Virtual Server Deployment

Virtual Server Deployment is a subtask of z/VM Center. Virtual Server Deployment builds on z/VM to create and decommission virtual Linux servers (Linux guest systems).

This topic provides a brief introduction to the main objects you work with in the Virtual Server Deployment task. It also gives an overview of the task flow for deploying a z/VM virtual server that has an operating system installed. For more details see the z/VM Center concepts in the IBM Director information center at http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/eserver/v1r2/topic/diricinfo/vsd0_c_concepts.html.

Virtual server templates

A virtual server template defines the characteristics of a z/VM guest virtual machine (virtual hardware on z/VM). The template includes, for example, the processing power and memory size of the guest virtual machine. You use a virtual server template for creating a z/VM virtual server.

z/VM virtual servers

A z/VM virtual server is a z/VM guest virtual machine that is set up and controlled by the Virtual Server Deployment task. To set up an operating system in a z/VM virtual server, you use an operating system template.

Operating system templates

You create an operating system template from an existing instance of an operating system. An operating system template includes:
  • Disks that need to be unique for each operating system instances that is based on the template
  • Disks that are read-only and are to be shared by all operating system instances that are based on the template
  • Information on network interfaces configured for use by operating system instances that are based on the template

When you use an operating system template to set up an operating system instance in a z/VM virtual server, a wizard guides you through specifying a small amount of data that needs to be unique for each operating system instance, for example, IP addresses.

Decommissioning a z/VM virtual server

When a z/VM virtual servers is no longer needed, you can delete it to free all resources that are used by it for redeployment.

Related tasks
Starting the Virtual Server Deployment task
Related reference
z/VM Virtual Server Deployment window

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