1.8.4 High availability HMC configuration
For the best manageabiltiy and redundancy, a dual HMC configuration is suggested. This configuration can be two hardware appliances, but also one hardware appliance and one virtual appliance or two virtual appliances.
The following requirements must be met: Ê Two HMCs are at the same version.
Ê The HMCs use different subnets to connect to the FSPs.
Ê The HMCs can communicate with the servers’ partitions over a public network to allow for full synchronization and function. Chapter 1. Introduction to Power E1080 45
1.8.5 HMC code level requirements for the Power E1080
The minimum required HMC version for the Power E1080 is V10R1. V10R1 is supported only on 7063-CR1, 7063-CR2, and Virtual HMC appliances. It is not supported on 7042 Machine types. HMC with V10R1 cannot manage POWER7 processor-based systems.
An HMC that is running V10R1 M1010 includes the following features: Ê HMC OS Secure Boot support for the 7063-CR2 appliance
Ê Ability to configure login retries and suspended time and support for inactivity expiration in password policy
Ê Ability to specify HMC location and data replication for groups Ê VIOS Management Enhancements:
– Prepare for VIOS Maintenance:
• Validation for redundancy for the storage and network that is provided by VIOS to customer partitions
• Switch path of redundant storage and network to start failover • Rollback to original configuration on failure of prepare
• Audit various validation and prepare steps performed • Report any failure seen during prepare
– Command Line and Scheduled operations support for VIOS backup or restore VIOS Configuration and SSP Configuration
– Option to backup or restore Shared Storage Pool configuration in HMC – Options to import or export the backup files to external storage
– Option to failover all Virtual NIC’s from one VIOS to another Ê Support 128 and 256 MB LMB sizes
Ê Automatically choose fastest network for LPM memory transfer Ê HMC user experience enhancements:
– Usability and performance improvements
– Enhancements to help connect global search – Quick view of serviceable events
– More progress information for UI Wizards
Ê Allow LPM/Remote Restart when virtual optical device is assigned to partition Ê Update Access Key Support
46 IBM Power E1080: Technical Overview and Introduction
Ê Scheduled operation function: In the Electronic Service Agent, a new feature that allows customers to receive message alerts only if scheduled operations fail (see Figure 1-17).
Figure 1-17 HMC alert feature
Log retention of the HMC audit trail also is increased.