Implementing and Managing InfiniBand Coupling Links on IBM System z

Implementing and Managing InfiniBand Coupling Links on IBM System z

Released January 2014
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: None

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Book description

This IBM® Redbooks® publication provides introductory, planning, migration, and management information about InfiniBand coupling links on IBM System z® servers.

The book will help you plan and implement the migration from earlier coupling links (ISC3 and ICB4) to InfiniBand coupling links. It provides step-by-step information about configuring InfiniBand connections. Information is also provided about the performance of InfiniBand links compared to other link types.

This book is intended for systems programmers, data center planners, and systems engineers. It introduces and explains InfiniBand terminology to help you understand the InfiniBand implementation on System z servers. It also serves as a basis for configuration planning and management.

Table of contents

  1. Front cover
  2. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  3. Preface
    1. Authors
    2. Now you can become a published author, too!
    3. Comments welcome
    4. Stay connected to IBM Redbooks publications
  4. Summary of changes
    1. January 2014, Fourth Edition
    2. March 2012, Third Edition
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction to InfiniBand on System z
    1. 1.1 Objective of this book
    2. 1.2 InfiniBand architecture
      1. 1.2.1 Physical layer
    3. 1.3 IBM System z InfiniBand implementation
      1. 1.3.1 Host channel adapters
      2. 1.3.2 Processor-specific implementations
    4. 1.4 InfiniBand benefits
    5. 1.5 The importance of an efficient coupling infrastructure
      1. 1.5.1 Coupling link performance factors
      2. 1.5.2 PSIFB 12X and 1X InfiniBand links
    6. 1.6 Terminology
    7. 1.7 Structure of this book
  6. Chapter 2. InfiniBand technical description
    1. 2.1 InfiniBand connectivity
    2. 2.2 InfiniBand fanouts
      1. 2.2.1 Adapter types
    3. 2.3 Fanout plugging
      1. 2.3.1 Fanout plugging rules for zEnterprise 196
      2. 2.3.2 Fanout plugging rules for zEnterprise 114
      3. 2.3.3 Fanout plugging rules for System z10 EC
      4. 2.3.4 Fanout plugging rules for System z10 BC
    4. 2.4 Adapter ID assignment and VCHIDs
      1. 2.4.1 Adapter ID assignment
      2. 2.4.2 VCHID - Virtual Channel Identifier
    5. 2.5 InfiniBand coupling links
      1. 2.5.1 12X PSIFB coupling links on System z9
      2. 2.5.2 12X PSIFB coupling links on System z10
      3. 2.5.3 PSIFB Long Reach coupling links on System z10
      4. 2.5.4 12X PSIFB coupling links on z196 and z114
      5. 2.5.5 Long Reach PSIFB coupling links on zEnterprise 196 and 114
      6. 2.5.6 PSIFB coupling links and Server Time Protocol
    6. 2.6 InfiniBand cables
  7. Chapter 3. Preinstallation planning
    1. 3.1 Planning considerations
    2. 3.2 CPC topology
      1. 3.2.1 Coexistence
      2. 3.2.2 Supported coupling link types
    3. 3.3 Hardware and software prerequisites
      1. 3.3.1 Hardware prerequisites
      2. 3.3.2 Software prerequisites
    4. 3.4 Considerations for Server Time Protocol
      1. 3.4.1 Considerations for STP with PSIFB coupling links
    5. 3.5 Multisite sysplex considerations
    6. 3.6 Planning for future nondisruptive growth
    7. 3.7 Physical and logical coupling link capacity planning
      1. 3.7.1 Availability
      2. 3.7.2 Connectivity
      3. 3.7.3 Capacity and performance
    8. 3.8 Physical Coupling link addressing
    9. 3.9 Cabling considerations
  8. Chapter 4. Migration planning
    1. 4.1 Migration considerations
      1. 4.1.1 Connectivity considerations
    2. 4.2 Introduction to the scenario notation
    3. 4.3 Scenario 1
    4. 4.4 Scenario 2
    5. 4.5 Scenario 3
    6. 4.6 Scenario 4
    7. 4.7 Scenario 5
    8. 4.8 Concurrent switch between IFB modes
  9. Chapter 5. Performance considerations
    1. 5.1 Introduction to performance considerations
    2. 5.2 Our measurements
    3. 5.3 Our configuration
    4. 5.4 Testing background
      1. 5.4.1 z/OS LPAR configurations
      2. 5.4.2 CF configurations
      3. 5.4.3 Workloads used for our measurements
      4. 5.4.4 Run-time test composition
      5. 5.4.5 Measurement summaries
    5. 5.5 Simplex performance measurements results
      1. 5.5.1 Measurements on z10
      2. 5.5.2 Measurements on z196
    6. 5.6 ISC and PSIFB 1X performance measurements results
    7. 5.7 SM Duplex performance measurements results
    8. 5.8 Summary
  10. Chapter 6. Configuration management
    1. 6.1 Configuration overview
    2. 6.2 PSIFB link support
      1. 6.2.1 PSIFB connectivity options
    3. 6.3 Sample configuration with PSIFB links
    4. 6.4 Defining your configuration to the software and hardware
      1. 6.4.1 Input/output configuration program support for PSIFB links
      2. 6.4.2 Defining PSIFB links using HCD
      3. 6.4.3 Defining timing-only PSIFB links
      4. 6.4.4 IOCP sample statements for PSIFB links
      5. 6.4.5 Using I/O configuration data to document your coupling connections
    5. 6.5 Determining which CHPIDs are using a port
    6. 6.6 Cabling documentation considerations
    7. 6.7 Dynamic reconfiguration considerations
    8. 6.8 CHPID Mapping Tool support
  11. Chapter 7. Operations
    1. 7.1 Managing your InfiniBand infrastructure
    2. 7.2 z/OS commands for PSIFB links
      1. 7.2.1 z/OS CF-related commands
    3. 7.3 Coupling Facility commands
    4. 7.4 Hardware Management Console and Support Element tasks
      1. 7.4.1 Display Adapter IDs
      2. 7.4.2 Determining the CHPIDs that are associated with an AID/port
      3. 7.4.3 Toggling a CHPID on or offline using HMC
      4. 7.4.4 Displaying the status of a CIB link (CPC view)
      5. 7.4.5 Display the status of a logical CIB link (Image view)
      6. 7.4.6 View Port Parameters panel
      7. 7.4.7 Useful information from the Channel Problem Determination display
      8. 7.4.8 System Activity Display
    5. 7.5 PSIFB Channel problem determination
      1. 7.5.1 Checking that the link is physically working
      2. 7.5.2 Verifying that the physical connections match the IOCDS definitions
      3. 7.5.3 Setting a coupling link online
    6. 7.6 Environmental Record Editing and Printing
  12. Appendix A. Resource Measurement Facility
    1. Resource Measurement Facility overview
  13. Appendix B. Processor driver levels
    1. Driver level cross-reference
  14. Appendix C. Link buffers and subchannels
    1. Capacity planning for coupling links overview
  15. Appendix D. Client experience
    1. Overview of the client experience
    2. Large production sysplex
    3. Exploiting InfiniBand for link consolidation
  16. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks publications
    2. Other publications
    3. Online resources
    4. How to get IBM Redbooks publications
    5. Help from IBM
  17. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: Implementing and Managing InfiniBand Coupling Links on IBM System z
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: January 2014
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: None