Re: i5 and the HMC

To follow up on Marc's comments:
- You don't need and can't use a Hardware Management Console (HMC) for 
iSeries systems prior to i5 5XX models.
- You do need an HMC for i5 models if you are implementing LPAR or 
OnDemand processors or memory.
- The only exception is the announcement this month that for an i5 with 
one i5/OS partition and one to four Linux partitions you can choose not to 
have an HMC.
Check this URL: 
http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/linux/vpm.html 
for limitations of the "Virtual Partition Manager" compared to HMC, which 
include "no dynamic resource movement without an HMC".

Marty wrote about the HMC: "Why would I want one MORE computer system to 
worry about and maintain?"   Good question.
Remember that the advantages of the HMC over a managing LPAR include lower 
cost and the fact that you can power off or maintain an HMC without 
impacting LPARs while you cannot power down a managing partition without 
powering down all other LPARs too.

The HMC is different from the green screens and iSeries Navigator that 
you're used to but not too difficult to learn, in my opinion.
Yes, it would be nice to have one universal interface to manage multiple 
systems, combining the best of iSeries Navigator, HMC, and IBM Director 
Multiplatform.
I think "our best people are working on it" but I'm just an optimist!

Dan R.
iSeries Field Technical Specialist