Development stream - Technical Details
The following applies to latest "Development stream", currently based on kernel 4.12.
Supported Platforms and Environments
IBM support is available for:
- IBM z14™ (z14) and IBM z14™ Model ZR1 (z14 ZR1)
- IBM z13® (z13) and IBM z13s™ (z13s)
- IBM zEnterprise® EC12 (zEC12) and IBM zEnterprise BC12 (zBC12)
- IBM zEnterprise 196 (z196) and IBM zEnterprise 114 (z114)
- IBM System z10™ Enterprise Class (z10 EC) and IBM System z10 Business Class (z10 BC)
- IBM System z9® Enterprise Class (z9 EC) and IBM System z9 Business Class (z9 BC)
and:
- IBM LinuxONE Emperor II™ (Emperor II)
- IBM LinuxONE Rockhopper II™ (Rockhopper II)
- IBM LinuxONE Emperor™ (Emperor)
- IBM LinuxONE Rockhopper™ (Rockhopper)
for Linux on Z and LinuxONE running:
- in LPAR
- in a z/VM guest virtual machine
- in a KVM guest virtual machine
The Announcement for the z14 includes a re-branding of 'IBM z Systems®' to 'IBM Z®'. 'Linux on z Systems' becomes 'Linux on Z', and Linux running on an IBM LinuxONE server is 'Linux on LinuxONE'. When referring to Linux running on either IBM Z or LinuxONE the term 'Linux on Z and LinuxONE' is used.
Linux on Z and LinuxONE, Linux on System z and Linux on z Systems are used synonymously to refer to Linux running on an IBM mainframe system or IBM LinuxONE server, including zSeries mainframes in 64- and 31-bit mode.
Starting with the kernel 2.6.27 based 'Development stream', IBM supports only distributions compiled with march=z9-109, so that Linux on z Systems 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 and Software Requirements
- Hardware requirements
- An IBM Z or IBM LinuxONE configuration with an absolute minimum of 32MB of memory
- Software requirements
- If you are running Linux on Z and LinuxOne in a z/VM guest virtual machine, z/VM Version 5 Release 4 or higher is required
Supported Functionality
Kernel (general)
- Character devices
- 3215 console
- 3270 console
- Integrated ASCII Console
- VMUR - virtual unit-record device driver
- Cryptographic devices
- CEX2C (Crypto Express2 Coprocessor)
- CEX2A (Crypto Express2 Accelerator)
- CEX3C (Crypto Express3 Coprocessor)
- CEX3A (Crypto Express3 Accelerator)
- CEX4A (Crypto Express 4 Accelerator)
- CEX4C (Crypto Express 4 CCA Coprocessor)
- CEX4P (Crypto Express 4 EP11 Coprocessor)
- CEX5A (Crypto Express 5 Accelerator)
- CEX5C (Crypto Express 5 CCA Coprocessor)
- CEX5P (Crypto Express 5 EP11 Coprocessor)
Networking
- Network devices
- QETH:
- OSA-Express, OSA-Express2, OSA-Express3, OSA-Express4S, OSA-Express5S, OSA-Express6S - Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, ATM LAN Emulation
- HiperSockets
- z/VM Guest LAN, z/VM VSWITCH
- LCS:
- OSA-Express, OSA-Express2, OSA-Express3, OSA-Express4S, OSA-Express5S, OSA-Express6S - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet
- 2216, Ethernet
- mlx4/5:
- RoCE, RoCE2
- QETH:
- Network devices not recommended for Distributions based on the "Development stream":
- CDLC (OSN)
- CTCM all protocols:
- CTCM protocols 0, 1, 2 - former CTC
- CTCM protocol 4 - CTCMPC (since kernel 3.10)
- NETIUCV network device -- Note that the IUCV-infrastructure is still supported.
- For more information on Network devices, please refer to http://www.ibm.com/systems/z/hardware/networking/index.html
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
- Flash Express®
- Additional Block Devices under z/VM
- VM minidisks
- Virtual FBA (for native FBA see Restrictions)
- DCSS
- FCP
- FCP channels - z Systems
- For more information on FCP-attachable devices, please refer to http://www.ibm.com/systems/z/connectivity/products/fc.html, and the book Device Drivers, Features, and Commands
- 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
- z/VM reader
- Named Saved Segments (kernel NSS)