EP 2.0: Inventory

You can view the current resource usage for the pool. The current resource usage that is shown is the usage as of approximately 3 minutes before the time the Inventory page was loaded.

The circle graphs at the top of the page show the following information:

• The total hardware core and memory base resources in the pool and the current usage of those base resources
• The total installed cores and memory on the systems in the pool and the current usage of those installed resources

If the circle is complete and displayed in red, metered usage of that resource is currently occurring.

A red icon that is displayed next to a resource in the Cores – Hardware, Cores – Software, and Cores – Licensed Program tiles indicates that the core usage value has exceeded the configured pool base threshold. To configure the threshold value for the pool, use the Pool Thresholds tab on the Settings page.

The Cores – Software tile shows the total pool base software license resources and current usage of those resources. If the current usage of a resource exceeds the total base of that resource, the current usage is shown in red and metered usage is occurring.

If there is at least one partition in the pool that is running PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX or IBM i and that partition has been tagged with one of the reserved PowerHA tags, the Cores – Licensed Programs tile is shown. This tile shows the total pool base PowerHA SystemMirror resources and current usage of those resources. If the current usage of a resource exceeds the total base of that resource, the current usage is shown in red and metered usage is being done.

Note: The installed resources and the core and memory usage of a system that is not connected are not included in the totals shown.

The total pool base resources and the current usage of those base resources are shown next to the circle graphs. If the current usage of a base resource exceeds the total of that resource, metered usage is occurring.

You can set a filter to determine which partitions in the pool are displayed.  The filter also affects the pool usage and system usage that are displayed.  You can filter by the following operating system types:

• AIX
• IBM i - P10
• IBM i - P20
• IBM i - P30
• RHEL
• RHEL CoreOS
• SLES
• Other Linux
• VIOS

The filter shows only those operating systems that are currently present in the pool.

Base resources are purchased on each system or on IBM i Virtual Serial Number (VSN) in the pool and are aggregated at the pool level. The following are the types of core-related base resources and core-related charges supported:

• Any O/S hardware core
• Linux / VIOS hardware core
• AIX® software
• IBM® i P10 software
• IBM® i P20 software
• IBM® i P30 software
• Eligible SUSE Linux® Enterprise Server (SLES) software
• Eligible Red Hat Enterprise Linux® Server (RHEL) software
• Eligible Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) software
• PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX Standard Edition
• PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX Enterprise Edition
• PowerHA SystemMirror for IBM i

Any O/S hardware cores can be used by partitions running any operating system, but AIX and IBM i partitions get priority. Base Linux / VIOS hardware cores can be used by partitions running Linux or VIOS only. Any Linux or VIOS usage that exceeds the base Linux / VIOS hardware cores are tracked as Linux / VIOS hardware cores, if there are no available base Any O/S hardware cores not in use by AIX or IBM i partitions. There are no software charges for VIOS partitions. There are software charges for partitions running SLES, RHEL, and RHEL CoreOS in pools with selected SLES, RHEL, and RHEL CoreOS subscription offerings that are supported as base and metered capacity resources. There are no software charges for other Linux partitions, and there are no software charges for Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform control node partitions tagged with the reserved tag Control Plane Node.

There are software charges for partitions running PowerHA SystemMirror if they are tagged with one of the reserved tags PowerHA Standard, PowerHA Enterprise, or PowerHA IBM i. The unused base PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX Enterprise Edition licenses can be used to offset PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX Standard Edition usage. The unused base PowerHA SystemMirror for IBM i medium tier licenses can be used to offset PowerHA SystemMirror for IBM i small tier usage. Note that PowerHA SystemMirror core usage is not measured independently from the core usage of the tagged partitions and is therefore equal to the core usage of the tagged partitions for pool tracking purposes.

• To view the amount of base resources purchased for each system in the pool, click the (...) icon that is on the right of the system table.
• To view the amount of base resources purchased for each IBM i VSN in the pool, click the (...) icon that is on the right of the partition table.
  The (…) icon is available only for IBM i partitions with VSNs and shows the following information:
  • VSN
  • VSN tier - Shows the software tier of the IBM i licenses associated with the VSN

VSN Pool Base, and VSN Base values - The VSN Pool Base displays the amount of base resources the VSN contributes to the pool base for the same IBM i software tier as the VSN tier. If a supported EP 2.0 configuration is running, all the VSN base is contributed to the pool and the VSN Base is not displayed since it is equal to the VSN Pool Base. However, if an unsupported EP 2.0 configuration is running, the VSN Base displays the amount of VSN base associated with the VSN, and the VSN Pool Base displays 0 because the VSN base is ignored and not contributed to the pool. Unsupported configurations include configurations where a VSN in a pool is not owned by the same enterprise that owns the pool, or when a VSN IBM i software tier is P05, which is not supported in Enterprise Pools 2.0. 

For shared processor partitions and dedicated processor partitions in donating mode, core usage is tracked based on the actual core consumption of the partitions in the pool.  For dedicated processor partitions not in donating mode, core usage is tracked based on 100% utilization of the entitled cores assigned to the active partitions.  In the partition table, dedicated processor partitions are indicated by showing “Dedicated” in the Virtual Processors column.

Memory usage is tracked based on the assignment of memory to active partitions in the pool.  Virtual Persistent Memory (PMEM) usage is tracked based on the assignment of virtual PMEM to both active and inactive partitions in the pool.

In the system table, the core usage percentage shows core usage as a percentage of installed cores. System core usage does not include system firmware core usage. The memory usage percentage displays memory usage as a percentage of installed memory. System memory usage includes system firmware memory usage.

Click the (+) icon next to a system to view the partition table for that system. In the partition table, the core usage percentage of shared processor partitions shows core usage as a percentage of either entitled cores or virtual processors. This selection can be configured on the Settings page for the pool.  For dedicated processor partitions, core usage is always shown as a percentage of entitled cores.

If a core usage or memory usage value that is shown in the tables is displayed in a red box, the value has exceeded a configured threshold. Pool, system, and partition thresholds can be configured on the Settings page for the pool.

For IBM i partitions, the O/S Type column in the partition table includes the IBM i software tier. For IBM i partitions without VSNs, the server IBM i software tier is shown. For IBM i partitions with VSNs in a supported EP 2.0 configuration, the VSN IBM i software tier and the server IBM i software tier matches and that tier is displayed in the O/S Type column. In an unsupported EP 2.0 configuration when the tiers do not match, the tier that is displayed in the O/S Type column is the tier that is used to track the partition’s core usage in the pool. This tier is the higher of the VSN IBM i software tier and the server IBM i software tier.

You can click the () icon next to some columns in the tables to change the contents of the columns. Virtual PMEM is shown on the Inventory page as follows:

• Virtual PMEM is included in the Memory Usage column for partitions. Click the () icon to change the contents of the column to show virtual PMEM usage only.
• Virtual PMEM is included in the Memory Usage column for systems.
• Virtual PMEM is included in the pool memory used.

You can see the status of the pool membership CoD code for a system by using one of the two options:

• Click the (...) icon that is on the right of the system table.
• Click the () icon next to the State column and select CoD Code.  

Pool membership CoD codes expire every 90 days.

• If the CoD code has more than 7 days remaining in its authorization period, the status that is shown is Authorized.
• If the CoD code has 7 or fewer days remaining in its authorization period, the status is shown as Expiring (number of days remaining for expiration) along with the  icon next to the status.
• If the CoD code is expired, the status that is shown is EXPIRED along with the throttling icon next to the status.

When the days remaining in the authorization period reaches 10, CMC automatically renews the pool membership CoD code for a system. CMC tries once in every 24 hours to renew a CoD code. If the renewal of a CoD code fails when there are 7 or fewer days remaining in the authorization period, a notification is generated. CMC also sends email and SMS notifications. (To receive email and SMS notifications, you must configure them on the Notification Settings page.) 

You can select the systems and update their CoD codes manually by using one of the following options:

• Click an Expiring or EXPIRED status that is displayed in the CoD Code column.
• Click the (...) icon that is on the right of the system table and click the Expiring or EXPIRED CoD Code status.

A page slides down that shows any system in the pool that has 10 or fewer days remaining in its authorization period or that has an expired pool membership CoD code. You can review why the automatic CoD code update failed for each system, and then select the systems and update their CoD codes.

Add Systems: To add one or more systems to your pool, click Add Systems.  A list of systems that can be added to your pool are displayed. Only those POWER9, Power10, and Power11 systems that satisfy the following conditions are displayed:

• The systems that are in the same machine class as the system used to create the pool in ESS.
• The systems that are not present in another Enterprise Pool 2.0.
• The systems that have one or more managing Hardware Management Consoles (HMC) connected to CMC The systems that belong to the same enterprise as the pool.

To select a system, the following conditions must be true:

• Performance and Capacity Monitoring for the system is enabled on its managing HMCs.
• Network Time Protocol (NTP) is enabled on the system's managing HMCs.
• The system has at least one managing HMC currently connected to CMC.
• The pool does not allow dedicated processor partitions and there are no dedicated processor partitions in the system.
• The system is either in Operating or Standby state.
• The system has the required Enterprise Pools 2.0 feature codes.
• The system is not in a Power enterprise pool 1.0.
• The system has not been reserved for another Enterprise Pool 2.0 in ESS.

Note: POWER9 and Power11 systems cannot coexist in the same pool. This condition is not enforced when you select a system, it is enforced when you add systems to the pool. If you add a Power11 system first or a Power11 system already exists in the pool, you won’t be able to add a POWER9 system to the pool. Likewise, if you add a POWER9 system to the pool first or it already exists in the pool, you won’t be able to add a Power11 system to the pool.

If a system cannot be selected, click the () icon in the table to see why the system cannot be selected. Select the systems that you want in your pool then, click Continue.

CMC contacts ESS to get the pool membership CoD code and pool resource CoD code for each selected system. A managing HMC for each system retrieves the CoD codes from CMC and enters them into the system. When the pool membership CoD code is successfully entered into the system, all the installed processor and memory resources on the system are activated and ready for use.

If adding a system fails, CMC shows the errors on the Add Systems summary screen and also lists the errors on the Events page of the pool. Review the errors, make any possible corrections, and try again. For the following errors related to Entitled Systems Support, wait for 15 minutes before trying again:

Error: The Entitled Systems Support authorization request failed for system model-type*serial: Did not get a reply
Error: System model-type*serial was not added: failed to retrieve CoD codes for the system from Entitled Systems Support.

If failures persist, raise a support case to "Cloud Management Console" in IBM Support and include the details of the errors that are listed on the Events page.

Refresh Capacity: After you purchase more base capacity or credits for your pool, click Refresh Capacity to update the base capacity and credits in the Enterprise Pools 2.0 app.

Remove System: Click the (...) icon that is on the right of the system table to open a menu, then click Remove System to remove the system from the pool. CMC contacts ESS to get the pool termination CoD code for the system. A managing HMC for the system retrieves the CoD codes and enters it into the system. When the CoD code is successfully entered into the system, the system is removed from the pool. CMC removes the system's base resources from the pool. The system's base resources are permanently activated on the system, and the remaining processor and memory resources on the system are activated with Trial CoD for 30 days. If the system removed from the pool was the only system in the pool, the pool is permanently deleted. All unused credits for the pool are forfeited.
Important: When a POWER9 or Power10 system is removed from a pool, the base resources the system had when it was added to the pool are permanently activated.  If the number of base resources was changed while the system was in the pool, those changes will not be reflected in the number of resources that are permanently activated, and it is important that you contact the Power Capacity on Demand project office at [e-mail] to get permanent CoD codes to correct the permanent activations on the system to match the base resources the system had when it was removed from the pool.  When a Power11 system is removed from a pool, the base resources the system had when it was removed from the pool are permanently activated, and no further action is required.

Move System: Click the (...) icon that is on the right of the system table to open a menu, then click Move System to move the system to another, existing Enterprise Pool 2.0. CMC contacts ESS to get the pool membership CoD code and pool resource CoD code for the system for the destination pool. A managing HMC for the system retrieves the CoD codes and enters them into the system. When the pool membership CoD code is successfully entered into the system, the system is removed from its current pool and added to the destination pool. CMC removes the system's base resources from the current pool and adds them to the destination pool. If the system moved was the only system in the current pool, the pool is permanently deleted. All unused credits for the pool are forfeited.

Add a Tag: You can also group systems and partitions by assigning them to tag groups.  Select the checkbox for the systems and partitions for which you want to assign to a tag and click Add a Tag. Note that the Add a Tag control is grayed out until you select at least one checkbox.

• To select an existing tag, select the tag from the list of tags that is displayed, and click Apply.
• To create a new tag, enter the tag name and click Create New Tag.
• To manage tags or view all resources that are assigned to a tag, click Manage Tags.
• When a tag is applied, the tag icon column indicates the number of tags that are associated with the system or partition. Click the tag icon associated with the system or partition to display the tags, and optionally remove them.
• You can tag a Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform control node partition with the reserved tag Control Plane Node, which stops software metering for the partition. The Control Plane Node tag is available only for RHEL CoreOS partitions and can be added or removed only in the Enterprise Pools 2.0 app.
• You can tag an AIX partition running PowerHA SystemMirror with the relevant reserved tag PowerHA Standard or PowerHA Enterprise to enable the partition to use the corresponding base PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX software licenses in the pool and to be metered for usage above base for the pool. The PowerHA Standard and PowerHA Enterprise tags are available only for AIX partitions and can be added or removed only in the Enterprise Pools 2.0 app.
• You can tag an IBM i partition running PowerHA SystemMirror with the reserved tag PowerHA IBM i to enable the partition to use the base PowerHA SystemMirror for IBM i software licenses in the pool and to be metered for usage above base for the pool. The PowerHA IBM i tag is available only for IBM i partitions and can be added or removed only in the Enterprise Pools 2.0 app.

Export CSV: To export the current resource usage for the pool, systems, and partitions in the pool, status of the CoD code, whether the pool is throttled, and other details in CSV format, click Export CSV.

Parent topic: Power Enterprise Pools 2.0 with Utility Capacity