z/VM configuration

Within each of the two LPARs, a z/VM® member was configured as part of a common SSI cluster.

This is the same as described in z/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middlewarez/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middleware. Sufficient paging and spool resources were configured, for details, see z/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middleware, z/VM configurationsection z/VM configuration.

An optimized ISFC logical link configuration was configured for connecting the two z/VM members, composed of sixteen straight FCTC connections on four FICON® channels.

Note: With a straight FCTC connection the two connected LPARs share the connecting FICON channel because both the FCTC devices on both ends of the FCTC connection are configured in the IOCDS on that same FICON channel, for details, see z/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middleware, IOCDS configuration for FICON CTCsz/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middleware, section IOCDS configuration for FICON CTCs.

Figure 1 shows a symbolic representation of the ISFC logical link configuration used.

Block diagram showing LGR with LPAR1 and LPAR2 and logical link connectors — Figure 1. Symbolic representation of the ISFC logical link configuration

The ISFC logical link configuration shown in Figure 1 follows the guidelines provided in z/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middlewarez/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middleware for an optimal ISFC logical link configuration. Sixteen FCTC connections are defined (exploiting the maximum imposed by z/VM):

Six FCTC connections are on the FICON channel with CHPID 3C. The FCTC device numbers are separated into two ranges (D000-D002 and D700-D702) which cover both ends of the overall device number range used for the ISFC logical link configuration.
Three FCTC connections are on the FICON channel with CHPID 4A, with FCTC device numbers D600-D602.
Four FCTC connections are on the FICON channel with CHPID 4B, with FCTC device numbers D650-D653.
Three FCTC connections are on the FICON channel with CHPID 4C, with FCTC device numbers D6A0-D6A2.

The use of the two sets of FCTC connections on the FICON channel with CHPID 3C minimizes the impact of z/VM dedicating certain devices for uni-directional use and ensure that under normal load conditions always fourteen FCTC connections are used for relocation data transfer in either direction, as follows:

All FCTC connections on the FICON channel with CHPIDs 4A, 4B and 4C
Four FCTC connections on the FICON channel with CHPID 3C, because z/VM designates two FCTC connections for unidirectional use:
D000-D001 are designated tor the direction LPAR1 -> LPAR2
D701-D702 are designated for the direction LPAR2 -> LPAR1
D002 and D700 are used in both directions
Overall, always fourteen FCTC connections are used in either direction

For further details on ISFC logical link configurations, see z/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middleware, ISFC logical link configurationz/VM 6.2 Live Guest Relocation with Linux Middleware, section ISFC logical link configuration.

Monitor event and sample data collection was enabled for the processor, storage, user, I/O, network, ISFC and SSI domains.