Edit: I always look for the latest version of this document. Some links no longer work.
Originally posted October 10, 2017 on AIXchange
Not long ago I was asked about the Power Systems best practices document that I wrote about in March.
The reader who contacted me couldn’t download the presentation, nor could I when I tried. So I reached out to Fredrik Lundholm, the author, who assured me that it was still available. I tried again, and it worked.
In the interim, a new version of this doc, 1.18, was released. Download it here.
A tip: I’ve found that I need to click on the download button in the top right and select “direct download” in order to get it to work. If your download isn’t successful, you’ll see a timeout message stating that the file cannot be previewed.
Anyway, some highlights from the updated presentation:
- Slides 13-15 cover the VIO server. Page 13 has VIOS policy, page 14 has the VIOS release lifecycle (showing VIO out into the 2023 timeframe), and page 15 shows network access mechanism information.
- Page 19 shows VIOS virtual Ethernet tuning information, page 20 has SR_IOV and vNIC information, and page 21 shows storage information.
- Page 26 has the AIX latest support matrix as of September 2017, page 27 has AIX policy information.
- Page 36 has PowerHA recommendations, page 39 has Linux and IBM i notes on mtu_bypass and SEA performance.
If you’ve seen previous versions, it’s pretty easy to spot the changes. All new/updated slides are labeled “Updated 1.18” in red.
If you’re new to this, be sure to read this introduction on page 4:
This presentation describes the expected best practices implementation and documentation guidelines for Power Systems with AIX. These should be considered mandatory procedures for virtualized Power servers.
The overall goal is to combine simplicity with flexibility. This is key to achieve the best possible total system availability with adequate performance over time.
While this presentation lists the expected best practices, all customer engagements are unique. It is acceptable to adapt and make implementation deviations after a mandatory review with the responsible architect (not only engaging the customer) and properly documenting these.
Fredrik does a great job of presenting this information. Every update is well worth your time.