Server virtualization with IBM PowerVM

PowerVM® Express Edition

PowerVM Express Edition is designed for users looking for an introduction to more advanced virtualization features at a highly affordable price. With PowerVM Express Edition, users can create up to three partitions on the server, leverage virtualized disk and optical devices VIOS and even try out the Shared Processor Pool.

Features:

Micro-Partitioning Support: Create up to three partitions per server of a minimum granularity of 1/20th of a CPU and a maximum of the entire server. Dynamically move processors and resources from one partition to another with no application downtime.

Integrated Virtualization Manager: Manage your virtualized environment with the click of a button. The Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) literally allows you to point, click and consolidate workloads with its easy to use browser-based interface.

Shared Processor Pool: Let the system do the administration for you. Simply assign priorities to partitions and let the Hypervisor allocate processing power as needed by your applications.

Virtual I/O Server: Save money by sharing I/O resources. The Virtual I/O Server is a special-purpose partition which provides virtual I/O resources to client partitions. The Virtual I/O Server owns the resources that are shared with clients. A physical adapter assigned to a partition can be shared by one or more other partitions. The Virtual I/O Server is designed to reduce costs by eliminating the need for dedicated network adapters, disk adapters and disk drives.

Shared Dedicated Capacity: The benefits of dedicated resources without the waste. This feature allows for the "donation" of spare CPU cycles for dedicated processor partitions to be utilized by the shared pool, thus increasing overall system performance. The dedicated partition maintains absolute priority for dedicated CPU cycles, and sharing will only occur when the dedicated partition has not consumed all its resources.

N Port ID Virtualization: NPIV provides direct access to Fiber Channel adapters from multiple client partitions, simplifying the management of Fibre Channel SAN environments. NPIV support is included with PowerVM Express, Standard, and Enterprise Edition and supports AIX V5.3, AIX V6.1, AIX V7.1, IBM i 6.1.1, IBM i 7.1, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, and Red Hat Enterprise Server 5.4 or 6 partitions on all POWER6 and POWER7 processor-based servers, including blades.

Virtual Tape: PowerVM has two virtualization methods for using tape devices on POWER6 and POWER7 processor-based servers, simplifying backup and restore operations. Both methods are supported with PowerVM Express, Standard, or Enterprise Edition.

• NPIV enables PowerVM LPARs to access SAN tape libraries using shared physical HBA resources for AIX V5.3, AIX V6.1, AIX V7.1, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 and Red Hat Enterprise Server 5.4 or 6 partitions on POWER6 and POWER7 processor-based servers.
• Virtual tape support allows serial sharing of selected SAS tape devices for AIX V5.3, AIX V6.1, AIX V7.1, IBM i 6.1, IBM i 7.1, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 and Red Hat Enterprise Server 5.4 or 6 partitions on POWER6 and POWER7 processor-based servers.

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