HMC, BMC, VMI, eBMC, FSP, Oh My!
March 16, 2023
In the beginning of the HMC era life was simple. We had an x86 HMC connected to the FSP (Flexible Service Processor) of the server. You could have redundant HMCs if you wanted, as well. With the migration to the Power HMCs until Power10 we have a BMC (baseboard management controller) in the HMC, and […]
ArticlesIBM Announces 2023 IBM Power Strategy
February 14, 2023
Today, IBM announced several updates to IBM Power, as well as its 2023 strategy for IBM Power clients and partners. Ken King, general manager of IBM Power, says, “It is well known but worth reiterating that IBM Power is designed for mission-critical workloads that require superior availability, reliability, security and performance. In other words, it’s […]
ArticlesProblem-Solving via the Internet, the Importance of Patching and More
January 20, 2023
Recently, I helped mount a filesystem on a Windows system that was being exported from an AIX system. The client wasn’t sure it would work—and there were challenges—but fortunately I found some guidance by googling. Following these instructions, I was able to export a test filesystem from an AIX machine in my lab. Then I […]
ArticlesIBM i 2023: Guided Tours, the 35th and More
January 18, 2023
Happy New Year, everyone! I’ve decided to start 2023 off right by telling you a bit about what’s coming in 2023, while also telling you a bit about some things we did last year that you might want to know about. Let’s get started. In 2021 and 2022, IBM started selling Power10-based servers—with IBM i […]
ArticlesA Look at the Latest AIX 7.3 Enhancements
December 22, 2022
In December 2022, AIX 7.3 Technology Level (TL) 1 became available. Many new features and functions were delivered with this TL. You can find the official list of announcements and “what’s new” information at the following links: I wanted to take a moment to talk about some of the new enhancements that caught my attention […]
Rob McNelly on ‘Lights-Out Data Center’ Issues, the Latest IBM Announcements and More
October 19, 2022
Though I’ve heard about lights-out data centers for years, I truly don’t envision a future where humans will never set foot on the raised floor. We’ll always need hands and eyes in the room to perform tasks on our systems. Case in point: Recently I serviced a customer that had three of their four fibre […]
ArticlesAnnouncing IBM i 7.5 TR1, 7.4 TR7 and More
October 12, 2022
It’s time to announce technology refreshes again. On October 11, 2022, we announced IBM i 7.5 TR1 and 7.4 TR7. And, as always, in addition to those specific “technology refresh” delivery vehicles, there are updates for Db2, Navigator, RPG and more. But First: Power10 Scale-Out But before I get to the TRs, I owe it […]
ArticlesIntroducing IBM i System Subscription
September 8, 2022
IBM has introduced the IBM i System Subscription, designed for affordability and simplicity. Get insights on this latest announcement from IBM’s Dylan Boday.
ArticlesOpen Firmware Macros Tips, and a Closer Look at Power10 Servers
September 2, 2022
There are several ways to boot LPARs on IBM Power Systems servers. For example, you can boot to your OS of choice—AIX, IBM i, or Linux—or to SMS or open firmware. While most of us are familiar with all of these options, if you’re not, check out this IBM Support document. I’ll highlight the section […]
ArticlesPower10 and the Impact of Upgrading
August 2, 2022
Recently, after settling into a new home, I upgraded my cable modem and router. I was fine with the internet service I had, but for the same cost, I was able to go from ~100Mbps to ~1000Mbps download speeds. Obviously those numbers may vary depending on your connection (wired versus wireless), your equipment, and the […]