Re: HMC 9.1.920 Advantages.

I agree the network map display thing is kinda cool. But we now have so many partitions and so many VLANS that I need all three 4K screens on my desk to show it in any pixel size that it's visible. So while 'shiny object' it's really not all that useful to me.

And it can't show storage provided by an IBM i host partition so that's pointless.

What it should but doesn't have is a way to deploy an IBM i partition. Be that from a stated NFS host or from images on the HMC or from a named tape device. It does not. Heck the HMC is linux and it could easily be the NFS server for a stack of IBM i images so why not? As you say it's aimed at the Unix crowd.

If you create partition what do they call them, 'templates', they are flatly pointless. Completely. The only thing you can set in there is CPU and memory really. Everything else you have to specify when you deploy the template, including network and storage connections. And for US those things you CAN put in the template are different every time based on customer size! So again a total whiff on any value whatever. Zero.

I will say at least they fixed that stupid annoying 'upgrade' link. In 8.8.7 and I think early 9 it said: Noo Noo Noo this isn't right go to this other place (that you can't find) to do upgrades. They finally gave in and it links you there.

It's 'new' and it has many more pictures (read icons) than before but again 'shiny object' and no substance.

- Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis

www.Frankeni.com
www.iDevCloud.com - Personal Development IBM i timeshare service.
www.iInTheCloud.com - Commercial IBM i Cloud Hosting.

On 9/19/2018 8:35 AM, Jim Oberholtzer wrote:

Thus far the only thing I've found any use for is the virtual network design
and build feature of the 9.x HMC. It works really well and the network map
it can produce saves hours of documentation time.

That said, the new interface is awful. It makes assumptions that are just
plain wrong, like if I dynamically move a card from one partition to another
(tape primarily) it assumes I want to update the profile. NO I DON'T, If I
do, I will.

It's hard to find things and just slower to do simple tasks. For instance
force DST on a partition. Easy in 8.8.6, go head and find that in 9. I
could go on, but a new look does not make the HMC more efficient. Oh, and
if they would have discussed any of this with the CAAC or LUG I'm sure the
reaction would have been negative but they only care about and asked the
UNIX crowd.


--
Jim Oberholtzer
Agile Technology Architects


-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
DrFranken
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2018 4:04 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: HMC 9.1.920 Advantages.

So I upgraded one of my HMCs to the latest 9.1.920 level. Yippee.

I am honestly trying to find any reason whatever that this version is
superior to version 8.860 for Power7 and Power8 servers. This is especially
focused on users with IBM i partitions primarily, and optionally with VIOS
supporting I/O.

I'm not interested in 'well it's patched for this or that attack or flaw' or
'they are required for Power9. I'm looking for things that this version WILL
do that I can't do with 8.860. Honestly I'm at a loss.

Yes I am aware they allow you to do IBM i Hosting of IBM i on this version
but that's not really a new thing because I could do that on
8.860 in the Classic view.

There are some things that are marginally useful but woefully incomplete but
before I bash those, enlighten me! Please!!