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 DS8510F to FS9500 - IBM i Series (Partition)

Bacil123's profile image
Bacil123 posted Tue September 16, 2025 11:59 AM
Dear Experts,
We know we can virtualize a DS8910F behind the FS9500 and then can use image mode import to migrate data. Or. if not, that then can use vdisk mirroring between the volumes in FS9500 and DS8910F (separate pool). So, my query is can we use the same methodology to migrate an IBM i partition that is running on DS8910F and keeping into account that IBM i is going to use the final copy at the FS9500, so the format and block sizes and everything else must be IBM i compatible.  Or IBM i is a separate beast and this method is not applicable here.    
Please advise.
Thank You.
Nezih Boyacioglu's profile image
Nezih Boyacioglu IBM Champion posted Tue September 16, 2025 02:35 PM

You’re right that with open systems we often use image-mode import or vDisk mirroring when virtualizing a DS8910F behind the FS9500. However, for IBM i the story is a bit different. IBM i has its own built-in capability to handle migrations between storage systems, very similar in concept to LVM mirroring on AIX. Using this feature, you can create a mirror of the existing disks onto the new FS9500 volumes, let the system synchronize online, and then seamlessly switch over once the copy is complete.

This method is native to IBM i and ensures that block sizes, formats, and everything else stay fully IBM i-compatible. So rather than relying on the open-systems virtualization and vDisk mirroring methods, you’d normally use IBM i’s own disk mirroring for a clean and supported migration path.

Bacil123's profile image
Bacil123 posted Tue September 16, 2025 03:46 PM

Hi Nezih. Thanks. Yes, I did saw that method native to IBM i.

However, when I found some more info (so thought of checking it here) -

This Option C: is well documented in IBM docs. Although it just uses it for data copy, rest of steps are to be done native to IBM i only.

And finally I saw another doc by EMC, which uses their well-known NDM (Non-Disruptive Migration) Tool (SRDF Replication) to migrate IBM i lpar from one PowerMAX to another online. Of course, there also are some additional considerations which in turn use native IBM i commands. But for data copy both of these seems to use Storage Based Copy only.

Thats why want to know if same can be done with IBM's Spectrum Virtualize 'External' Storage Migration methodology and then finalizing it with IBM i native commands/tools.

Thanks.

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