In my earlier post, I introduced the ingredients needed for creating a visual replica of all z16 I/O connectivity (using the IBM CHPID Mapping Tool /CMT and the Visio stencils provided within IBM ResourceLink). Constructing a Visual Representation of z16 Hardware and I/O Mapping - Part I - IBM Z and LinuxONE Community.

In Part II, I will show you how to use these tools to construct a diagram showing all I/O drawer cards, their connections (e.g. FICON, OSA, zHyperLink, etc.).  I will also address how to provide the same kind of reference for the CPC drawers (ICA-SR Coupling Links).

In Part I, I provided a diagram showing the layout of a 2 frame z16 with all the CPC and I/O drawer names (see Appendix A of this document).

Now comes the part where the fun begins, using Microsoft Visio, we will now start constructing the machines I/O features and connectivity.  To begin this process, I am assuming you’ve completed the merge with the IODF of the source machine (z15 or prior) and you now have new physical CHPIDS (PCHPIDS) on the new machine assigned to the same logical CHPIDS as the old machine. One of the reports produced by CHPID is the CHPID report. The CHPID Report has several useful sections but if you aren’t sure of how many drawers exist on your machine, the CHPID Report is a good place to start.  There is a summary of the drawers and features within the Legend. This includes the CPC (CEC) and I/O drawers and their locations.  It also includes the feature codes of all your I/O features.

Figure 1 – Legend provided at the bottom of the first section of the CHPID Report.

Now we will go to the top section which takes you through the entire machine drawer by drawer.  Above the red line, the sample below shows all the information needed to map the connections for the ICA-SR coupling links – drawer, slot, AdapterID (AID), jumper (jumper is another word for port) and CSS.CHPID number.  The next section between the red and blue line is the connections for the first I/O drawer (A31B).  This includes the same information as the CPC drawer except the port names are.  The main difference with the I/O drawers is that the port names are D1 and D2 depending on whether the feature is a one or two port card.  Finally, below the blue line is the next I/O drawer Z01B.

Figure 2 – Populated drawers by location with PCHPID/CHPID assignments.

How to Apply CHPID Mapping to a MS-Visio Diagram

It will be necessary to start by creating an image of an empty I/O drawer and enhancing it a bit.  The templates you downloaded contain an I/O drawer image but there are no designated slot locations.  The first thing you will want to do is insert a slot number as I’ve shown (in red). Each drawer has card slots numbered 02-05, 07-10, 12-15, 17-20.  There are no slots numbered 06 and 16.  These slots are where the FICON, OSA , Crypto and zHyperLink adapter cards are inserted.

Figure 3 – Revised I/O drawer with slot locations horizontally aligned.

If you look closely at the CPC drawer template provided, you will see the slot numbers LG02, LG04, LG06, LG07, LG09 and LG11 are visible so you don’t have to revise the CPC drawer image (yet).

 Figure 4– CPC Drawer where slots are vertically aligned.

Once you have your I/O and CPC drawer templates, now you can use the CMT CHPID report to plug the assigned cards into the slots they belong.  You may remember that included in the templates you downloaded were images of the various cards or features for your machine.

 Figure 5– Images of various feature codes.

Now that you have the cards for the feature codes on your machine, you can use the CHPID report to find for each drawer, what card goes in what slot.  For example, in the portion below you know that using the legend, feature code 461 is a FICON Express32S LX card.  As a result, you now know that in slot LG02 of drawer A31B you need a FICON card inserted.  You may notice that an image of this feature was not included in the download.  This is no reason to abandon ship, simply use the image of one of the other 2 port FICON cards such as feature 418/419 above - FICON Express 16S.  Just be sure the number of ports are the same.

Figure 6 – Port LG02 in drawer A31B is populated with a FICON Express32S LX feature. 

As you may have guessed, the idea now is to populate the I/O drawer by superimposing/ pasting the image of each purchased feature in the appropriate drawer/slot as shown below.  Using the CHPID Report from the CMT, this is also a good time to notate the feature code/description and (for each port) the PCHPID/CHPID number.  In cases where there are no features occupying a slot, you can assume there will be a filler card as shown below with slots 08 and 14. Also, note that a Crypto Express card has no external ports as shown in slot 19.

Figure 7 – Plugging in the I/O features and descriptions.

But wait, what good is that if you don’t know what’s connected to each port or if ports are not being used (open)?  This is where we go back to the CMT and use another report called the Control Unit Report.  As an alternative you can also use the IODF that was created as a result of completing the CHPID mapping if you prefer. After virtually plugging in all of the I/O features with description you can use the Control Unit Report to identify which features and ports connect to your I/O devices. For example, on the A31B drawer in Slot 02 using port D1, we can see that PCHPID 100 is connected to a Device Type 2032 (FICON Switch) with Control Unit number 0096.

Figure 8 – Using the Control Unit Report to identify what devices are connected to an I/O drawer port.  

Once you have accounted for all the connections and notated them, you will have created something like this:

Figure 9 – Completed I/O drawer with descriptions for every port.  Do this for every I/O drawer in each frame.

I would also recommend following the same process for illustrating coupling link connectivity on the CPC drawers.  In essence follow the same process taking the MS-Visio image provided for the rear CPC drawer and superimposing the image of the Integrated Coupling Adapters over the correct port location as shown below.  Start by using the Control Unit or CHPID Report to find the location.  Note that ICA-SR coupling links do not occupy a PCHPID.

Figure 10 – CHPID and Control Unit Reports showing location of ICA-SR coupling link port.  

Since the CHPID Mapping reports do not tell you which sysplex the ICA-SR ports or CHPIDs correspond to, you may need to reference the HCD IODF to complete the picture.

On the following diagram, note that port D1(a.k.a J01 on CHPID report) represents the upper half of each card and port D2 (a.k.a J02) is the bottom half.

Figure 11 – Completed CPC drawer with descriptions for every port.  Do this for each CPC drawer with ICA-SR links.

I hope this exercise is useful to those just getting started in documenting the configuration of a new z16.  Don’t forget to continue keeping the diagrams up to date as you add/remove features or devices!

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Appendix A – Sample z16:

The image below represents a 3931-A01 containing

·         2 frames (A and Z frame)

·         2 CPC drawers within the A-frame (A10B and A15B)

·         4 I/O drawers (A31B in A frame and Z01B, Z09B and Z17B in the Z frame)

Each slot within an I/O drawer will contain either a card for whatever I/O feature is assigned to it by The CHPID Mapping Tool or a filler/blank card.  Note that each slot has 2 PCHPIDs assigned, for example in drawer A31B, slot 02 is assigned PCHPID 100 and 101.