Power10 Lessons Learned in 2023
October 30, 2023
2023 has been a busy year with lots of Power10 implementations. And I have learned a great deal during that time from a combination of experience, IBM documents and tips from friends. It is important that you follow the instructions on how to set up your Power10 server. The addition of the VMI (Virtualization Management […]
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 […]
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 […]
ArticlesRob 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 […]
ArticlesUnderstanding Power Supplies for Power Systems
February 28, 2022
In 2018, I published an article on planning for power that explored the requirements for power connections and the rules about power distribution units (PDUs) when implementing IBM servers. IBM publishes maximum power usage for each of their servers in the technical overview manuals’ operating environment sections. Whenever installing new servers, it’s important to reassess […]
Apache Log4j Vulnerability, AIX Tips and Tools, a Look at Time Drift, and More
January 4, 2022
System security is no laughing matter. Well, occasionally it’s a laughing matter, but I’ll get to that in a moment. On Dec. 15 IBM issued a security bulletin regarding a vulnerability in Apache Log4j that affects the Power HMC. Check the IBM PSIRT blog for the latest updates: “… Product teams are releasing remediations for […]
ArticlesAIX Tips, Tricks and Useful Tools
December 13, 2021
Periodically I like to remind everyone about the tools they have at their disposal as well as providing a few tips and tricks to help with maintaining systems. In this article we will look at some of the tools you can use to help in your day-to-day work. YUM and DNF If you’re dealing with […]
VideoIBM Champion Rob McNelly on the New AIX 7.3 Announcement
October 29, 2021
As I finished running 13.1 miles at the Lake Powell half marathon, I realized that I had not told you about the AIX 7.3 announcement from IBM. The announcement letters are easy enough to find on the IBM website. 7.3 was officially announced on October 19, and although there is more than just the AIX announcement, […]
ArticlesMore Power to You: A Closer Look at the Power10 E1080 Server
September 13, 2021
On September 8, 2021 IBM announced the first server in the Power10 range—the E1080 with an order number of 9080-HEX. The general availability (GA) date for the system is September 17, 2021, and this system is the next generation of POWER servers. Hardware Technology The E1080 is similar to the E980 in that it uses […]
ArticlesIBM Delivers a Frictionless Hybrid Cloud Experience With the New Power10-Equipped E1080 Server
September 8, 2021
Today, IBM announced the new IBM Power E1080 server—the first in a new family of servers based on the new IBM Power10 processor. With the Power10-equipped E1080 server, IBM is providing clients with a frictionless hybrid cloud experience across their entire IT infrastructure. The Power E1080 server is built around the revolutionary IBM Power10 processor. […]