IBM System z Connectivity Handbook

IBM System z Connectivity Handbook

Released February 2013
Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
ISBN: 9780738437736

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Book description

This IBM Redbooks® publication discusses the connectivity options available for use within and beyond the data center for the following IBM System z family of mainframes:
zEnterprise® EC12 (zEC12)
zEnterprise 196 (z196)
zEnterprise 114 (z114)
System z10® Enterprise Class (z10 EC)
System z10 Business Class (z10 BC)

This book highlights the hardware and software components, functions, typical uses, coexistence, and relative merits of these connectivity features. It helps readers to understand the connectivity alternatives that are available when planning and designing their data center infrastructures.

The changes to this edition are based on the System z hardware announcement dated August 28, 2012.

This book is intended for data center planners, IT professionals, system engineers, technical sales staff, and network planners who are involved in the planning of connectivity solutions for System z servers.

Table of contents

  1. Front cover
  2. Notices
    1. Trademarks
  3. Preface
    1. The team who wrote this book
    2. Now you can become a published author, too!
    3. Comments welcome
    4. Stay connected to IBM Redbooks
  4. Chapter 1. Introducing connectivity
    1. 1.1 Overview
    2. 1.2 Channel subsystem
    3. 1.3 I/O cage, I/O drawer, and PCIe I/O drawer
    4. 1.4 Parallel channel
    5. 1.5 Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON)
    6. 1.6 Fibre Connection (FICON)
    7. 1.7 Open Systems Adapter-Express
    8. 1.8 HiperSockets
    9. 1.9 Parallel Sysplex and coupling links
    10. 1.10 zEC12 and System z channel feature support
  5. Chapter 2. Channel subsystem overview
    1. 2.1 CSS description
      1. 2.1.1 CSS elements
      2. 2.1.2 Multiple CSS concept
      3. 2.1.3 Multiple CSS structure
      4. 2.1.4 Multiple Image Facility
      5. 2.1.5 Physical Channel ID
      6. 2.1.6 Adapter ID (AID)
      7. 2.1.7 Multiple CSS construct
      8. 2.1.8 Channel spanning
      9. 2.1.9 Multiple Subchannel Sets
      10. 2.1.10 Summary
    2. 2.2 I/O configuration management
      1. 2.2.1 IBM Configurator (eConfig)
      2. 2.2.2 Hardware Configuration Definition
      3. 2.2.3 CHPID Mapping Tool (CMT)
    3. 2.3 I/O configuration planning
    4. 2.4 References
  6. Chapter 3. Parallel channel
    1. 3.1 Overview
    2. 3.2 ESCON conversion to parallel channel
    3. 3.3 Parallel channel: Single path to a control unit
    4. 3.4 Parallel channel modes
    5. 3.5 Parallel channel elements
      1. 3.5.1 Parallel channel control unit types
    6. 3.6 References
  7. Chapter 4. Enterprise Systems Connection
    1. 4.1 Description
      1. 4.1.1 ESCON modes and topologies
      2. 4.1.2 ESCON elements
      3. 4.1.3 Multiple Image Facility
    2. 4.2 Connectivity
      1. 4.2.1 ESCON channel support on System z
      2. 4.2.2 Software support
    3. 4.3 References
  8. Chapter 5. Fibre Connection
    1. 5.1 Description
      1. 5.1.1 FICON modes and topologies
      2. 5.1.2 FCP Channel
      3. 5.1.3 FCP and FICON mode characteristics
    2. 5.2 FICON elements
    3. 5.3 Connectivity
      1. 5.3.1 FICON Express8S
      2. 5.3.2 FICON Express8
      3. 5.3.3 FICON Express4
      4. 5.3.4 FICON Express2
      5. 5.3.5 FICON Express
      6. 5.3.6 Qualified FICON and FCP products
      7. 5.3.7 FICON advantages over ESCON
      8. 5.3.8 Software support
      9. 5.3.9 Resource Measurement Facility
    4. 5.4 References
  9. Chapter 6. Channel-to-channel
    1. 6.1 Description
    2. 6.2 Connectivity
      1. 6.2.1 ESCON CTC channel connectivity
      2. 6.2.2 FICON (FCV)-to-ESCON CTC connectivity
      3. 6.2.3 FICON channel-to-channel (FCTC) connectivity
    3. 6.3 References
  10. Chapter 7. Open Systems Adapter-Express
    1. 7.1 Functional description
      1. 7.1.1 Operating modes
      2. 7.1.2 QDIO mode
      3. 7.1.3 Non-QDIO mode
      4. 7.1.4 OSA addressing support
      5. 7.1.5 OSA/SF support
    2. 7.2 OSA capabilities
      1. 7.2.1 Virtual IP address (VIPA)
      2. 7.2.2 Primary/secondary router function
      3. 7.2.3 IPv6 support
      4. 7.2.4 Large send for TCP/IP traffic
      5. 7.2.5 VLAN support
      6. 7.2.6 SNMP support for z/OS and Linux on System z
      7. 7.2.7 TCP/IP multicast and broadcast support
      8. 7.2.8 ARP cache management
      9. 7.2.9 IP network availability
      10. 7.2.10 Checksum offload support for z/OS and Linux on System z
      11. 7.2.11 Dynamic LAN idle for z/OS
      12. 7.2.12 QDIO optimized latency mode
      13. 7.2.13 Layer 2 support
      14. 7.2.14 QDIO data connection isolation for z/VM
      15. 7.2.15 QDIO interface isolation for z/OS
      16. 7.2.16 Layer 3 VMAC for z/OS
      17. 7.2.17 Enterprise Extender
      18. 7.2.18 TN3270E Server
      19. 7.2.19 OSA for NCP support
      20. 7.2.20 Adapter interruptions for QDIO
      21. 7.2.21 Inbound workload queuing
      22. 7.2.22 Network management: Query and display OSA configuration
      23. 7.2.23 OSA-Express for ensemble connectivity
    3. 7.3 Connectivity
      1. 7.3.1 OSA features
      2. 7.3.2 OSA function support
      3. 7.3.3 Software support
      4. 7.3.4 Resource Measurement Facility (RMF)
    4. 7.4 Summary
    5. 7.5 References
  11. Chapter 8. OSA-Express Console support
    1. 8.1 Description
    2. 8.2 Connectivity
    3. 8.3 Software support
    4. 8.4 Summary
    5. 8.5 References
  12. Chapter 9. HiperSockets
    1. 9.1 Description
      1. 9.1.1 HiperSockets benefits
      2. 9.1.2 Server integration with HiperSockets
      3. 9.1.3 HiperSockets function
      4. 9.1.4 Supported functions
    2. 9.2 Connectivity
    3. 9.3 Summary
    4. 9.4 References
  13. Chapter 10. Coupling links and common time
    1. 10.1 System z cluster technology
      1. 10.1.1 Coupling links and STP
      2. 10.1.2 Multi-site sysplex considerations
    2. 10.2 Connectivity
      1. 10.2.1 Coupling link options
      2. 10.2.2 Internal Coupling (IC) link
      3. 10.2.3 InterSystem Channel-3 (ISC-3)
      4. 10.2.4 Integrated Cluster Bus
      5. 10.2.5 InfiniBand coupling links
      6. 10.2.6 Fanout rebalancing (FC 2400)
    3. 10.3 Time functions
      1. 10.3.1 NTP server with PPS support
      2. 10.3.2 Sysplex Timer
      3. 10.3.3 Software support
    4. 10.4 References
  14. Chapter 11. Extended distance solutions
    1. 11.1 Unrepeated distances
    2. 11.2 Conversion to parallel channel
    3. 11.3 Enterprise Systems Connection
      1. 11.3.1 ESCON unrepeated distance
      2. 11.3.2 ESCON repeated distance solutions
    4. 11.4 Fibre Connection (FICON)
      1. 11.4.1 FICON unrepeated distance
      2. 11.4.2 FICON repeated distance solutions
    5. 11.5 Coupling links
    6. 11.6 Wavelength division multiplexing
      1. 11.6.1 System z GDPS qualification
      2. 11.6.2 System z qualified WDM vendor products
    7. 11.7 References
  15. Appendix A. CHPID assignment and CHPID mapping tool
    1. Description
    2. CHPID Mapping Tool
    3. InfiniBand support
    4. References
  16. Appendix B. Fiber optic cables
    1. Description
    2. Connector types for fiber cables
      1. References
  17. Appendix C. Fiber cabling services
    1. Fiber cabling services options
    2. Summary
    3. References
  18. Appendix D. Cryptographic features
    1. Overview
    2. Crypto Express4S
    3. Crypto Express3
    4. References
  19. Appendix E. Flash Express
    1. Overview
    2. Flash Express
  20. Appendix F. Channel feature attributes
  21. Related publications
    1. IBM Redbooks publications
    2. Other publications
    3. Online resources
    4. How to get IBM Redbooks publications
    5. Help from IBM
  22. Back cover

Product information

  • Title: IBM System z Connectivity Handbook
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: February 2013
  • Publisher(s): IBM Redbooks
  • ISBN: 9780738437736