IBM i in the cloud opens a new world of possibilities for IBM i shops. Taking advantage of the cloud can offer tremendous infrastructure choice and flexibility. Typically, reducing costs, improving service availability or workload flexibility are key considerations. We see more customers considering the cloud as the platform for their IBM Power Systems high availability.
The cloud can offer an optimal environment to run an availability solution. Watch this on-demand webinar to better understand the opportunities and key benefits of cloud to protect the mission critical workloads you run on the IBM i platform.
Hear more about:
• Considerations for your availability environment
• Software licensing designed for the cloud
• Getting up and running in the cloud
1. Running your IBM i
Availability in the
Cloud
Bill Hammond | Director, Product Marketing
Dan Simms | Product Management Director
2. Housekeeping
Webinar Audio
• Today’s webcast audio is streamed through your
computer speakers
• If you need technical assistance with the web interface
or audio, please reach out to us using the Q&A box
Questions Welcome
• Submit your questions at any time during the
presentation using the Q&A box. If we don't get to your
question, we will follow-up via email
Recording and slides
• This webinar is being recorded. You will receive an email
following the webinar with a link to the recording and
slides
3. Today’s Topic
• Moving to the Cloud
• Same IBM i, different environment
• Cloud HA/DR for IBM i Workloads
• Migrate While Active
• Q & A
3
4. What’s driving the
move to the Cloud
• Lower costs
• Better collaboration
• More flexibility and agility
• Increased security
• Work from anywhere
• Minimal IT infrastructure
• Always up-to-date
• Backup and disaster recovery
• Document access and control
• Predictable, budgetary pricing
4
5. IBM i Cloud Options
Public Cloud vs. Private Cloud
• Private cloud is a service that is completely
controlled by a single organization and not
shared with others
• Public cloud is a subscription service that is
also offered to any and all customers who
want similar services.
• IBM Power VS
• Amazon AWS
• Google
Managed Service Providers
• Delivers services, such as network, application,
infrastructure and security, via ongoing and
regular support and active administration on
customers’ premises, in their MSP’s data center
(hosting), or in a third-party data center.
6. IBM i Migrations – Getting to the Cloud
Many reasons for migrating
• Leveraging the many Cloud and Managed
Hosting options now available for IBM i
• Upgrading you Power Systems Hardware
• Growing business demands and transaction
volumes hitting CPW constraints
• Aging Power7 and Power8 hardware limiting
overall modernization options
Getting there can be a challenge
• Justifying investment in this extremely uncertain
business environment
• Scale and complexity of integration requirements:
IBM i impacts everything else!
• Managing the burden of migration workloads
and risks
7. Typical migration
challenges can
incur penalties for
missed deadlines
and SLAs
Downtime
Tape not
an option
Operations cannot tolerate the
downtime required by traditional
migration methods
Tape is too slow and unreliable for
migration. Read errors can abort
the migration.
Limited or no tape availability in
Cloud environments
Problems after
cutover
Fallback
planning
Lack of infrastructure and
application testing before cutover
leads to late discovery of issues
Lack of viable and robust fallback
planning lead to extended
downtime and unresolved issues
Presentation name
7
8. Impacts of a Failed Migration
8
• British bank TSB fined 48.7 million pounds over botched IT
migration
• IT upgrade "immediately experienced technical failures and
locked millions of its customers out of their accounts”
• The regulators found that TSB failed to organize and control
the migration adequately, and failed to manage operational
risks from its IT outsourcing setup
"The failings in this case were widespread
and serious which had a real impact on the
day-to-day lives of a significant proportion
of TSB's customers, including those who
were vulnerable,.
Mark Steward, executive director of enforcement
and market oversight at the FCA
9. Precisely
survey of IBM i
professionals
confirms the
risks are real
60% 46%
Delayed migrations because
of concerns about business
disruptions and downtime
Spent over 50 hours to plan and
execute their last migration. Over
one-quarter said their migration took
over 100 hours to plan and execute
44% 31%
Said migration caused 6+ hours
of downtime, while 26% said
longer than 13 hours
Experienced a serious migration
failure. The most common failure
was being unable to restart critical
applications within the required
timeframe
9
11. Cloud Environment Basics
Cloud Environments are Virtual Environments
• IBM i is running on virtual LPARs (a.k.a. VMs) configured
via cloud software consoles provided by the Cloud provider
• It is all about the LPAR, not the hardware!
• The LPAR will run on different hardware within the cloud
• Serial number may change, or Virtual Server Serial
Numbers may be in use
• Limited access to physical tape devices
• Limited access to hardware
• IBM i performance fundamentals still matter!
• Cloud LPARS must have underlying processor, memory
and storage resources to support the application
processing requirements
11
SYS 1
LPAR A
SYS 2
LPAR B
Primary Backup
LPAR C
12. Cloud Environment Basics
Software Licensing needs to accommodate
cloud operating environments
• LPARs are Mobile
• Live Partition Mobility Events may occur
• Physical Serial numbers will change
• Hardware features will change
• CPW capacity is the new licensing metric
12
Primary Backup
West
LPAR C
East
LPAR A
13. Logical Replication and
Virtual Server Serial Number Support
13
• A Virtual Server Serial Number (VSSN) enables a
globally unique serial number for a virtual LPAR.
• This LPAR can move across multiple physical serial
numbers.
• VSSN allows software licensing to be tied to a serial
number that is mobile, such as in a cloud or multi-
tenant computing environment
• Replicate to/from Virtual Servers with Virtual Serial
Number for HA and DR!
• Virtual Server with Virtual Serial number
HardwareSN=AAA111
V1-1111
HardwareSN=CCC111
HardwareSN=BBB222
HardwareSN=DDD222
V0-1111
V0-2222
Site 2
Site 1
Primary Backup
Logical Replication
V1-2222
14. Logical Replication and
Virtual Server Serial Number Support
14
• LPARs can move across multiple physical
serial numbers.
HardwareSN=AAA111
V1-1111
HardwareSN=CCC111
HardwareSN=BBB222
HardwareSN=DDD222
V0-2222
Site 2
Site 1
Primary Backup
Logical Replication
V1-2222
V0-1111
15. Sync-by-Wire
Tape devices rare in the cloud
• LPARs are scratch loaded with an
OS/TR/Cum level
• OS Maintenance is done by the user
• Full system restores may or may not be possible
• Shipping tape for restore operations is impractical
• Start up the scratch installed LPAR and bring
everything over though the network!
15
17. Complete Infrastructure Flexibility
17
Technology highlights
• Hardware-independent replication technology enables
infrastructure choice and flexibility
• Mix of IBM i server models
• Mix of supported IBM i OS versions
• Mix of storage types
• Mix of physical, virtual and cloud servers
• Mix of network types
• Supports Managed Services and Cloud
• Ground to Cloud
• Cloud to Cloud
• Cloud to Ground
How it adds value
• Assure MIMIX HA gives you the flexibility to replicate between
the IBM i environments that work best for you and your budget
Virtual
LPARs
Physical
Cloud
18. Cloud based protection
for IBM i and AIX
18
After migration, use an Assure Availability solution from Precisely
to protect your new server from downtime and lost data
An Assure Availability product is already installed and configured
Makes implementation of an HA/DR strategy easy
Real-Time
Replication
Current Server
and Storage
New Server
(Local, Remote or Cloud)
19. Production
DR
Possible Topologies
19
Production
Production on Premises, DR in the Cloud
Live Partition Mobility support for DR in Cloud Cloud to Cloud
Switchable Production on Premises, DR in the Cloud
Production
DR
DR
Local HA
or
query system
Production
DR
22. Minimize Migration Risk
and Downtime
23
Current and new system run in parallel
• All changes are replicated to the new system in real time
• Test your new system on current data before making the switch
• Users work without interruption
Minimal downtime at cutover
• A typical 24-hour system upgrade/migration requires only
minutes of downtime
23. Migrate While Active Solution for IBM i
28
Software for near-zero downtime migration of LPARs:
• Handles high volume, large size, and high numbers of LPARs
• Expert services available to manage the migration process and
mitigate risks
Covers all your migration needs
• Data
• Applications
• Critical objects
Hardware and OS independent
• OS versions can be different
• Any server to any server
• Any storage to any storage
• Physical, virtual or cloud
Meet all your migration needs
with minimal downtime!
New
Server
Current
Server
From
Anywhere
To
Anywhere
Any
Hardware
Any
Storage
Physical,
Virtual, Cloud
Any
IBM i OS
Version
24. How Does Migrate While Active Work?
29
Logical Replication HA/DR solution can provide the engine
• Comprehensive, real-time replication
• Audits verify the integrity of the replicated objects
• Straightforward cutover procedures
Find migration experts to provide expertise
• Sync the System portion
• Software installation and configuration
• Synchronization monitoring
• Verification testing on new system
• Final switch to your new system
• All scheduled with your staff to ensure a successful migration
and cutover window
Real-Time
Replication
Current Server
and Storage
New Server
(Local, Remote or Cloud)
25. Syncing the System portion of the LPAR
30
Considerations for preparing the system portion of the Cloud LPAR
• Initial Cloud LPAR will likely be a scratch OS image
• New cloud server must be installed with all required licensed
programs with their licenses, and available for use
• Start with the identical OS version as production system
• After synchronized, OS version can be upgraded
• QSECOFR level authority
• Normal system access requirements (5250, telnet, iNav, FTP)
• Console Access – IPLs of Cloud LPAR will be necessary
• Can use Sync-by-wire process or other technique
26. Syncing the User Portion of the LPAR
31
• Data (libraries, files)
• Data areas
• Data queues
• IFS
• MQ / WebSphere
• User profiles
• Spool files & output queues
• Program objects
• Controllers, lines and devices
• Triggers
• Constraints
Real-Time
Replication
Current Server
and Storage
New Server
(Local, Remote or Cloud)
27. Test the LPAR
Presentation name
32
• Connectivity and communications testing — Verify all
connected devices and networks are functioning properly.
• Security testing — Ensure all security functions are properly configured.
• Data integrity testing — Confirm the data is in the same state after
the migration as it was before.
• Application verification testing (AVT) — Test applications to
ensure each functions properly in the new environment and, if required,
communicates as expected with other systems.
• User acceptance testing (UAT) — This test should be completed
after AVT by a select number of users to confirm that access to the system
and functionality of the applications perform as expected.
28. Migration to/in the Cloud
33
Minimizes Downtime
• All changes are replicated while users are online and productive
• Cutover windows take minutes as opposed to hours of downtime
• Flexibility for scheduling cutover window
Eliminates Risk
• Available migration experts work with you from start to finish
• Test the new server and perform test cutovers before the final cutover
• In case of unforeseen problems on new server, failback is quick and easy
Supports Infrastructure Choice
• Hardware, storage and OS independent
• Supports physical, virtual, cloud configurations
• Custom services available for cross-OS or cross-database migrations