NGT11

IBM PureFlex System Fundamentals

IBM Flex System Manager

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Course materials may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of IBM.

9.0

Unit objectives
After completing this unit, you should be able to:
Summarize the IBM Flex System Manager features
Predict when the IBM Flex System Manager is required
Classify the software management features of the IBM Flex
System Manager
Provide direction on the network topology design for the IBM
Flex System Manager

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System management

Management appliance

IBM Flex System Manager (FSM)

Multiple chassis management

Virtualization management
Automation management
Status management

User management
Service and support
Network management
Storage management

Chassis
Chassis Management Module (CMM)

Single chassis management

Chassis components status
Chassis components mgmt
Power policies

Management controller

Events
Service and support
User configuration
Remote access

Node

IMM for Intel compute node

FSP for Power compute node
Out-of-band (OOB) mgmt and monitoring

Network manager

Network

GUI and CLI for switch mgmt

N/W config tasks

Storage manager
GUI for storage mgmt
Storage config tasks

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Storage

IBM Flex System Manager node

The IBM Flex System Manager runs in a special Intel-based compute
node.
All basic and advanced functions preloaded as an appliance
One Flex System Manager can manage up to four Flex System Enterprise
Chassis
Integrated X-Architecture and Power servers, storage, and network management
Includes management for full Power System compute node functionality
Virtualization management including resource pools
Robust security
Advanced management capabilities available thru priced add-ons
Upward integration into Tivoli and other third party enterprise managers

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System Manager node hardware

Feature

IBM Flex System Manager

Processor

Intel Xeon Processor E5-2650 8C 2.0GHz 20MB Cache 1600MHz

95W

Number of processors

One

Memory

Eight x 4 GB PC3L-10600 CL9 ECC DDR3 1333MHz LP RDIMM

SAS Controller

One LSI 2004 SAS controller

Disk

One x IBM 1 TB 7.2K 6 Gbps NL SATA 2.5 SFF HS HDD

Two x IBM 200GB SATA 1.8 MLC SSD

LAN on Motherboard (LOM)

Embedded 10 Gb Virtual Fabric Ethernet controller

ETE (Everything to Everything

connector

Management network adapter

I/O Connector

None

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System Manager node: Internal

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System Manager front panel

Power on FSM (similar to any compute node)
Wait until the power button LED is flashing slowly before pressing the power
button.
Button is not responsive until the LED is solid. Flashing LED indicates node is
starting IMM2 and doing low level boot and diagnostics.
A solid on Power button indicates initial IMM boot completed and FSM is
continuing to start imbedded OS and management functions.
Monitor Check Log LED and Fault LED for additional error indications.
SSD
LEDs

USB
Connector

KVM
Connector

HDD
activity
LED

Power
button/LED

HDD
status
LED

Identify
LED

Check log
LED

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Fault
LED

IBM Flex System management network

FSM Management
Node

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IBM Flex System Manager networks separated

IBM Flex System Enterprise Chassis
IBM Flex System
Manager

System x

Power Systems

compute node

compute node

IMM eth0 eth1

ETE

LOM

IMM LOM

CMM
Switch
Port
Management network

Mgmt I/O module bay1/2

Data network

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

FSP ETH

IBM Flex System Manager networks merged

IBM Flex System Enterprise Chassis
IBM Flex System
Manager

System x

Power Systems

compute node

compute node

IMM eth0
ETE

IMM LOM

CMM
Switch
Port
Management network

Mgmt I/O module bay1/2

Data network

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

FSP ETH

IBM Flex System Manager capabilities

Status &
Health
Discovery

Updates

Virtual
Systems

FSM

Network

Storage

Inventory
Automation
Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System Manager software

Simplified setup
Start, manage, learn

Monitor resources
Health summary, alerts,
thresholds, updates, service,
and support

Visualize/navigate physical
and virtual relationships
Intuitive drilldown and views,
topology map, finger tip
troubleshooting

Automate responses
Custom actions and filters,
configure, edit, relocate,
automation plans

Manage firmware and

software updates
Set policies to track and
automate firmware and software
compliance
Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System Manager v1.2 features

Centralized user management
Unique local address assignment
IBM FSM Explorer
Resource based view of environment

Configuration patterns
Deploy compute node images
Guided storage setup
Manage System Storage page

Support for Flex System V7000

Support for DVS 5000V and 802.1Qbg
Mobile System Management application

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System Manager v1.3 features

Support up to 16 chassis concurrently

FSM capacity utilization management
HW currency
Added view to all firmware levels
OS deployment supports 5 images
Mobile System Management enhancements

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Flex System Manager management packaging

IBM Flex System Manager base

Support for up to sixteen managed chassis

Support for up to 5,000 managed elements
Auto-discovery of managed elements
Overall health status
Monitoring and availability
Hardware management
Security management
Administration
Network management (Network Control)
Storage management (Storage Control)
Virtual resource life cycle management (VMControl Express)

IBM Flex System Manager advanced

Image management (VMControl Standard)
Pool management (VMControl Enterprise)

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM PureFlex System configuration

IBM PureFlex System Express
Flex System Manager with one-year service and support

IBM PureFlex System Enterprise

Flex System Manager advanced with three-year service and support

When a Power compute node is present

IBM Flex System Manager
HMC
IVM

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IBM Flex System Manager: Home page

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IBM Flex System Manager: Additional Setup

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

IBM Flex System Manager: Plug-ins

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IBM Flex System Manager: Administration

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IBM FSM Explorer console

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IBM Flex System Manager hardware map

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VMControl: Automate with system pools

Intelligent virtual server placement
services
Dynamic workload mobility
Integrated storage and network
management
Automation policy control for workloads
Advise: VMControl recommends actions and
requires confirmation
Automate: VMControl automates actions

Availability automations
Automate relocation of virtual workloads in
response to predicted host system failures
without disruption
Restart virtual workloads when a host fails
Automate remote restart of virtual workloads
in response to host failures with minimal
disruption

Performance automations
Allows pool to spread VMs for optimum
performance
Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Remote Control

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Glossary
IBM Flex System Manager Base
IBM Flex System Manager Advanced
Chassis manager
VMControl
Management network
Data network
IBM FSM Explorer
Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Checkpoint (1 of 3)
1. Management of multiple IBM Flex System chassis is done by
which component?
a. Chassis Management Module
b. Flex System Manager
c. Integrated Management Module
d. Flexible Service Processor
.

2. True or False: The IBM Flex System Manager is cabled

directly to a top of rack switch for connection to the
management network.

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Checkpoint solutions (1 of 3)
1. Management of multiple IBM Flex System chassis is done by
which component?
a. Chassis Management Module
b. Flex System Manager
c. Integrated Management Module
d. Flexible Service Processor

The answer is Flex System Manager

2. True or False: The IBM Flex System Manager is cabled
directly to a top of rack switch for connection to the
management network.
The answer is false

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Checkpoint (2 of 3)
3. Virtual resource management is a function of which IBM Flex System
management component?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Integrated Management Module

Flexible Service Processor
Chassis Management Module
Flex System Manager

4. Which of the following statements is correct about the hardware

components of the IBM Flex System Manager node?
a.
b.
c.
d.

The node is based on the p260 Compute Node

The node includes two 200 GB SAS drives
The node includes 32 GB of RAM memory
The node includes a Fibre Channel mezzanine card

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Checkpoint solutions (2 of 3)
3. Virtual resource management is a function of which IBM Flex System
management component?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Integrated Management Module

Flexible Service Processor
Chassis Management Module
Flex System Manager

The answer is Flex System Manager

4. Which of the following statements is correct about the hardware
components of the IBM Flex System Manager node?
a.
b.
c.
d.

The node is based on the p260 Compute Node

The node includes two 200 GB SAS drives
The node includes 32 GB of RAM memory
The node includes a Fibre Channel mezzanine card

The answer is the node includes 32 GB of RAM memory

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Checkpoint (3 of 3)
5. True or False: Optimization of virtual resources with pool
management for a Power compute node in the IBM Flex
System is only available with the IBM Flex System Manager
Advanced feature.

6. If an IBM Flex System Manager has configured an ETH1

network adapter, which of the following is correct?
a. The FSM management and data networks are intended to be
separated.
b. The FSM management and data networks are intended to be
merged.
c. There is FSM access only to the management network.
d. There is FSM access only to the data network.

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Checkpoint solutions (3 of 3)
5. True or False: Optimization of virtual resources with pool management
for a Power compute node in the IBM Flex System is only available
with the IBM Flex System Manager Advanced feature.
The answer is true
6. If an IBM Flex System Manager has configured an ETH1 network
adapter, which of the following is correct ?
a.
b.
c.
d.

The FSM management and data networks are intended to be separated.

The FSM management and data networks are intended to be merged.
There is FSM access only to the management network.
There is FSM access only to the data network.

The answer is the FSM management and data networks are intended
to be separated

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013

Unit summary
Having completed this unit, you should be able to:
Summarize the IBM Flex System Manager features
Predict when the IBM Flex System Manager is required
Classify the software management features of the IBM Flex
System Manager
Provide direction on the network topology design for the IBM
Flex System Manager

Copyright IBM Corporation 2012, 2013