Supported components and platforms for IBM Power

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IBM Concert supports HMCs, VIOS, AIX, IBM i, Power Linux (RHEL/SLES), system firmware, and IO adapters for discovery, vulnerability assessment, and automated patching.

The IBM Power dimension works with Concert Workflows to discover infrastructure, evaluate vulnerabilities, and automate patching for supported components.

Supported components

  • Hardware Management Console (HMC): Centralized management console used to discover and manage IBM Power systems. Concert uses the HMC as the primary interface for inventory collection, advisory mapping, and remediation workflows.
  • Systems: Supported IBM Power servers and frames that form the core of your environment. Concert collects system configuration, firmware levels, and partition details for advisory analysis.
  • Virtual I/O Server (VIOS): The virtualization layer that enables logical partitions to share physical I/O resources. Concert supports:
    • VIOS Updates and iFixes
    • IO adapter updates as part of VIOS remediation
    • Dependency validation and automated patch sequencing
  • IBM i: A supported IBM Power platform for vulnerability assessment and remediation. Concert enables:
    • Inventory collection for IBM i systems
    • Mapping CVEs to affected IBM i versions
    • Identification of required PTFs (Program Temporary Fixes)
    • Automated patching using Ansible-based workflows executed through a Mirror VM
    Note: IBM i uses PTF terminology instead of iFix. Functionally, PTFs represent targeted fixes for specific vulnerabilities.
  • Firmware: Concert detects outdated system firmware and can recommend or apply updates through automated remediation workflows. Firmware versions are mapped to IBM advisories during assessment.
  • IO Adapters: Network and storage adapters assigned to VIOS. If an advisory requires an adapter microcode update, it is included in the VIOS remediation action.
  • Operating system platforms: Concert performs vulnerability detection and patching for:
    • VIOS: Updates and iFixes
    • AIX: iFixes
    • IBM i: PTFs (Program Temporary Fixes)
    • Power Linux (RHEL/SLES): Vulnerability-based package updates
Note: IBM i patching is executed using Ansible modules through a configured Mirror VM. Ensure the Mirror VM is prepared with the required Ansible dependencies.
Note: Concert supports VIOS remediation on VIOS versions 7300- and later.

Supported operating system platforms and remediation types

Concert performs vulnerability detection and patching for the following operating system platforms. See Patching VIOS, AIX, IBM i, and Power Linux (RHEL/SLES) in Concert for detailed steps.

OS Platform Remediation type Workflow support
VIOS Updates and iFixes (including IO adapters) Yes
AIX iFixes Yes
IBM i Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) Yes (via Ansible / Mirror VM)
Power Linux (RHEL) Vulnerability-based package updates Yes
Power Linux (SLES) Vulnerability-based package updates Yes
System firmware Firmware updates Yes

IBM Power version support matrix

The capabilities available in Concert differ between IBM Power 10 and IBM Power 11 systems. The following table summarizes what is supported for each generation.

Draft comment:
This section needs review
Capability IBM Power 10 IBM Power 11
Discovery (inventory collection from HMC) Yes Yes
Advisory ingestion and CVE mapping Yes Yes
Vulnerability assessment Yes Yes
Remediation recommendations Yes (read-only) Yes
Automated patch execution via Concert No — manual only Yes — automated
Export remediation report (PDF) Yes Yes
Important: For IBM Power 10 systems, patch execution must be performed manually outside of Concert. Concert provides the remediation recommendations and assessment results, but does not automate the patching workflow for this generation.

Frequently asked questions

Does IBM Concert support automated patching for IBM Power 10?

No. IBM Power 10 systems are supported for discovery, advisory ingestion, and assessment only. Remediation recommendations are provided, but patch execution must be performed manually outside of Concert. Full automated remediation is available for IBM Power 11 systems. See the IBM Power overview for more details.

What operating systems does the IBM Power dimension support?

The IBM Power dimension supports VIOS, AIX, IBM i, and Power Linux (RHEL and SLES) for vulnerability detection and automated patching. See the Patching VIOS, AIX, IBM i, and Power Linux topic for step-by-step instructions.

Is IBM i PTF patching automated in Concert?

Yes. Concert automates IBM i patching using Ansible-based workflows executed through a configured Mirror VM. You must prepare the Mirror VM with the required Ansible dependencies before running the workflow. See Configuring IBM Power workflows in Concert for prerequisites.

What VIOS version is required for Concert remediation?

Concert supports VIOS remediation on VIOS version 7300-00 and later. Ensure your VIOS is at the required version before running automated patching workflows.