PowerVM

PowerVM Version 2.2.4 is a major upgrade that further expands the capabilities of PowerVM. As we kick-off the PowerVM community and launch the IBM PowerVM forum on LinkedIn, we want to share the key features that are delivered in PowerVM v2.2.4. Circle December 4, 2015 on your calendar to start working with these exciting new updates to PowerVM! 

Greater scalability for OpenStack cloud deployments via new NovaLink architecture

Innovation, openness and flexibility are fueling the growth of OpenStack cloud deployments.  To address the increasing scalability and associated performance requirements of such environments, PowerVM 2.2.4 supports a new NovaLink architecture for POWER8 processor-based systems. The NovaLink partition enables direct host connection to PowerVM from OpenStack solutions such as PowerVC. As an example of the new scalability a single instance of PowerVC can manage up to 200 PowerVM NovaLink servers.

PowerVM NovaLink has new simple installation that configures the complete virtualization configuration after answering a few simple questions.  This installation includes creating and configuring the VIOS and NovaLink partitions, performing all the configurations to make the host ready to be managed by PowerVC or other OpenStack solutions.

NovaLink, in PowerVM 2.2.4, supports IBM Power systems that are not managed with an HMC. Additionally, NovaLink support for HMC managed systems is available as a technology preview.

VM Mobility with SR-IOV Adapters and improved performance

PowerVM 2.2.4 delivers an IBM differentiating solution that enables efficiency, performance and VM mobility for VMs that use Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) adapters. SR-IOV, introduced in PowerVM 2.2.3, enables multiple partitions to share a PCIe® device that facilitates the consolidation of hardware requirements at data centers, associated energy costs, and floor space requirements.  The Virtual Network Interface Controller (vNIC) technology in PowerVM 2.2.4, preserves all the benefits of SR-IOV adapters, including improved bandwidth control with the added benefit of VM mobility.  The combination of the new vNIC capability and SR-IOV adapters are the next generation of network solutions for PowerVM virtualization networking which are more efficient and flexible. 

Live Partition Mobility (LPM) improvements

Workload resiliency requirements and cloud deployments have been driving the requirement for increased robustness of VM mobility. PowerVM 2.2.4 includes the following customer requested enhancements,

• Better NPIV storage validation 
• Improved performance 
• Improved resiliency by allowing LPM even when one VIOS has failed 
• Ability to select a target vSwitch, which is a virtual network on the target 

Additionally new VIOS rules automate best practice settings for repeatable deployment and simplify initial VIOS setup and maintenance.

New features for Shared Storage Pool

PowerVM continues to improve Shared Storage Pools, which simplifies cloud management and efficiency of storage usage.  PowerVM 2.2.4 includes the following SSP enhancement: 

• Storage tiers within a Shared Storage Pool allow greater flexibility and control for quality of service, isolation, and redundancy of storage. The new storage tier facility allows up to 10 tiers of storage to be defined within a storage pool. This facility allows customer control over the creation of a storage tier and the placement of data on the proper class of storage.
• The ability to dynamically grow a virtual disk has been added.

Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) enhancements

PowerVM 2.2.4 enhances the Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) facility by automating IFL compliance, which greatly reduces the required administrative responsibility.

Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) was introduced in PowerVM 2.2.3 to help customers leverage the performance, reliability, and scalability of their enterprise-class servers while reducing the cost of managing the Linux ecosystem. Power IFL includes a capacity on demand option that gives customers a more affordable way to allocate and manage system resources that are deployed exclusively to support Linux on Power applications and infrastructure.

New Virtual HMC

With Power Systems delivering industry leading performance and capacity, customers want to leverage virtualization at a lower cost. PowerVM 2.2.4 includes support for Virtual Hardware Management Console (vHMC) which is a software based virtual appliance running on customer supplied x86 hardware & virtualization. vHMC can be used by itself or as a backup for hardware HMC and can manage POWER6, POWER7 & POWER8 servers.

PowerVM 2.2.4 Components

PowerVM 2.2.4 is comprised of:

• VIOS Version 2.2.4
• System Firmware Release 840
• HMC Release 8 Version 8.4.0

Official announcement letter: IBM PowerVM V2.2.4 and IBM PowerVC V1.3.0 enhancements deliver expanded function and new management capabilities

Contacting the PowerVM Team
Have questions for the PowerVM team or want to learn more?  Follow our discussion group on LinkedIn IBM PowerVM or IBM Community Discussions