Development stream - Technical Details

IBM support is available for

• IBM System z10™ Enterprise Class (z10 EC)
• IBM System z10 Business Class (z10 BC)
• IBM System z9® Enterprise Class (z9 EC)
• IBM System z9 Business Class (z9 BC)

for Linux on System z® running:

• in LPAR
• as z/VM guest

IBM System z (or System z, for short) is used on these pages when referring to the above mentioned mainframes.

Starting with the kernel 2.6.27 based "Development stream", IBM supports only distributions compiled with march=z9-109, so that Linux on System z can benefit from the compiler enhancements exploiting z9 instructions.

IBM supports only 64-bit distributions based on this stream; 31-bit applications are supported on the 31-bit emulation layer.

Hardware requirements

• An IBM System z configuration with an absolute minimum of 32MB of memory

Software requirements

• If you are using Linux as a VM-guest, z/VM Version 5 Release 2 or higher is required

Kernel (general)

• Character devices
  • 3215 console
  • 3270 console
  • Integrated Console
  • VMUR - virtual unit-record device driver
• 
  
• Cryptographic devices
  • PCICC (PCI Cryptographic Coprocessor)
  • PCICA (PCI Cryptographic Accelerator)
  • PCIXCC (PCI-X Cryptographic Coprocessor)
  • CEX2C (Crypto Express 2 Coprocessor)
  • CEX2A (Crypto Express 2 Accelerator)

Networking

• Network devices
  • QETH:
  • OSA-Express, OSA-Express2, OSA-Express3 - Gigabit Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, ATM LAN Emulation, High Speed Token Ring, CDLC (OSN)
  • HiperSockets
  • z/VM Guest LAN, z/VM VSWITCH
  • LCS:
  • OSA-Express, OSA-Express2, OSA-Express3 - Token Ring, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet
  • 2216 - Token Ring, Ethernet
  • CTCM:
  • CTCM protocol 4 (former CTCMPC)
• Network devices not recommended for Distributions based on the "Development stream":
  • CLAW
  • CTCM protocols 0, 1, and 2 (former CTC)
  • NETIUCV network device -- Note that the IUCV-infrastructure is not being deprecated

Storage

• Tape Devices All models of the following IBM Magnetic Tape Subsystem and 100% compatibles
  • IBM 3480
  • IBM 3490
  • IBM 3590
  • IBM 3592
• 
  
• Block Devices
  • ECKD™ 3380 or 3390 DASDs
  • Expanded Storage
• 
  
• Additional Block Devices under z/VM
  • VM minidisks
  • Virtual FBA (for native FBA see Restrictions)
  • DCSS
• 
  
• FCP
  • FCP channels - System z
  • For more information on FCP-attachable devices, please refer to http://www.ibm.com/systems/z/connectivity/products/fc.html
• 
  
• IPL mechanisms
  • 3480, 3490, 3590, 3592 tape units
  • DASD
  • Load from CD-ROM (Hardware Management Console - HMC) or FTP-Server
  • SCSI IPL (requires FCP channels, requires enablement by FC9904)
• 
  
• Additional IPL mechanisms under z/VM
  • VM reader
  • Kernel NSS