Network Virtualization - IBM I VIRTUALIZATION - READ ME FIRST 7-9-2010 Manual

8.3.2. VIOS media repository
VIOS provides a capability similar to that of an image catalog (IMGCLG) in IBM i: a repository of
media images on disk. Unlike IMGCLGs in IBM i, a single media repository may exist per VIOS.
The media repository allows file-backed virtual optical volumes to be made available to the IBM i
client partition through a separate vtoptX device. One immediate benefit to IBM i is the ability to
import the IBM i install media into VIOS as ISO images, then install the client partition from the
ISO images instead of switching real media in a physical DVD drive.

8.4. Network virtualization

Virtualizing a network adapter and using a virtual LAN (VLAN) for partition-to-partition
communication within a system are existing Power server capabilities. In order for an IBM i client
to use a physical network adapter in VIOS, a virtual Ethernet adapter must be created in both
partitions in the HMC. To be on the same VLAN, the two virtual Ethernet adapters must have the
same Port Virtual LAN ID (PVID).
A virtual Ethernet adapter is recognized by IBM i as a communications port (CMNxx) of type
268C:
In VIOS, the same Ethernet type of device, entX, is used for logical Host Ethernet ports, physical
and virtual Ethernet adapters:
VIOS provides virtual networking to client partitions, including IBM i, by bridging a physical
Ethernet adapter and one or more virtual Ethernet adapters. The virtualization object that
provides this Ethernet bridge is called a Shared Ethernet Adapter (SEA). The SEA forwards
network packets from any client partitions on a VLAN to the physical LAN through the physical
Ethernet adapter. Because the SEA creates a Layer-2 bridge, the original MAC address of the
virtual Ethernet adapter in IBM i is used on the physical LAN. The CMNxx communications port
that represents the virtual Ethernet adapter in IBM i is configured with an externally routable IP
address and a standard network configuration is used. The physical adapter bridge by the SEA
can be any network adapter supported by VIOS, including Integrated Virtual Ethernet (IVE) ports,
also known as Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA) ports.
The enhanced virtualization management functions of the HMC also allow for network
virtualization without using the IVM/VIOS command line. Follow these steps in the HMC:
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