Hi
We are moving toward taking our POC into production. This workload is moving from Solaris running UNIX. The environment is 3 zone architecture. Our client's business requirements calls for this 3 zone environment to remain separated. It requires UAL5 security level. To this end we have six LPARS each sharing 7 IFLS with plenty of real memory on each. One of the six LPARS is our test LPAR that will have multiple levels of VM for testing and such. My question: some of our folks believe that this is an excessive number of LPARS and that it defeats the purpose of VM. Now I understand how VM works and its' ability to virtualize reducing the need for large LPAR configurations. I know that we could, lets' say combine our PROD and VAL/DEV environments that are currently running in separate LPARS into one LPAR and run a second LEVEL VM for the VAL/DEV. My contention is that if it is what is needed to fit the business requirements of the client then having six LPARS is not catastrophic. We have plans for another 16 z/Linux guests to run in the existing configuration in the next few months not requiring additional LPARS. I am not an LPAR bigot. Can anyone comment in general on the pros and cons of running LPARS as opposed to running the multiple environments under one LPAR and getting separation logically by having multi levels of VM rather then physical separation by having the environments running under a single level of VM? In the end it probably will not matter if the client insists that we need to proceed as we are. Just trying to get a prospective of those who are more experienced then myself!! Thanks, Terry
