Achieving High Availability On Linux For System Z With Linux Ha Release 2

As Linux® on System z® becomes more prevalent and mainstream in the industry, the need for it to deliver higher levels of availability is increasing. IBM® supports the High Availability Linux (Linux-HA) project, which provides high availability functions to the open source community. One component of the Linux-HA project is the Heartbeat program, which runs on every known Linux platform. Heartbeat is part of the framework of the Linux-HA project. This IBM Redbooks® publication provides information to help you evaluate and implement Linux-HA release 2 by using Heartbeat 2.0 on the IBM System z platform with either SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server version 10 or Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® 5. To begin, we review the fundamentals of high availability concepts and terminology. Then we discuss the Heartbeat 2.0 architecture and its components. We examine some of the special considerations when using Heartbeat 2.0 on Linux on System z, particularly Linux on z/VM®, with logical partitions (LPARs), interguest communication by using HiperSocketsTM, and Shoot The Other Node In The Head (STONITH) by using VSMSERVE for Simple Network IPL (snIPL). By reading this book, you can examine our environment as we outline our installation and setup processes and configuration. We demonstrate an active and passive single resource scenario and a quorum scenario by using a single resource with three guests in the cluster. Finally, we demonstrate and describe sample usage scenarios.

As Linux on System z becomes more prevalent and mainstream in the industry, the need for it to deliver higher levels of availability is increasing. This IBM Redbooks publication starts with an explanation of high availability (HA) fundamentals such as HA concepts and terminology. It continues with a discussion of why a business needs to consider an HA solution and then explains how to determine your business single points of failure. We outline the components of a high availability solution and describe these components. Then we provide some architectural scenarios and demonstrate how to plan and decide an implementation of an end-to-end HA solution, from Linux on System z database scenarios to z/OS, and include storage, network, z/VM, Linux, and middleware. This implementation includes the IBM Tivoli System Automation for Multiplatforms (TSA MP), which monitors and automates applications distributed across Linux, AIX®, and z/OS® operating systems, as well as a GDPS based solution. It includes the planning for an end-to-end scenario, considering Linux on System z, z/VM, and z/OS operating environments, and the middleware used. The TSA MP implements HA for infrastructure, network, operating systems, and applications across multiple platforms and is compared to a Linux HA implementation based on open source Linux-HA, which is Linux only.

There are many reasons why you would want to optimize your servers through virtualization using Linux on IBM® System z®: Too many distributed physical servers with low utilization A lengthy provisioning process that delays the implementation of new applications Limitations in data center power and floor space High total cost of ownership (TCO) Difficulty allocating processing power for a dynamic environment This IBM Redbooks® publication provides a technical planning guide and example for IT organizations to migrate from their x86 environment to Linux on System z. It begins by examining the benefits of migrating workloads to Linux on System z. Here, we describe the workload centric method of information technology and then discuss the benefits of migrating workloads to Linux on System z. Next, we describe total cost of ownership analyses and we guide you in understanding how to analyze your environment before beginning a migration project. We also assist you in determining the expected consolidation ratio for a given workload type. We also describe virtualization concepts along with describing the benefits of migrating from the x86 environment to guests residing on an IBM z/VM® single system image with live guest relocation. This IBM Redbooks publication walks you through a migration approach, includes planning worksheets, as well as a chapter to assist you in analyzing your own systems. We also discuss post migration considerations such as acceptance testing of functionality and performance measurements.

This IBM® Redbooks® publication describes important networking concepts and industry standards that are used to support high availability on IBM System z®. Some of the networking standards described here are VLANs, VLAN trunking, link aggregation, virtual switches, VNICs, and load-balancing. We examine the various aspects of network setups and introduce the main Linux on System z networking commands and configuration files. We describe the management of network interface parameters, assignment of addresses to a network interface, and usage of the ifconfig command to configure network interfaces. We provide an overview of connectivity options available on the System z platform. We also describe high availability concepts and building a high availability solution using IBM Tivoli® System Automation. We also provide the implementation steps necessary to build a redundant network connections set up between an IBM z/VM® system and the external network switches using two Open Systems Adapter-Express 3 (OSA-Express 3) adapters with 10 Gb Ethernet ports. We describe the tests performed in our lab environment. The objectives of these tests were to gather information about performance and failover from the perspective of a real scenario, where the concepts of described in this book were applied. This book is focused on information that is practical and useful for readers with experience in network analysis and engineering networks, System z and Linux systems administrators, especially for readers that administer networks in their day-to-day activities. For additional reading: A Technote is availalble that explains changes to using channel bonding interfaces introduced with SLES 11 SP 2. It can be found at: http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips1000.html?Open

This IBM® Redbooks® publication shows the power of IBM System z® virtualization and flexibility in sharing resources in a flexible production environment. In this book, we outline the planning and setup of Linux on System z to move from a development or test environment into production. As an example, we use one logical partition (LPAR) with shared CPUs with memory for a production environment and another LPAR that shares some CPUs, but also has a dedicated one for production. Running in IBM z/VM® mode allows for virtualization of servers and based on z/VM shares, can prioritize and control their resources. The size of the LPAR or z/VM resources depends on the workload and the applications that run that workload. We examine a typical web server environment, Java applications, and describe it by using a database management system, such as IBM DB2®. Network decisions are examined with regards to VSWITCH, shared Open Systems Adapter (OSA), IBM HiperSocketsTM and the HiperPAV, or FCP/SCSI attachment used with a storage area network (SAN) Volume Controller along with performance and throughput expectations. The intended audience for this IBM Redbooks publication is IT architects who are responsible for planning production environments and IT specialists who are responsible for implementation of production environments.

You may have several triggers to investigate the feasibility of moving a workload or set of workloads to the IBM® System z® platform. These triggers could be concerns about operational cost, manageability, or delivering the agreed service levels, among others. Investigating the feasibility of a possible migration or transition to any other platform, including System z, requires a number of basic steps. These steps usually start with an understanding of the current workload and its pain points, and end with a business case to move the workload. It is important to find out how easy a migration is going to be and how much risk will be involved. In this IBM Redbooks® publication we offer thoughts on how to move through these steps. We also include a chapter with a System z technology summary to help you understand how a migrated workload may fit on the platform. Our focus in this book is on workloads that are mission-critical and require a high level of availability, including disaster recovery.

This IBM Redbooks® publication presents a Smart Analytics Cloud. The IBM Smart Analytics Cloud is an IBM offering to enable delivery of business intelligence and analytics at the customer location in a private cloud deployment. The offering leverages a combination of IBM hardware, software and services to offer customers a complete solution that is enabled at their site. In this publication, we provide the background and product information for decision-makers to proceed with a cloud solution. The content ranges from an introduction to cloud computing to details about our lab implementation. The core of the book discusses the business value, architecture, and functionality of a Smart Analytics Cloud. To provide deeper perspective, documentation is also provided about implementation of one specific Smart Analytics Cloud solution that we created in our lab environment. Additionally, we also describe the IBM Smart Analytics Cloud service offering that can help you create your own Smart Analytics cloud solution that is tailored to your business needs.

The two volume set LNCS 7439 and 7440 comprises the proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Algorithms and Architectures for Parallel Processing, ICA3PP 2012, as well as some workshop papers of the CDCN 2012 workshop which was held in conjunction with this conference. The 40 regular paper and 26 short papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 156 submissions. The CDCN workshop attracted a total of 19 original submissions, 8 of which are included in part II of these proceedings. The papers cover many dimensions of parallel algorithms and architectures, encompassing fundamental theoretical approaches, practical experimental results, and commercial components and systems.