following enhancements of the I/O autoconfiguration function:

In addition to switched FICON® connected controllers, I/O autoconfiguration can now discover FICON directly attached controllers and devices and proposes point-to-point connection paths if available.
I/O autoconfiguration supports the inclusion or exclusion of specific switches or CHPIDs into the discovery and proposal process, that users can explicitly specify by request. For this purpose, HCD introduces four new autoconfiguration policy keywords:
- AUTO_CHPID_INCLUDE
- AUTO_CHPID_EXCLUDE
- AUTO_SWAD_INCLUDE
- AUTO_SWAD_EXCLUDE.
The autoconfiguration policy keyword AUTO_SS_DEVNUM_SCHEME accepts a new value NONE. This value bypasses control unit and device number proposals by HCD/HCM and lets the user manually apply the numbers for detected objects.
I/O autoconfiguration allows discovery by controller serial number and filters the discovered controllers as such.
HCD /HCM can process an I/O autoconfiguration request that is partially directed against unavailable systems of an LPAR group or a sysplex, or systems that are not capable to support I/O autoconfiguration. Users can specify that the request applies to appropriate systems only, and that unavailable or incapable systems are tolerated, yet ignored.
HCD/HCM allows users to change I/O autoconfiguration policies between two subsequent controller discoveries without making a new fabric discovery. This change enables I/O autoconfiguration to perform each new controller discovery with changed policies.
HCD provides the SAVE command on the I/O autoconfiguration list panels (Discovered New or Changed Controller List, Proposed Control Unit List, and Proposed Control Unit / Device List) to allow users to save the fabric and controller discovery results and proposals in a data set.

Verify a configuration by using I/O autoconfiguration

With HCD/HCM, you can now verify the active or target configuration by using I/O autoconfiguration, if TSA I/O operations are not installed or not working. This is possible for a processor that is supporting I/O autoconfiguration and for a system in the local sysplex, which has dynamic activates. The verification is limited to FICON attached storage devices.

New hardware support

HCD and HCM support

HCD supports the IBM z13™ processor family (processor types 2964-N30, -N36, -N96, -NC6 and -NE1).
HCD supports the IBM zEnterprise EC12 and BC12 (zEC12 and zBC12) processor family (processor types 2827-H20 -H43, -H66, -H89, -HA1, and 2828-H06, -H13).

New support for HCM

New hardware support: HCD and HCM support the IBM zEnterprise EC12 and BC12 (zEC12 and zBC12) processor family (processor types 2827-H20 -H43, -H66, -H89, -HA1, and 2828-H06, -H13.

New function, feature, and support for HCD

Show single point of failure

When HCD generates the I/O path report, it now issues the IOSSPOF macro for all paths and integrates the returned information into the Sensed data information. This is done for the I/O path report using TSA I/O Operations and I/O autoconfiguration only, if the selected system is the local system.

New profile options

You can specify the following new keywords in the HCD profile for the purposes stated.

Unconditional generation of D/R site OS configurations: Use profile option UNCOND_GENERATE_DROS to regenerate D/R site OS configurations whenever a new production IODF is built, independent from whether the configurations were previously modified.
Specify remote call connection table: Use profile option CONNECTION_TABLE to specify the name of a data set that contains the connection table for establishing connectivity to the remote systems while its working with CPC images.
Enable remote call logging: Use profile option RCALL_LOG to activate logging of remote calls in to a data set while itsworking with CPC images.
Set initial remote call timeout value: Use profile option RCALL_TIMEOUT to set the timeout value for the initial connection to a remote system when its working with CPC images.

HMC-wide activates

You can use a new HMC-wide activate function of HCD to remotely distribute and activate a new production IODF from a single managing z/OS® system on all target systems of CPCs that are configured in the Hardware Management Console (HMC) and that are defined in a specified TCP/IP connection table.

Start this function from the System z Cluster List using action Work with CPC images introduced in z/OS V1R13. The upcoming CPC Image List now displays the activation status of the connected z/OS and z/VM® systems. It also provides new actions to activate the accessed production IODF for hardware, software changes, or both at the selected z/OS or z/VM system. The new production IODF is sent to the target system if necessary. You can remotely issue any operational commands that are required for the activation. The messages that result from the activation or from other system commands are displayed in a message list.

Validation enhancements

HCD implements several new validation checks to help users to avoid unintended results:

Validation enhancement	Description
A new warning message is issued when a CF CIB connection changes due to connectivity updates.	HCD issues a new warning message CBDG422I, when users add or delete a CSS to/from a CIB CHPID that involves a change of the coupling facility connection, affecting the definition of the connected processor. This message informs the user about the change and a potentially required dynamic activation of the target processor.
Existing warning message CBDA845I is also issued for the ACTIVATE SOFT system command.	For users of the HCD Activate … dialogs, when required, HCD issues a warning message, CBDA845I, when users specify an ACTIVATE software only request without hardware validation because this does not process involved changes to coupling facility control units and devices for the software. This message is now also issued, when users specify an ACTIVATE SOFT system command without establishing hardware validation.

Validation enhancement

Description

A new warning message is issued when a CF CIB connection changes due to connectivity updates.

HCD issues a new warning message CBDG422I, when users add or delete a CSS to/from a CIB CHPID that involves a change of the coupling facility connection, affecting the definition of the connected processor. This message informs the user about the change and a potentially required dynamic activation of the target processor.

Existing warning message CBDA845I is also issued for the ACTIVATE SOFT system command.

For users of the HCD Activate … dialogs, when required, HCD issues a warning message, CBDA845I, when users specify an ACTIVATE software only request without hardware validation because this does not process involved changes to coupling facility control units and devices for the software. This message is now also issued, when users specify an ACTIVATE SOFT system command without establishing hardware validation.

Enhanced CF Channel Path Connectivity List

A new column in the CF Channel Path Connectivity List shows for both the external source and destination channel path either the physical channel identifier (PCHID) to which the channel path is assigned or its host communication adapter ID and port number.

OS group change action available for device groups

The OS group change action was available from the I/O Device List showing single devices only. In z/OS V2R1, this action is also available from the I/O Device List showing device groups.

Filter parameters for graphical reports that are created from a batch utility

As with the HCD dialog for creating graphical reports, you now can specify filter parameters when creating graphical reports with the batch utility function.