Edit: Cannot remember the last time I thought about Flex System.
Originally posted May 6, 2014 on AIXchange
The short-lived SDMC wasn’t widely adopted, in part because customers who were familiar with the HMC didn’t want to relearn the SDMC interface. While the IBM Flex Systems Manager (FSM) isn’t going anywhere, it does pose a similar issue — at least for one of my customers that wanted to manage its standalone servers and flex nodes from the same HMC.
If you didn’t know, you can do this. However, there are caveats. IBMer James Nash has a great set of slides with information about the solution.
He begins by pointing to this announcement on new IBM Flex System functionality:
The IBM Flex System now supports the IBM Power Hardware Management Console (HMC) and the IBM Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM). The IBM Power Rack-mounted HMC brings the same, full function PowerVM management available on POWER7 and POWER7+ rack servers to the POWER7 and POWER7+ processor-based Flex System compute nodes. IVM is an easy-to-use, browser-based tool providing access to the entry set of PowerVM functions.
The HMC function is available with HMC Version 7 Release 7.7.0 Service Pack 2. The IVM function is available with VIOS Version 2.2.2.3. Both solutions require Power Compute node firmware Version 7.7.3.
Note: The use of the IBM Power Hardware Management Console (HMC) and the IBM Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) are only supported as part of a Flex System configuration with Power compute nodes and cannot be used in the same configuration with IBM Flex System Management node.
James also references this technote, which explains that “flex nodes can be managed by HMC, IVM or FSM. Only one manager type can be active; dual management by FSM and HMC is not supported.”
The technote lists the supported combinations:
| 01AF773_033 | 01AF773_051 | ||
| Version 7 Release 7.7.0 | Service Pack 2 | Service Pack 3 Note: HMC does not support TLS 1.2 enablement on this firmware level. | |
| Version 7 Release 7.8.0 | Not supported. | *Service Pack 0 (approved Jan/2014) | |
| Version 7 Release 7.9.0 | Not supported. | Not supported. |
* Note: All partitions (virtual servers) on the node must be powered off prior to converting from FSM to HMC 7.7.8 or later or upgrading an existing HMC from 7.7.7 to 7.7.8 or later.
Keep in mind that if you use the HMC for this function, you miss out on some FSM features, namely:
* Auto discovery of resources
* Physical and virtual management
* Network and storage management
* Alerts, health status, call home
* Firmware management
* Remote console
James’s slides include a nice chart that lays out the respective features and functions of the HMC and FSM. For instance, both allow you to power on/off nodes and create and activate LPARs, but only the FSM allows you to manage flex chassis components, control IBM storage and the IBM network, and run VMControl.
In addition, there are some good screen shots of how to “un-manage” your devices and discover your nodes from your HMC:
“Moving from HMC managed Power Flex nodes to FSM managed Power Flex nodes is only supported if you shutdown the Power Flex nodes and set to factory defaults. This will result in loss of all LPAR/virtual Server configurations. If you plan to go from FSM to HMC then back to FSM, make a backup of the FSM before you move to the HMC. This will save configuration information from the point in time that you created the backup so any changes you make on the HMC will not be reflected when you ‘go back’ to using the FSM to mange your Power Flex nodes.”
The final slide presents some frequently asked questions:
* Can I use FSM and HMC simultaneously (same chassis)? No.
* When using HMC, can FSM manage the x86 servers in the same chassis? No.
* Can the FSM manage non-Flex Power servers? No.
* Does this mean the FSM is going away? No.
* Can I have dual HMC management? Yes.
* Can I use IBM Systems Director? Yes.
* Can I use PowerVC? Yes.
* Can some nodes use IVM and others HMC? Yes.
You may be perfectly happy running the FSM, but if not, understand that this alternative is available.