Dr Hansen,
Moving the IOP/IOA or newer style Smart IOP combinations is quite easy
but requires the tape device be varied off on the source partition and
then varied back on when it becomes available on the target partition.
This takes a few minutes. The process can be automated by running shell
scripts using SSH that execute the proper move commands on the HMC.
These moves can also be schedule on the HMC but of course that can run
into problems if the source partition isn't ready to give up the tape
drive for example.
Another option is to use fiber attached tape with a fiber card on each
partition and a fiber switch. The beauty of this set up is that no
switching is required.
I haven't worked with it yet but the virtual SCSI facility but I THINK
that it's intended to work like the fiber setup and wouldn't require
switching.
DrFranken
William A. Hansen wrote:
I've been researching LPAR, PowerVM, etc. and seem to have missed a basic concept.
Suppose you have a system with one tape device. What stops you from (or what is the disadvantage of) moving the IOA and tape drive from one partition to another as needed?
If this is possible, what is the big deal about the newly announced virtual SCSI tape facility for blades (not to be confused with IBM i virtual tape)? It seems that both approaches require using the IVM or HMC to move a resource from one partition to another.
Thanks,
Bill
William A. Hansen
whansen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Manta Technologies Inc.
Toll-free: (800) 406-2682 x 101
Direct: (303) 862-4562
