TCP/IP in an ensemble

OSA-Express® Ethernet features in QDIO mode can access the external data network when configured with the OSD channel path ID (CHPID) type. The OSD CHPID type is the default CHPID type on the IPAQENET and IPAQENET6 INTERFACE statements in the TCP/IP profile.

IBM® zEnterprise® System (zEnterprise) provides communications access to two internal networks through OSA-Express3 or later adapters that are configured with the OSA-Express for Unified Resource Manager (OSM) or OSA-Express for zBX (OSX) CHPID types. Communications Server supports OSA-Express3 or later adapters that are configured with these CHPID types, thus allowing TCP/IP connectivity to the following internal networks.

  • Intraensemble data network (CHPID type OSX)

    The intraensemble data network (IEDN) provides access to other images connected to the IEDN, and to applications and appliances that are running in an IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX). The IEDN can be accessed through 10 gigabit OSA-Express3 or later adapters that are configured with CHPID type OSX. OSX interfaces can be IPv4 or IPv6, and must be on a VLAN. To configure OSX interfaces, see Steps for configuring an interface for the intraensemble data network (CHPID type OSX).

    OSX connectivity also enables HiperSockets connectivity to the IEDN; you configure an Internal Queued Direct I/O (IQD) CHPID for HiperSockets to enable the Internal Queued Direct I/O extensions (IQDX) function, referred to as the z/OS® Communications Server IEDN-enabled HiperSockets function. For more information about the z/OS Communications Server IEDN-enabled HiperSockets function and its benefits, see HiperSockets connectivity to the intraensemble data network.

  • Intranode management network (CHPID type OSM)

    The intranode management network (INMN) is an IPv6 network that provides connectivity between network management applications within a zEnterprise node, and can be accessed through 1000BASE-T Ethernet OSA-Express3 or later adapters that are configured with CHPID type OSM. OSM interfaces are not configured in the TCP/IP profile, but are generated by the stack and have only link-local IP addresses. The stack does not report OSM interfaces to OMPROUTE, and OMPROUTE is unaware of these interfaces; there are no OMPROUTE configuration considerations for OSM interfaces. To use the INMN, see Steps for using the intranode management network (CHPID type OSM).

Requirement: To access the IEDN or the INMN, the IBM zEnterprise 196 (z196) central processor complex (CPC) and the logical partition (LPAR) must be configured as members of an ensemble. For information about using the ENSEMBLE start option to specify that an LPAR is a member of an ensemble, see z/OS Communications Server: SNA Resource Definition Reference.

For more information about zEnterprise and ensembles, see the following information in IBM Documentation at https://www.ibm.com/docs/en:

  • zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension Installation Manual
  • zEnterprise System Introduction to Ensembles
  • IBM z Systems® Ensemble Workload Resource Group Management Guide
  • IBM z Systems Ensemble Planning Guide