KVM for IBM z Systems - version 1.1.1 GA

After the announcement in February, KVM for IBM z Systems 1.1.1  is now generally available. This is the second release, and it is expected that a new update is going to be released every half year.   

Here are a few links for further details:

• Announcement letter 1.1.0, Announcement letter 1.1.1
• Key new features in the 1.1.1 version (see also here)
• Simultaneous multi threading (SMT) support in the host. The guests don't see the difference
• Support for the Vector Facility introduced in z13(s) (SIMD) to accelerate string operations and calculations
• Hypervisor enhancements including support for iSCSI and NFS
• Unattended installation capability of hypervisor for ease of installation
• Includes Kimchi as a Hipervisor GUI (basic for now but already useful)
• Software Development Kit
• Supported in LPARs on zEC12, zBC12, z13 and newer machines (see announcement letter)
• SUSE support statement. They have a separate Web Page for this!
• Documention at the IBM Knowledgecenter and on Developerworks (pdf)
• KVM for IBM z Systems Limits and Configuration Recommendations
• High Availability with KVM for IBM z Systems
• "howto build" for the popular UI virt-manager
• Redbook "Getting Started with KVM for IBM z Systems"
• LSPR numbers for KVM
• Software support (expect this to grow over time)
• SAP application server
• IBM Software Product Compatibility Reports - select KVM for z as the hipervisor

Note: there is already the first fixpack available on Fix Central. When you start, please install the latest fixpack!

If you encounter any problems, please open a PMR with IBM. 

(updated 3/23/2015) 

SHARE 2016 San Antonio

Last week I'be been at SHARE in San Antonio. There was a good turnout and lots of good discussions. Here is the complete agenda. I've already blogged about the best session. Here are a few more:

• Introduction and Positioning of KVM for IBM z Systems
• KVM Concepts and Components for z/VM Lovers
• What's New in the z/VM Hypervisor
• How Do You Spell SMT on z/VM?
• A Look at SMT Performance
• What's New in Linux on z Systems?
• Docker and z Systems
• Linux Performance Tools in 60 Minutes
• z13 Performance with Linux - A One Year Journey

New Open source packages for Linux on z

One of the FAQs after launching LinuxONE is the question: what of the currently popular applications stacks etc has been ported to Linux on z?
There is a community called "IBM LinuxONE and Linux on IBM z Systems Open Source Ecosystem" that in the forum has a list of projects ported/tested. Don't get confused by the date of the entry, look at the bottom for the latest update.
If you are missing something, feel free to ask the question in the forum.

Best session at Winter SHARE 2016: "I Just Bought an IBM z890 - Now What?"

Today at SHARE I had the remarkable experience to listen to a session Connor Krukosky. He's a 18 year old student that bought a z890 on eBay. Here is his story. The first operating system he got running was Linux. Some of the stumbling blocks (e.g. writing a IOCDS) he mentions reminded me from the time 17 years back, when I learned the same things the same way. SHARE has recorded the session. The video is now on YouTube:

(updated 3/29/2016)