Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this. That's quite a lot of information I have gathered.
Thanks especially to Timothy Sipples for putting it all together below. Lennie -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Timothy Sipples Sent: 09 June 2023 06:48 To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: Why can't a LinuxONE run z/OS Lennie Dymoke-Bradshaw asks: >Can someone please explain what IBM have done on the LinuxOne machines >to stop them running z/OS? Your predicate is incorrect. IBM LinuxONE servers CAN run z/OS. Please read on.... David Crayford wrote: >From what I gather, LinuxOne machines have the capability to run z/OS >within OCP containers, and there are cloud provisioning tools available >to choose systems software from the ADCD. I had the opportunity to >witness a demonstration of this at a zForum conference, where IBMer Ed >McCarthy showcased its impressive functionality. I was quite impressed >with what I saw. The provisioning options ranged from x86 emulation to >on-premises Linux on Z, with various tiers in between. Tim Sipples will >know the details. To my knowledge there are currently two generally available, fully IBM supported and authorized ways to run z/OS on LinuxONE servers: 1. Via the IBM Virtual Dev and Test for z/OS product. ZVDT supports running real z/OS for development, unit test, demonstration, and training purposes on IBM LinuxONE servers (and on IFLs in IBM zSystems servers). Please note that ZVDT does not currently support z/OS Parallel Sysplex configurations or the z/OS Container Extensions. But it does run real, bit-for-bit identical z/OS. And the performance is broadly excellent. ECKD/FICON-attached storage is supported but not required. https://www.ibm.com/products/virtual-dev-and-test-zos It's common to deploy ZVDT (and the z/OS instances it hosts) in its own, dedicated LPAR. But it doesn't necessarily have to be. My colleague Ed McCarthy might've demonstrated some other deployment options. 2. Via the IBM GDPS Virtual Appliance. You can optionally configure an IBM LinuxONE server with a single general purpose processor (CP) at a specific capacity setting. This single CP can only be used to run the IBM GDPS Virtual Appliance software. The GDPS VA software is shipped and serviced as a single, integral image, but it happens to be z/OS-based. (You're not licensed to use that "interior" z/OS for general purposes.) The IBM GDPS Virtual Appliance is broadly functionally equivalent to the IBM GDPS Metro Mirror (with HyperSwap) offering. ECKD/FICON-attached storage is required for the IBM GDPS Virtual Appliance itself. ECKD/FICON-attached storage is supported but not required for other workloads. Peter Bishop wrote: >And LinuxONEs only have IFLs. You have the option to configure LinuxONE servers with a single subcapacity CP. (See above.) You can also configure them with additional SAPs if you wish. >The rest of the box is the same, apart from the doors The two server families are related, but there are more differences besides the engine choices and doors. As a notable example the LinuxONE servers can be configured with NVMe Carrier features and even boot/IPL from them. NVMe Carrier features are not available on IBM zSystems servers. zHyperLink Express adapters are available in IBM zSystems servers but not in IBM LinuxONE servers. In past model generations (including z15/LinuxONE III which is still generally available) the storage-related adapters are often different, but there's some re-convergence in that area with the z16/LinuxONE 4 servers. IBM zSystems servers support model conversion upgrades (for example from z15 to z16) and carry forward of I/O features. LinuxONE servers do not support either model conversion upgrades or carry forward of any I/O features. You can look through the Feature Codes available for the IBM z16 (3931-A01) and IBM LinuxONE Emperor 4 (3931-LA1) and see many identical feature codes but also many differences. ----- Timothy Sipples Senior Architect Digital Assets, Industry Solutions, and Cybersecurity IBM zSystems/LinuxONE, Asia-Pacific sipp...@sg.ibm.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
