IBM will enhance virtualization capabilities incorporated into the fastest ever POWER 6 architecture systems. One of these enhanced virtualization capabilities that can provide both 10Gbps physical to virtualized Ethernet interface using multiple partitions IVE (Integrated Virtual Ethernet adapter). This article will put this new virtualization features introduced to everyone, and walks the user through a step by step formulated a set using the POWER IVE environment.
You can see and IVE phase, VIOS virtualization solution is based on software, it can provide more virtual Ethernet ports, as well as greater flexibility (for example: live partition mobility). But it does not provide hardware-based Ethernet protocol acceleration, and needs to run on an LPAR on the system.
About IVE
IVE (Integrated Virtual Ethernet adapter) POWER 6 systems are all standard features. It consists of a POWER6 GX + bus directly connected to the physical Ethernet card and a PCI adapter components. Such a structure enables IVE provides high-speed and low-latency I / O throughput.
Before IVE, Virtual Ethernet technology provides a network connection between LPAR, and SEA (Shared ethernet adatper) and VIOS (Virtual I / O Server) provides LPAR to external web services. Now IVE can replace most of the functions of virtual Ethernet and SEA has to offer. Figure 1 on the left is VIOS (Virtual I / O Server), the right is IVE.
IVE feature provides users with a variety of options, from 1Gbps connection to link the two four-port 1Gbps port and two-port 10Gbps speed.
Figure 1.VIOS and IVE
Compare IVE and the VIOS
IVE network adapters Ethernet virtualization and LPAR (Logical Partition) external network communication ability, but they offer features not identical. Under different needs, we need to choose a different way Ethernet virtualization. Table 1 lists the main differences we virtualized IVE and VIOS Ethernet applications can provide, for reference.
Table 1 IVE and VIOS comparison table
| Virtualization | IVE | VIOS |
|---|---|---|
| Basic functions | ||
| Ethernet virtualized server resources | Y | Y |
| It provides hardware acceleration | Y | N |
| HMC can be used as a hardware device management | Y | N |
| Flexible Scalability | N | Y |
| You must be run on an LPAR - based operating system | N | Y |
| Have ASF (advanced server functions) functions such as: Live Partition Mobility | N | Y |
| Network features | ||
| Virtualization of Ethernet card can be used as SEA | Y | Y |
| It provides low latency 10Gbps Ethernet speed | Y | N |
| Provide a secure network links between LPAR | Y | Y |
| Industrial support network standards such as VLAN, MTU | Y | Y |
| No separate PCI card to provide external network links | Y | N |
| Memory function | ||
| SCSI virtualized file system data (iSCSI) | N | Y |
IVE (Integrated Virtual Ethernet adapter) architecture introduced
IVE provides Ethernet network link from 1Gbps to 10Gbps rates and provide queue processing and virtualization capabilities of TCP links. In addition IVE also provides network protocol stack processing hardware acceleration, and the use of system memory as the main storage control information and other functions. Thus, we can see, IVE provides many advanced features. Here we have a detailed understanding of architecture from the IVE.
IVE architecture introduced
Figure 2.IVE system layout
POWER 6 each server I / O subsystem includes P5IOC2 chips. P5IOC2 chip as a standalone controller in the system as the primary bridge chip uses the PCI bus and all I / O devices. IVE major hardware is contained in P5IOC2 chip.
In addition to providing a clear low-latency network traffic optimization features, a key function IVE is to provide an integrated two 10Gbps rate on a P5IOC2 chip Ethernet ports or four 1Gbps Ethernet ports. This high degree of integration, making 10G / 1G / 100M / 10M rate share the same I / O device without additional hardware, thus greatly reducing the cost of entry-level and midrange server platforms Ethernet solutions.
IVE provides the following major virtualization features:
- Up to 32 logical ports
- Each IVE port group 16 MAC address
- Each logical port can be assigned to a different LPAR
- Each LPAR default separate transmit and receive queues
- Each LPAR separate MIB and RMON counters
- Each logical port on a separate VLAN filter (maximum 4096 VLAN * 32 logical ports)
- LPAR to LPAR interior floor of the exchange
IVE uses system memory and CPU for network acceleration, thereby greatly reducing the cost and offers great flexibility.
IVE logic and physical layer components
IVE is a physical hardware and firmware includes two parts, here we introduce one of several main modules:
- Host Ethernet Adapter (HEA) is a major hardware IVE, the above-mentioned P5IOC2 chip included. HEA is responsible for all of the logical port and a virtual connection to the floor of the exchange as well as the physical port (see Figure 3).
- Physical port (Physical ports) is a hardware module that is responsible for connecting external LAN / VLAN and switch.
- Daughter card (daughter cards) contains IVE virtualization management and drivers
3.IVE logical structure
IVE some of the concepts:
- HEA Host Ethernet Adapter, located P5IOC2 I/O control chip.
- LHEA Logical Host Ethernet Adapter, logical expression of physical HEA adapter is the parent device LHEA port.
- LHEA port (Port) logical expression of physical HEA ports.
- Port Group (Port group) share a set of logical ports or two physical ports. IVE supports up to two port groups, any port group can support up to 16 logical ports (LHEA Port).
- MCS (Multiple Core Scaling) that allows support for multi-transmission queue must be designed to accept the arguments on each LPAR.
Physical ports and logical ports (Physical port and logical port)
From a hardware point of view, it is a physical port you can connect an Ethernet cable (IVE provides copper or fiber ports connected mode) connector. Logical port is a physical port virtualization, which allows multiple LPAR share a single physical port and its connections. In addition, any logical port has its own MAC address, the MAC address is stored in the IVE's hardware.
A physical port supports up to 16 logical ports, the number of logical ports need to be adjusted according to the MCS value. When promiscuous mode is turned on, a physical port allows only assigned to a single LPAR use.
Analogy 4.IVE internal structure and the traditional network structure
Physical port promiscuous mode
When a physical port is set to promiscuous mode, the port can only be assigned to a single LPAR use, while the other LPAR can not use this physical port.
When turned promiscuous mode:
When you need to share on a physical port to more than 16 LPAR's, IVE will not meet your needs, please open the physical port promiscuous mode, and assigned to the VIOS, use the VIOS SEA virtualization capabilities.
When you want the physical port as a dedicated resource assigned to a LPAR time. Such as the implementation of tcpdump or iptrace.
In Figure 5, the second physical port is set to promiscuous mode and assign it to a VIOS. VIOS logical port as the first SEA use.
Figure 5. Case physical port promiscuous mode
Internal communication between LPAR
LPAR to LPAR can be achieved between the internal communication on the same physical port logical port. In other words, if you use more than one LPAR on the same physical port virtualization a logical port, then you can achieve LPAR-LPAR internal high-speed communication between them. So, if you need high-speed network communication between LPAR, please assign them out on the same physical port virtual logical port.
IVE typical operating mode
Now I work pattern typical IVE to do a brief introduction, see Figure 5. This is the lower part of the figure shows a physical port with two IVE adapter. Wherein the physical port is configured right side became promiscuous mode and is exclusive to the far right of the VIOS partition. VIOS partition the physical port virtualization out LHEA further configured to use SEA. IVE adapter physical port on the left side of the virtual three logical ports are allocated to three logical partition. Note that because these three logical port is a physical port on the virtual out, so their performance can be achieved between LPAR-LPAR internal communication, without the need to go through an external switch.
How to configure the IVE
Configuring HEA and LHEA (Logical Host Ethernet Adapter)
Below we will take you step by step to configure HEA and LHEA. Note that the configuration HEA you must have an installed HMC or IVM (Integrated Virtualization Manager). Here we will introduce another HMC IVE configuration steps, step on IVM are similar.
Configuring the HMC HEA
We first need to make sure that your system by HMC have LHEA functional modules.
i. Select your server in the Server Administration Panel, and click on the Task drop-down button in the properties button. Then select the Capabilities tab, there will be similar to Figure 6, page displays. Please note that the Logical Host Ethernet Adapter Capability whether Ture.
Figure 6.LHEA function
ii. Select your server in your server administration panel, and then select Tasks drop-down button, click Hardware Information → Adapters → Host Ethernet. 7
Figure 7
iii. In the new pop-up of HEA configuration window (Figure 8) to select the physical port you want to configure, click Configure.
Figure 8
iv. Within the new pop-HEA physical port configuration window (Figure 9), you can configure the Speed / Duplex / Packet size, etc. Depending on your situation. We recommend that you turn Flow control enabled features. Congestion occurs when the network connection, this feature can prevent dropped packets. In consideration of performance for 10Gbps speed network adapters, we recommend enabling this feature even more so that it can reach full speed. For how to adjust the Scaling value (MCS) of the value of Multi-Core, refer to the section "Parameter performance recommendations."
v. Once you finish all configuration adjustments, click the OK button.
Figure 9
Configure ports on the HMC LHEA
When you use the Create LPAR Wizard to create a new LPAR, which allows you to configure step LHEA.
- Before creating the LPAR Wizard window, select the physical port configuration HEA us, and then click Configure. (10)
Figure 10
- In the new LHEA configuration window (Figure 11) choose what you want to use a free logical port. If you want With a VLAN, select the logical port you want in the VLAN in Allowed VLAN IDs, if you want to add a new VLAN, you can then VLAN to add VLAN ID input box and click the ADD button. If you need access to all the logical port of a VLAN, check Allow all VLAN IDS.
- Once configured, click the OK button.
Figure 11
Configuring LHEA on AIX
Features LHEA well as limitations.
- Each LPAR can not be assigned by a physical port virtualization out of the multiple logical ports.
- LPAR logical port will be treated as a native Ethernet interface, you can configure the settings according to the way normal Ethernet card.
- If you use the Live Partiton Mobility LPAR function, you can not use LHEA on this LPAR.
According to the bus in the hardware memory position in the table, the card sequence may have differences in different systems. For p570, we will use the following load order:
- LHEA (logical adapters)
- PCI (physical adapters)
- VIO (virtual adapters)
We can clearly see the relationship between HEA and LHEA by the following command:
bash-2.05b # lsslot -c slot | grep -Ei "lhea | Description"
# Slot Description Device (s)
HEA 1 Logical I / O Slot lhea0 ent0 ent1
bash-2.05b # lsdev -l ent0 -F physloc
U789D.001.DQD75C5-P1-C10-T2
bash-2.05b # lsdev -l ent0 -F physloc
U789D.001.DQD75C5-P1-C10-T1
# Entstat -d ent1 | grep Port
Logical Host Ethernet Port (l-port) Driver Properties:
Logical Port Link State: Up
Physical Port Link State: Up
Logical Host Ethernet Port (l-port) Specific Properties:
Logical Port Number: 2
Port Operational State: Up
External-Network Switch-Port Operational State: Down
As can be seen from the results of the above command, HEA1 IVE is a daughter card, lhea0 is and HEA1 corresponding logical expression, ent0 and ent1 by lhea0 two ports virtualization a virtual network adapter.
Enable and disable MCS on AIX
MCS can provide better performance in most cases.
In the AIX environment is enabled by default MCS, you can see by what way:
# Lsslot -c slot | grep -Ei "lhea | Desciption"
# Slot Description Device (s)
HEA 1 Logical I / O Slot lhea (0) ent (0) ent1
# Lsattr -El ent1 | grep multicore
multicore yes Enable Multi-Core Scaling
True
If you want to turn off MCS function, please use the following method:
# Ifconfig en1 down detach
# Chdev -l ent1 -a multicore = no
ent1 changed
# Lsattr -El ent1 | grep multicore
multicore no Enable Multi-Core Scaling
True
Parameters performance recommendations
MCS default in AIX system is turned on, and the use of QP value set by the HMC. When setting the MCS value, please note the following rules:
- Use to meet the performance needs of MCS minimum value, and to pay attention in a port group all share the same physical port MCS value.
- For logical port, the MCS set higher value means higher throughput obtained until the theoretical limit to reach the network link, but it will also result in greater CPU consumption.
- For an LPAR exclusive 10Gbps physical port, we recommend at least the MCS set the value to 4 to get the logical port full speed link. Conversely, if the four LPAR Share This physical port, and are active, set the MCS value to 1, so that all LPAR logical port to reach full speed.
- For 1Gbps physical port, we recommend, and can reach a minimum value of the full rate of MCS.
- If there are a large number of small files transfer network, to increase MCS value.
The maximum transmission unit (MTU) must be set in accordance with HMC in your network.
The physical port is set to promiscuous mode, if you want a physical port by SEA will be shared over 16 LPAR.
- This model does not bring performance improvements
- You can entstat -d entx | grep Promiscuous command to view the promiscuous mode.
- Use of this SEA LPAR can access external networks for network monitoring. If you want to sniff tool, you can temporarily set the physical port to promiscuous mode.
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