Last Updated: 16 January 2025
z/VM Hypervisor Proxy for IBM License Metric Tool (ILMT) Users Guide
Introduction
To enable z/VM Sub-Capacity pricing, IBM has created a script to manage the configuration of a virtual machine that acts as a stand-in for the hypervisor for sub-capacity reporting. The IBM License Metric Tool (ILMT) Agent in this virtual machine will recognize the signature of this proxy and report its capacity to the ILMT Server. The associated reports that ILMT produces should be used to verify that the appropriate z/VM hypervisor capacity has been licensed. For more information, visit the IBM License Metric Tool site.
The ILMT Agent and the z/VM Hypervisor Proxy for ILMT are both Linux programs. Familiarity with Linux and ILMT is a requirement for the use of this document.
Prerequisites
Prior to implementing the z/VM Hypervisor proxy, ILMT must be ordered and installed.
- See the IBM License Metric Tool Information page for more information.
Materials
In addition to this Users Guide document, the z/VM Hypervisor Proxy package is available for download. The z/VM Hypervisor Proxy for ILMT is provided in tarball format as a downloadable file named zvmproxy-1.0.3.tar. A tarball is a set of Linux files bundled together using the tar command. The following files are included in the zvmproxy-1.0.3.tar:
| File Identifier | Description |
|---|---|
| ilmt-config-sync.sh | Configuation management script |
| ibm.com_zVM_proxy_for_ILMT-1.0.0.swidtag | Software tag for z/VM Hypervisor Proxy base |
| ibm.com_zVM_proxy_for_ILMT-1.0.3.swidtag | Software tag for z/VM Hypervisor Proxy fixpack |
| licenses_zVM_proxy_for_ILMT-1.0.3.tar | Licenses for zVM Hypervisor Proxy |
z/VM Hypervisor Proxy Implementation Procedure
- Create a new Linux guest with the ability to configure 64 virtual CPUs.
- Include the statement MACHINE ESA 64 in the guest's User Directory entry. Either do not provide a CPU statement at all or include only the statement CPU 0 BASE.
- Install one of the following Linux distributions in the guest: RHEL or SLES.
- See the ILMT Information page for supported Linux environments.
- Install the ILMT agent in the guest.
- Download the zvmproxy-1.0.3.tar file and untar it to the directory of your choice.
- Untar the licenses_zVM_proxy_for_ILMT-1.0.3.tar file to the guest's /root/licenses/ directory.
- Copy the ibm.com_zVM_proxy_for_ILMT-1.0.0.swidtag and ibm.com_zVM_proxy_for_ILMT-1.0.3.swidtag files to the guest's /root/swidtag/ directory.
- Copy the ilmt-config-sync.sh file to the guest's /usr/local/bin directory.
- Issue chmod 755 against the ilmt-config-sync.sh file.
- Issue /usr/local/bin/ilmt-config-sync.sh to execute the script.
Support
If you encounter problems or have questions about this procedure, please e-mail zSystems Hypervisor Proxy Support with your question and include any logs or other information relevant to describing your problem.
Interpreting ILMT Reports for z/VM using the z/VM Hypervisor Proxy
The capacity associated with the z/VM Hypervisor Proxy is reported by ILMT using Processor Value Units (PVUs) on the "All IBM Metrics" page because ILMT is ordinarily used for reporting on Passport Advantage software, and the PVU is the license metric used for Passport Advantage Sub-Capacity Pricing. However, z/VM is licensed using engine-based Value Units, not PVUs. Also, the Passport Advantage term "core" is the same as an engine when referring to CPs and IFLs.
To determine the number of engines required to be licensed for z/VM under Sub-Capacity Pricing rules, click the "z/VM proxy for ILMT" link in the ILMT Report on the row with "PVU Subcapacity" in the License Type column. On that page you will see a column labeled "CPU Core Subcapacity Limit" and this represents the number of IBM Z engines configured for the use of z/VM.