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7. IBM i using open storage supported configurations
There are three general methods by which IBM i connects to open storage:
•
Directly through the SAN fabric without VIOS
•
As a client of VIOS, with VIOS connecting to a storage subsystem through the SAN fabric
•
As a client of VIOS, with VIOS using storage from a SAN Volume Controller (SVC). SVC
in turn connects to one or more storage subsystems through the SAN fabric
The first set of support tables in the hardware and software sections below applies to the first
connection method above (IBM i direct attachment), while the second set of tables in both
sections applies to the second method (IBM i
support statements in the second set of tables below apply to the end-to-end solution of
IBM i using open storage as a client of VIOS. This document will not attempt to list the full
device support of VIOS, nor of any other clients of VIOS, such as AIX and Linux. For the general
VIOS support statements, including other clients, see the VIOS Datasheet at:
http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/sas/f/vios/documentation/datasheet.html.
When the second connection method to open storage is used (IBM i
subsystem), the support statement for IBM i follows that of SVC. For a list of environments
supported by SVC, see the data sheet on the SVC overview Web site:
http://www.ibm.com/systems/storage/software/virtualization/svc. Note that IBM i cannot connect
directly to SVC; it must do so as a client of VIOS.
IBM i as a client of VIOS is also supported on POWER6 or later processor-based blade servers.
IBM i cannot attach directly to open storage when running on Power blades. For the full
supported configurations statement for the IBM i on Power blade solution, see the
Supported Environments document at:
http://www.ibm.com/systems/power/hardware/blades/ibmi.html.
7.1. Hardware
Hardware type
IBM Power servers
IBM Power 575
POWER5-based systems or
earlier
DS5100 using Fibre Channel
or SATA drives
DS5300 using Fibre Channel
or SATA drives
EXP810 expansion unit with
Fibre Channel or SATA drives
EXP5000 expansion unit with
Fibre Channel or SATA drives
VIOS
Supported by
IBM i for direct
attachment
Yes
Includes IBM Power 520 Express, IBM
Power 550 Express, IBM Power 560
Express, IBM Power 570 and IBM Power 595
No
No
Yes
It is strongly recommended that SATA
drives are used only for test or archival IBM i
applications for performance reasons
Yes
It is strongly recommended that SATA
drives are used only for test or archival IBM i
applications for performance reasons
Yes
It is strongly recommended that SATA
drives are used only for test or archival IBM i
applications for performance reasons
Yes
It is strongly recommended that SATA
drives are used only for test or archival IBM i
applications for performance reasons
storage subsystem). Furthermore, the
VIOS
SVC
Notes
storage
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