z/VM service required to run on the IBM z14

Last Updated: 7 May 2019

PLEASE READ ALL THESE NOTES PRIOR TO UPGRADING:

• Unless otherwise noted, z/VM support for IBM z14 also applies to IBM LinuxONE Emporer II, IBM z14 Model ZR1 and IBM LinuxONE Rockhopper II.
• The recommended Driver D32 level when EDEVICES have been configured is bundle 18b.
• If you are upgrading to the IBM z14, you MUST upgrade the Stand Alone Program Loader (SAPL), or else you won't be able to IPL z/VM. Refer to a red alert issued December 13, 2017 for more information.
• In order to install z/VM V6.4 directly on the IBM z14 you must order the newest deliverable for the z/VM V6.4 base product that became available on August 25, 2017. Once you have completed your installation of, or upgrade to, z/VM 6.4, APAR VM65942 must be applied.
• VM65942 has been found to have an error, and VM66071 has been opened to address it. Note that the problem found does not involve z14 support directly. It involves a scenario where older crypto adapters (Crypto Express 2 or Crypto Express 3) are configured as an accelerator shared amongst z/VM guests. Systems with newer crypto adapters (such as z13 or z14) or z/VM LPARs without any crypto adapters configured will not experience the problem.
• z/VM V6.3 is no longer supported as of December 31, 2017. Also, z/VM 6.3 cannot be installed on a z14. The PTFs for APARs VM65856, VM65942, VM65921 and VM65922 must be applied to an existing z/VM 6.3 image from an older IBM Z server prior to moving the image to a z14.

The table below provides you with a list of service required for z/VM V6.3 and V6.4 to run on the IBM z14 with driver 32.

Notes:

• For z/VM V6.4, you can check which service in the table below is missing on your system:
  • For z14 and LinuxONE Emporer II, upload the minimal service required to IPL VMREQZ14 SERVICE, and then issue this command:
    SERVICE ALL STATUS LIST VMREQZ14 SERVICE
    • For additional service, refer to the 3906/ZVM subset of the 3906DEVICE bucket
       
      
  • For z14 Model ZR1 and LinuxONE Rockhopper II, upload the minimal service required to IPL VMREQZR1 SERVICE, and then issue this command:
    SERVICE ALL STATUS LIST VMREQZR1 SERVICE
    • For additional service, refer to the 3907/ZVM subset of the 3907DEVICE bucket
       
      
  • For all z14 and LinuxONE models running driver D36, upload the minimal service required to IPL VM640D36 SERVICE, and then issue this command:
    SERVICE ALL STATUS LIST VM640D36 SERVICE
    • For additional service, refer to the 3906/ZVM subset of the 3906DEVICE bucket
    • For additional service, refer to the 3907/ZVM subset of the 3907DEVICE bucket
       
      
• For z/VM V7.1, you can check which service in the table below is missing on your system:
  • For all z14 and LinuxONE models running driver D36, upload the minimal service required to IPL VM710D36 SERVICE and then issue this command:
    SERVICE ALL STATUS LIST VM710D36 SERVICE
    • For additional service, refer to the 3906/ZVM subset of the 3906DEVICE bucket
    • For additional service, refer to the 3907/ZVM subset of the 3907DEVICE bucket
       
      
• Refer to the matrix of Linux on IBM Z distributions tested and supported for use on an IBM mainframe. It is very important this information is reviewed before bringing up any Linux distribution as a guest of z/VM.
• Refer to the z/VM Library for updated documentation for this support.
• For more details on any APAR, go to the IBM support page and enter the APAR number in the search field.

¹These APARs are on z/VM 6.4 RSU 6403 (1702)

If you are using driver 36, you will need all the driver 32 service and all service in the below table to run z/VM 6.4 and 7.1 on the z14.