Verifying the processor compatibility mode of the mobile partition

You can use the Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) to determine whether the processor compatibility mode of the mobile partition is supported on the destination server, and update the mode, if necessary, so that you can successfully move the mobile partition to the destination server.

1. Identify the processor compatibility modes that are supported by the destination server by entering the following command in the command line of the IVM on the destination server:

   lssyscfg -r sys -F lpar_proc_compat_modes

   Record these values so that you can refer to them later.
2. Identify the processor compatibility mode of the mobile partition on the source server:
   1. From the Partition Management menu, click View/Modify Partitions. The View/Modify Partitions window is displayed.
   2. In the work pane, select the mobile partition.
   3. From the Tasks menu, select Properties. The Partition Properties window is displayed.
   4. Select the Processing tab.
   5. View the current and preferred processor compatibility modes for the mobile partition. Record these values so that you can refer to them later.
      Restriction: If versions earlier than 2.1 of the IVM manage the source server, the IVM displays only the current processor compatibility mode for the mobile partition.
3. Verify that the processor compatibility mode that you identified in step 2 is on the list of supported processor compatibility modes that you identified in step 1 for the destination server. For active migrations, both the preferred and current processor compatibility modes of the mobile partition must be supported by the destination server. For inactive migrations, only the preferred processor compatibility mode must be supported by the destination server.
   Attention: If the current processor compatibility mode of the mobile partition is the POWER5 mode, be aware that the POWER5 mode does not appear in the list of modes supported by the destination server. However, the destination server supports the POWER5 mode even though it does not appear in the list of supported modes.
4. If the preferred processor compatibility mode of the mobile partition is not supported by the destination server, use step 2 to change the preferred mode to a mode that is supported by the destination server. For example, the preferred mode of the mobile partition is the POWER7® mode and you plan to move the mobile partition to a POWER6® processor-based server. The POWER6 processor-based server does not support the POWER7 mode, but it does support the POWER6 mode. Therefore, you change the preferred mode to the POWER6 mode.
5. If the current processor compatibility mode of the mobile partition is not supported by the destination server, try the following solutions:
   • If the mobile partition is active, it is possible that the hypervisor has not had the opportunity to update the current mode of the mobile partition. Restart the mobile partition so that the hypervisor can evaluate the configuration and update the current mode of the mobile partition.
   • If the current mode of the mobile partition still does not match the list of supported modes that you identified for the destination server, use step 2 to change the preferred mode of the mobile partition to a mode that is supported by the destination server.

     Then, restart the mobile partition so that the hypervisor can evaluate the configuration and update the current mode of the mobile partition.

     For example, assume that the mobile partition runs on a POWER7 processor-based server and its current mode is the POWER7 mode. You want to move the mobile partition to a POWER6 processor-based server, which does not support the POWER7 mode. You change the preferred mode of the mobile partition to the POWER6 mode and restart the mobile partition. The hypervisor evaluates the configuration and sets the current mode to the POWER6 mode, which is supported on the destination server.