Running the Linux operating system as a guest of z/VM is a smart choice.
Consider the following benefits VM offers a Linux guest
environment:
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Sharing resources
Resources can be shared among multiple Linux images running on the
same VM system. These resources include: CPU cycles, memory,
storage devices, and network adapters.
-
Server hardware consolidation.
Running tens or hundreds of Linux instances
on a single System z server offers customers savings in space
and personnel required to manage real hardware.
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Virtualization
The virtual machine environment is highly
flexible and adaptable. New Linux guests can be added to a VM
system quickly and easily without requiring dedicated resources.
This is useful for replicating servers in addition to giving users
a highly flexible test environment.
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System z advantages
Running Linux on VM means the Linux guest(s) can transparently
take advantage of VM support for System z hardware architecture and
RAS features.
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z/VM Connectivity
z/VM provides high-performance communication among virtual
machines running Linux and other operating systems on the same
processor. The underlying technologies enabling high-speed TCP/IP
connections are virtual channel-to-channel (CTC) adapter support and
VM IUCV (Inter-User Communication Vehicle).
Simplification of
the network by using HiperSockets™ may
provide savings and reduce cabling, hubs,
switches, and routers, as well as help to reduce
maintenance effort.
-
Minidisk driver
Linux on zSeries includes a minidisk device driver that can access
all DASD types supported by z/VM.
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Data-in-memory
Data-in-memory performance boosts are offered by VM exploitation
of the z/Architecture.
-
Debugging
VM offers a functionally rich debug environment
that is particularly valuable for diagnosing problems in the Linux
kernel and device drivers.
-
Control and automation
VM's long-standing support for
scheduling, automation, performance monitoring and reporting, and
virtual machine management is available for Linux virtual machines
as well!
-
Horizontal growth
An effective way to grow your Linux workload
capacity is to add more Linux guests to a VM system.
z/VM V5
supports Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL)
processors, the attractively-priced hardware
feature for Linux workloads available for System z.
IBM introduced a new engine-based Value Unit pricing announced for z/VM
V5, replacing the per-engine pricing model that was available with z/VM
V4. Engine-based Value Unit pricing is designed to provide a decreasing price
curve as hardware capacities and workload grow, which may help improve
price/performance.
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