2 VSM console Planning

This chapter provides information about the following VSM console planning topics:

Satisfying Mainframe Host Software Requirements

Using SMC as an MVS client connected to the VSM console, oVTCS on a VSM console server requires the following:

  • VSM 6 or VSM 7 as the VTSS

  • SMC 7.3 or higher (with the XAPI support), serving as an MVS client to VSM console

Satisfying Network Infrastructure Requirements

If possible, do any configuration of IP addresses, network switch(es) for VLANs or other setup (running cables, and so forth) before the VSM console arrives to minimize the installation time.

Ensure that, for each VSM console server, the network is ready for connection to the VSM console as follows: 1/10GBase-T (1Gb or 10Gb copper RJ45 Ethernet connection) is required on all network switches and routers that are directly attached to VSM console. There are at most two physical Ethernet connections to each VSM console.

Note:

During VSM console configuration, you can specify a maximum of two time servers for each VSM console.

Check that you are using the proper (customer-supplied) 1GigE Ethernet cables:

  • CAT5 cables and below are not acceptable for GigE transmission.

  • CAT5E cable: 90 meters is acceptable if run through a patch panel, 100 meters if straight cable.

  • CAT6 cable: 100 meters is acceptable regardless of patch panel configuration.

This release supports a single connection from VSM console to a single router.

Satisfying Serviceability Requirements

The VSM console product uses a standard Oracle service strategy common with other Oracle products. Automated Service Request (ASR) is a feature of Oracle Premier Support for Systems and Oracle Limited Warranty that is designed to automatically request Oracle service when specific hardware faults occur. You can use ASR to manually or automatically request the creation of a service case. You must have a service contract for the device.

Optionally, in combination with ASR, Oracle Support can configure outgoing email containing details about an ASR event. Contact Oracle Support for more information.

The advantages of ASR functionality are documented in the ASR FAQ available on the My Oracle Support site in Knowledge Article Doc ID 1285574.1.

Customer-supplied Information

The VSM console will be configured to allow outgoing ASR and email communication with Oracle Support. To support VSM console outgoing ASR notifications, you need to supply the information in Table 2-1 through Table 2-3 to the installing Oracle Field Engineer.

Table 2-1 General Configuration - Site Information

Configuration Value Example

Company Name

Company Inc

Site Name

Site A

City

AnyTown

Table 2-2 General Configuration - Contact Information

Configuration Value Example

First Name

Joe

Last Name

Companyperson

Contact email

joecompanyperson@company.com

Table 2-3 ASR Setup - Oracle Online Account Information

Configuration Value Example

Customer Oracle CSI Login Name

joecompanyperson@company.com

Customer Oracle CSI Login Password

********

Note:

You must log in to My Oracle Support (MOS) and approve the registration of the VSM console. Until this approval is completed, the VSM console is not capable of auto-generating cases through MOS.

For email notification of event and log information, you must also supply a list of email IDs to notify of an ASR alert.

In cases where outgoing communication steps are not completed at the time of installation or not allowed at all, Oracle's options for timely response to events that require support from the Oracle Service team are greatly reduced. You can configure the VSM console to send email containing event and log information directly to a designated customer internal email address. A recipient of this email can then initiate a service request directly with Oracle and forward any emails received from the VSM console to Oracle Support. In this case, you must supply the email address where VSM console emails are sent, where this email address can accept emails of up to 5M.

ASR Configuration Information

ASR is configured with the following information:

  • Your MOS credentials

  • The URL for ASR events, which is MOS

Determining VSM console Configuration Values

The following sections explain how to determine configuration values for the VSM console.

VSM console Ethernet Ports

Figure 2-1 shows the 1GigE Ethernet ports on the rear of the server.

Note:

Attach only through NET0.

Figure 2-1 VSM console 1GigE Ethernet Data Ports

Surrounding text describes Figure 2-1 .

The 1GigE Ethernet ports are general purpose ports that are used for connection to the network for data traffic and management.

Port's Host Name

The value is the machine (host) name for each IP address to be connected to the network. Characters can be alpha-numeric (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) or "." or "-". The first and last characters of the string cannot be "." or "-". The name cannot be all-numeric. Host names (not including the domain names) must be 8 characters or less.

IP Address

There is only one network address for the server. The IP addresses may be IPV4 or IPV6 and use the standard notation.

CIDR

VSM console uses CIDR notation to manage network and host addresses. You must know the CIDR for the network that VSM console attaches to.

Providing Configuration Information to Oracle

Supply this information to Oracle field personnel as they prepare to configure the VSM console for you:

  • database format

  • data disk size

Selecting the Database Format

Before VSM console configuration, you must provide the following information to Oracle field personnel:

  • The database mode, either HSC-based or SQL

    • An HSC-based database allows both existing MVS VTCS systems and VSM console oVTCS systems to use the same CDS.

      Using the HSC CDS causes a performance limitation.

    • An SQL database can be replicated across multiple systems. The SQL database is designed to be an HA (high availability) solution with an oVTCS node running on both the primary and secondary VSM console nodes.

  • If you choose the SQL database option, you must tell Oracle which oVTCS node is primary and which is secondary.

    The SQL database can be replicated across multiple systems and is designed to be an HA (high availability) solution with an oVTCS node running on both the primary and secondary VSM console nodes.

Determining the Data Disk Size

During LDOM creation, the VSM console asks for the size of the data disk.

For the initial configuration, you must provide the data disk size information based on the following estimations:

  • For an ACSLS LDOM, a total data disk size of approximately 21Gb:

    • 1Gb for the database

    • 10Gb for backup images

    • 10Gb for diagnostic materials, for example, logs and traces. Keep in mind the larger the data disk the more diagnostic materials can be retained.

      Note:

      Oracle recommends 25Gb to ensure you have allocated enough space.

  • For an oVTCS LDOM, using an example of a configuration containing 1,000,000 VTVs, a total data disk size of approximately 21Gb:

    • The CDS size depends on the size of the configuration.

      • Assume 500 bytes per VTV

      • 500Mb for 1,000,000 VTVs

    • 5Gb for CDS backups, based on 10 * the CDS size for 1,000,000 VTVs.

    • 15Gb for diagnostic materials, for example, logs and traces. Keep in mind the larger the data disk the more diagnostic materials can be retained.

  • For a VSM GUI LDOM, a total data disk size of approximately 48 Gb.

Note:

The disk size can be changed dynamically at a later time if necessary.