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Power Enterprise Pool compliance
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Power Enterprise Pool compliance
When you share Mobile Capacity on Demand (CoD) resources among servers in a Power® Enterprise Pool , the pool must be in compliance with your CoD licensing agreements.
The resource entitlements for the pool are procured through your CoD licenses, which include a grace period for overuse of these resources. The resource entitlements for the pool must synchronize with the actual usage of those resources. You can temporarily overuse the Mobile CoD pool resources. However, the grace period in your licenses restricts this overuse. When resources are in use beyond the grace period, those resources are overdue and the server is out of compliance with the CoD license. Compliance policies for the Power Enterprise Pool are based on your CoD licenses and these policies enforce resource availability and usage restrictions for the pool.
The Mobile CoD resource compliance of the servers in the pool determines the compliance state of the pool itself. A server is in compliance if the server does not have any unreturned Mobile CoD resources.
- In compliance
- None of the servers in the pool have any unreturned Mobile CoD resources.
- Approaching out of compliance (within server grace period)
- At least one server in the pool has Mobile CoD resources that are unreturned, and the server grace period for those resources is unexpired. None of the servers in the pool have Mobile CoD resources that are unreturned and overdue.
- Out of compliance (within pool grace period)
- At least one server in the pool has overdue, unreturned Mobile CoD resources and the pool grace period is unexpired.
- Out of compliance
- At least one server in the pool has overdue, unreturned Mobile CoD resources and the pool grace period is expired.
- You remove the Mobile CoD resource from a server, but the server cannot reclaim the resource because that resource is still in use. For example, the resource is assigned to one or more partitions. You must remove the partition assignments to enable the server to reclaim the resource.
- You remove a Mobile CoD resource from a server that is not connected to the master Hardware Management Console ( HMC ) of the pool.
When Mobile CoD resources that are removed from a server become unreturned, a grace period timer starts for the unreturned resources on that server. There is a separate grace period timer for unreturned Mobile CoD processors and for unreturned Mobile CoD memory on each server.
Before a server grace period expires, you must release the unreturned Mobile CoD resources and make them available for the server to reclaim. If a resource remains unreturned after the end of the grace period, the pool is out of compliance. When the pool moves to the out of compliance state, a new grace period timer starts for the pool itself. There is only one grace period timer for the pool. If any servers have overdue Mobile CoD resources when the pool grace period expires, add operations for Mobile CoD resources are restricted to servers with unreturned Mobile CoD resources. This restriction is enforced until there are no servers in the pool with overdue unreturned Mobile CoD resources.
When a server in a pool is out of compliance, or the pool is out of compliance, console messages are displayed on the HMC s that manage the pool.
- From the master HMC for the pool, select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools .
- In the left navigation pane, select the pool name and then select Compliance Information .
Resolving compliance issues
To avoid compliance issues, ensure that Mobile CoD resources are released on a server before you remove the resources from that server. Also, do not remove Mobile CoD resources from a server that is not connected to the master HMC for the pool.
If you want to overuse your Mobile CoD resources when migrating partitions, ensure that all Mobile CoD resources removed from the source server are released and reclaimed by the source server as soon as the migration completes. If the migration fails, immediately remove the Mobile CoD resources added to the destination system and add them back to the source system.
- Migrate a partition to another server. After the partition migrates successfully, any resources that are assigned to the partition on the source server are reclaimed automatically.
- Remove resources from a running partition by using the appropriate dynamic logical partition (DLPAR) task.
- Remove resources from a shutdown partition.
- Delete a partition to release resources that are assigned to that partition.
- Activate Capacity Upgrade on Demand (CUoD), On/Off CoD, or Trial CoD resources.
- Add Mobile CoD resources to the server.
If the server is not connected to the master HMC for the pool, you must establish a connection from the master HMC to that server. After you reestablish the connection, if any unreturned Mobile CoD resources remain on the server, take one of the previously stated actions to release them. If you cannot reestablish this connection, you can add Mobile CoD resources to the server to resolve the unreturned resources.
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Last updated: Thu, April 09, 2015
Using Power Enterprise Pools
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Using Power Enterprise Pools
After you obtain your Power® Enterprise Pool configuration file from IBM, you can create and update the Power Enterprise Pools by using the Hardware Management Console ( HMC ).
Create a Power Enterprise Pool
You can create a Power Enterprise Pool by using the HMC .
- Ensure that the configuration file is in the appropriate location. You must place the file on the local system that you are using to remotely access the HMC . This HMC is the master HMC for the new pool.
- Ensure that the HMC manages all the servers that are to participate in the pool.
- Ensure that all servers that are to participate in the pool are in the standby or the operating state.
- Ensure that all servers that are to participate in the pool use firmware that is version 7.8 or later.
To create a Power Enterprise Pool , from the master HMC select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools , then click Create Pool .
Update the configuration of a Power Enterprise Pool
- You can add Mobile Capacity on Demand (CoD) resources to your pool or you can remove Mobile CoD resources from your pool.
-
You can add servers to your pool or you can remove servers from
your pool.
Attention: The HMC deletes the pool automatically if you remove the last server from a pool.
- Ensure that you obtained the required configuration file from IBM.
- Ensure that the configuration file is in the appropriate location. You must place the file on the local system that you are using to remotely access the master HMC for the pool.
- Ensure that any new server that is to participate in the pool is in the standby state or the operating state.
- Ensure that any new server that is to participate in the pool uses firmware that is version 7.8 or later.
- Ensure that any server to be removed from the pool is in the standby state or the operating state.
- Ensure that any server to be removed from the pool does not have any Mobile CoD resource assignments or any unreturned Mobile CoD resources.
When you update the configuration of a pool, the HMC validates the sequence number in the current configuration file. This sequence number must be greater than, or equal to, the sequence number in the last file that was used to create or update the pool. If the current sequence number does not meet this requirement, the update fails. You must obtain the latest configuration file for the pool and update the pool again.
The latest configuration file for a Power Enterprise Pool is available on the Capacity on Demand (CoD) website .
- From the master HMC for the pool, select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools .
- In the Power Enterprise Pools table, right-click on the pool and then select Update Pool .
Allocate Mobile CoD resources to servers in a Power Enterprise Pool
After you create your Power Enterprise Pool , all Mobile CoD processor resources and Mobile CoD memory resources are allocated to the pool. You must use the HMC to allocate Mobile CoD resources to the servers in the pool. You do not have to notify IBM when you allocate resources.
You can assign Mobile CoD resources to partitions in the same manner as you assign permanent resources to partitions. Mobile CoD resources remain on a server until you remove them from that server. Mobile CoD resources do not expire in the same manner as On/Off CoD resources or Trial CoD resources do.
It is easy to move Mobile CoD resources from one server to another when migrating partitions. You can remove Mobile CoD resources from a server and add them to another server, when the resources are still being used on the server from which they were removed. This action allows the processor and memory resources of the migrating partition to exist both on the source and destination servers, and be used by both the servers at the same time, until the migration is complete.
- You can add Mobile CoD resources only to servers with unlicensed resources.
- If you remove Mobile CoD resources from a server that the server cannot reclaim because they are still in use, these resources become unreturned resources. A grace period timer then starts for the unreturned Mobile CoD resources on that server. If you do not free the unreturned Mobile CoD resources so that the server can reclaim them before the grace period expires, the pool becomes out of compliance.
- If the pool is out of compliance and the grace period timer for the pool is expired, you can add Mobile CoD resources only to servers that have unreturned resources. And, you cannot add more resources than the number of unreturned Mobile CoD resources on that server.
- When you add Mobile CoD resources to a server, they are used first to satisfy any unreturned CoD resources on that server.
- You can add Mobile CoD resources only to a server with unreturned Mobile CoD resources. The number of resources that you add cannot exceed the number of unreturned Mobile CoD resources on that server.
- You can remove Mobile CoD resources from a server. The Mobile CoD resources that you remove from the server become unreturned and a grace period timer starts for these resources. If you do not reconnect the server to the master HMC before the grace period expires, the pool becomes out of compliance.
- You cannot add Mobile CoD resources to the server.
- You can remove Mobile CoD resources from a server and the resources are reclaimed immediately.
- You can add Mobile CoD resources only to a server with unreturned Mobile CoD resources. The number of processors that you add cannot exceed the number of unreturned Mobile CoD resources on that server.
- You can remove Mobile CoD resources from the server.
- From the master HMC for the pool, select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools .
- In the left navigation pane, select the pool name and then select Processor Resources .
- From the master HMC for the pool, select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools .
- In the left navigation pane, select the pool name and then select Memory Resources .
Set the master HMC for a Power Enterprise Pool
Each Power Enterprise Pool has a master HMC .
Initially, the HMC that you use to create the pool is set as the master HMC of the pool. It is preferred that you configure a backup master HMC for a pool when you create the pool. The backup master HMC must manage all of the servers in the pool. Configuring a backup master HMC for a pool allows you to easily set the backup master HMC as the new master HMC for the pool if the current master HMC becomes unavailable.
- Whenever possible, use the current master HMC of a pool to set a new master HMC for the pool. You must use the current HMC to set a new master HMC if the current master HMC is running.
-
You must use the latest configuration file for the pool to set
a new master
HMC
for
the pool when the master
HMC
is
down and one of the following conditions also applies:
- The new master HMC is not configured as the backup master HMC for the pool.
- The new master HMC that is configured as the backup master HMC for the pool does not have valid backup data for the pool.
- Ensure that all of the servers that participate in the pool are connected to the new master HMC .
- Ensure that the participating servers are in either the standby state or the operating state.
- Set a new master HMC before you perform a clean installation of the current master HMC .
- From the master HMC for the pool, select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools .
- In the left navigation pane, select the pool name and then select General Pool Properties .
-
From the current master
HMC
for
the pool, select
Systems Management > Power Enterprise
Pools
.
Tip: If the current master HMC is not available, log on to the HMC you want to set as the new master HMC for the pool.
- In the left navigation pane, select the pool name and then select General Pool Properties .
View history logs
The master HMC for a Power Enterprise Pool maintains a history log of the Mobile CoD resource usage in the pool. Other Power Enterprise Pool related events that have occurred are also recorded in this history log.
- From the master HMC for the pool, select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools .
- In the left navigation pane, select the pool name and then select View Pool History Log .
- From an HMC managing the server, select Systems Management > Power Enterprise Pools .
- In the left navigation pane, select the pool name and then select Processor Resources .
- In the Server Processor Information table, right-click on the server and select View Server History Log .
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Last updated: Thu, April 09, 2015
Power Enterprise Pools and the master HMC
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Power Enterprise Pools and the master HMC
A single Hardware Management Console ( HMC ) must be selected as the master HMC for a Power® Enterprise Pool . The HMC that is used to create a Power Enterprise Pool is initially set as the master HMC of that pool. A redundant HMC can be configured as a backup. You can set a new master HMC for a pool at any time.
All Power Enterprise Pool change operations can be performed only by the master HMC for the pool.
- Upgrading the master HMC
- You cannot perform any Power Enterprise Pool change operations when you are upgrading the master HMC . After the upgrade is complete, you can resume performing pool change operations on the HMC . If you plan to perform any pool change operations when you are upgrading the master HMC , you must set a new master HMC before you start the upgrade.
- Installing the master HMC
- Performing a clean installation of the master HMC deletes all Power Enterprise Pool data from the HMC . After installation, the HMC cannot resume master HMC functions for the pool until you perform a recovery operation. To avoid this situation, you can set a new master HMC for the pool before you start the clean installation of the current master HMC .
To perform a recovery operation after a clean installation of the HMC , run the following HMC command in a restricted shell terminal:
chcodpool -o recover -p <pool name> -f <configuration file name>
For more information, run the man chcodpool command in a restricted shell terminal on the HMC to view the online help.
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Last updated: Thu, April 09, 2015
Power Enterprise Pool configuration file
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Power Enterprise Pool configuration file
The configuration file is a signed XML file that contains the required information to configure a Power® Enterprise Pool .
- Pool ID
- The unique ID that IBM® assigns to the Power Enterprise Pool .
- Sequence number
- A numeric value that increments higher whenever IBM updates the configuration file.
- Power Enterprise Pool membership codes
- An activation code or a termination code for each system that is a member of the pool.
- Mobile CoD processor code
- The activation code that sets the total number of Mobile CoD processors that you can use in the pool.
- Mobile CoD memory code
- The activation code that sets the total amount of Mobile CoD memory that you can use in the pool.
- Create a Power Enterprise Pool
- Add systems to a pool or remove systems from a pool
- Add Mobile CoD resources to a pool or remove Mobile CoD resources from a pool
- Recover the master Hardware Management Console ( HMC ) for a pool after a clean installation of the master HMC .
-
Set a new master
HMC
for
a pool.
Note: You do not always need the configuration file to set the master HMC . For more information, see the Power Enterprise Pools and the master HMC.
The latest configuration file for a Power Enterprise Pool is available on the Capacity on Demand (CoD) website
Add or remove systems from Power Enterprise Pools
Adding or removing a system from an established Power Enterprise Pool requires notification to IBM.
An updated addendum must be submitted to the Power Systems™ CoD project office (pcod@us.ibm.com) to add or remove systems from Power Enterprise Pool . When the update is processed, a new pool configuration file is posted on the CoD website.
Before you remove the systems from a pool, all assets (including Mobile CoD resources) that were originally purchased with the system must be returned to that same system serial number. Mobile assets that belong to a system might qualify for transfer to another system serial number depending on normal qualifying guidelines and, if possible, require more administrative action.
Systems that are removed from a pool can join another pool and contribute Mobile CoD resources to the new pool and use Mobile CoD resources of other systems. Mobile CoD resources require a pool ID to be recognized.
Eligible program authorizations
As a result of authorized participation in a Power Enterprise Pools offering, you are authorized to temporarily transfer entitlements for authorized use of each Eligible Program from a Power Systems server that is participating in the pool to another Power Systems server that is also participating in the pool. You must not exceed the maximum number of software licenses within the pool for any specific software agreement.
Required maintenance service and support
Within each Power Enterprise Pool , all participating systems must either be serviced by IBM under warranty or an IBM maintenance service agreement, or not be serviced by IBM. In addition, each eligible program that is entitled for IBM software maintenance (SWMA) on one or more systems that are participating in the pool must also have a valid SWMA agreement on every participating system in the pool that eligible program will execute on.
Additional Power Enterprise Pool requirements
- Any licenses for Power software like AIX® , IBM i , and other Power software, that exist on any system in a pool must also be licensed for at least one core on each of the additional systems in the pool.
- All systems in a pool must be owned by the same customer enterprise number.
- Activations cannot be transferred, moved, or otherwise reassigned across country boundaries.
- Integrated Facility for Linux activations are not supported as mobile activations within Power Enterprise Pools but can reside separately on systems within a pool. AIX , IBM i , and Linux operating systems and their workloads are all supported by Power Enterprise Pools .
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Last updated: Thu, April 09, 2015