SLES 15 SP3 Released

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3 is out! See the official announcement and the release notes. It provides

• QEMU v5.2, supporting virtio-fs on IBM Z
  
• libvirt v7.1
  

For a detailed list of IBM Z and LinuxONE-specific (non-KVM) features see here.

RHEL 8.4 Released

RHEL 8.4 is out! See the official announcement and the release notes.

KVM is supported via Advanced Virtualization, and provides

• QEMU v5.2, supporting virtio-fs on IBM Z
  
• libvirt v7.0
  

Furthermore, RHEL 8.4 now supports graphical installation for guest installs. Just add the highlighted arguments to your virt-install command line for an RHEL 8.4 install on an RHEL 8.4 KVM host:

    virt-install --input keyboard,bus=virtio --input mouse,bus=virtio \
    --graphics vnc --video virtio --disk size=8 --memory 2048 --name rhel84 \
    --cdrom /var/lib/libvirt/images/RHEL-8.4.0-20210503.1-s390x-dvd1.iso

And the installation will enter the fancy graphical installer:

Make sure to have package virt-viewer installed on the host, and X forwarding enabled (option -X for ssh).

This new support also allows graphical installs started in cockpit:

Webinar: Red Hat OpenShift for IBM Z and LinuxONE on RHEL 8.3 KVM

Join us for our webinar on Wednesday, April 21, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST!

Abstract

Red Hat OpenShift is available on RHEL 8.3 KVM starting with Red Hat OpenShift version 4.7 on IBM Z and LinuxONE. We discuss the deployment of a Red Hat OpenShift Cluster on RHEL KVM from a high-level perspective, including supported configurations and requirements, especially the available network and storage options.
Furthermore, we explain the installation steps of Red Hat OpenShift 4.7 on RHEL KVM in detail, including best practices and a short excursion on cluster debugging.

Speakers

• Dr. Wolfgang Voesch, Iteration Manager - OpenShift on IBM Z and LinuxONE
• Holger Wolf, Product Owner - OpenShift on Linux on IBM Z and LinuxONE
  
  

Registration

Register here. You can check the system requirements here.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Replay & Archive

All sessions are recorded. For the archive as well as a replay and handout of this session and all previous webinars see here.

Installing Red Hat OpenShift on KVM on Z

While there is no documentation on how to install Red Hat OCP on Linux on Z with a static IP under KVM today, the instructions here will get you almost there. However, there are a few parts within section Creating Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS (RHCOS) machines that require attention. Here is an updated version that will get you through:
 
4. You can use an empty QCOW2 image: Using the prepared one will also work, but it will be overwritten anyway.

5. Start the guest with the following modified command-line:
  $ virt-install --noautoconsole
     --boot kernel=/bootkvm/rhcos-4.7.0-s390x-live-kernel-s390x, \
       initrd=/bootkvm/rhcos-4.7.0-s390x-live-initramfs.s390x.img, \
           kernel_args='rd.neednet=1 dfltcc=off coreos.inst.install_dev=/dev/vda
       coreos.live.rootfs_url=https://mirror.openshift.com \
           /pub/openshift-v4/s390x/dependencies/rhcos/4.7/4.7.0 \
           /rhcos-4.7.0-s390x-live-rootfs.s390x.img
       coreos.inst.ignition_url=http://192.168.5.106:8080/ignition \
       /bootstrap.ign ip=192.168.5.11::192.168.5.1:24:bootstrap-0.pok-241-macvtap- \
           mars.com::none
       nameserver=9.1.1.1'
     --connect qemu:///system
     --name bootstrap-0
     --memory 16384
     --vcpus 8
     --disk /home/libvirt/images/bootstrap-0.qcow2
     --accelerate
     --import
     --network network=macvtap-mv1
     --qemu-commandline="-drive if=none,id=ignition,format=raw,file=/bootkvm \
           /bootstrap.ign,readonly=on -device virtio-blk, \
           serial=ignition,drive=ignition"

Note the following changes:

• Use the live installer kernel, initrd (you can get them from the redhat mirror) and parmline (this you need to create yourself once for each guest) in the --boot parameter. This is basically like installing on z/VM, and will write the image to your QCOW2 image with the correct static IP configuration. Keep in mind that the ignition file needs to be provided by an http/s server for this method to work
• dfltcc=off is required for IBM z15 and LinuxONE III
  

6. To restart the guest later on, you will need to change the guest definition to boot from the QCOW2 image.
When the kernel parms are passed into the installer, the domain xml will look like this once the guest is installed and running:
  <os>
    <type arch='s390x' machine='s390-ccw-virtio-rhel8.2.0'>hvm</type>
    <kernel>/bootkvm/rhcos-4.7.0-s390x-live-kernel-s390x</kernel>
    <initrd>/bootkvm/rhcos-4.7.0-s390x-live-initramfs.s390x.img</initrd>
    <cmdline>rd.neednet=1 dfltcc=off coreos.inst.install_dev=/dev/vda
        coreos.live.rootfs_url=https://mirror.openshift.com/pub/openshift-v4/ \
             s390x/dependencies/rhcos/4.7/4.7.0/rhcos-4.7.0-s390x-live- \
             rootfs.s390x.img
        coreos.inst.ignition_url=http://192.168.5.106:8080/ignition/worker.ign
        ip=192.168.5.49::192.168.5.1:24:worker-1.pok-241-macvtap- \
             mars.com::none nameserver=1.1.1.1</cmdline>
    <boot dev='hd'/>
  </os>
However, this domain XML still points at the installation media, hence a reboot will not work (it will merely restart the installation).
Remove the <kernel>, <initrd>, <cmdline> elements, so that all that is left is the following:
  <os>
    <type arch='s390x' machine='s390-ccw-virtio-rhel8.2.0'>hvm</type>
    <boot dev='hd'/>
  </os>
With this, the guest will start successfully.

 [Content contributed by Alexander Klein]

Red Hat OpenShift Cotainer Platform 4.7 Released

Red Hat OCP 4.7 is out!

Among others, it adds support for KVM on Z as provided by RHEL 8.3 as the hypervisor for user-provisioned infrastructure.

See here for the full list of IBM Z-specific changes and improvements.

QEMU v5.2 released [UPDATE Feb 24, 2021]

QEMU v5.2 is out. A highlight from a KVM on Z perspective:

• PCI passthrough support now includes any PCI devices other than RoCE Express cards, e.g. including NVME devices. However, ISM devices as needed for SMC-D, require extra support an cannot be used at this point.
• virtiofs support vi virtio-fs-ccw: Shared Filesystem allowing KVM guests to access host directories.
  Use cases:
• Container image access in lightweight VMs (e.g. in Kata Containers)
• CI/CD and development enablement
• Filesystem as a service, to easily switch backends
To use, define in the host as follows:
  <domain>
    <memoryBacking>
      <access mode='shared'/>
    </memoryBacking>
    <devices>
      <filesystem type='mount'
            accessmode='passthrough'>
        <driver type='virtiofs'/>
        <source dir='/<hostpath>'/>
        <target dir='mount_tag'/>
      </filesystem>
      ...
    </devices>
    ...
  </domain>
Then mount in guests as follows:
  # mount -t virtiofs mount_tag /mnt/<path>
Requires Linux kernel 5.4 and libvirt v7.0.

For further details, see the Release Notes.

UPDATE: A previous version had falsely listed ISM devices as supported.

New Publications

 

The following videos and publications are now available on the IBM Knowledge Center:

• IBM Secure Execution for Linux
  
• Video: Securing your Workload in the Cloud An Introduction
  Explains the risk factors against which IBM Secure Execution for Linux helps to protect for your workload.
• Video: Securing your Workload in the Cloud
  Shows how IBM Secure Execution for Linux protects your workload in the cloud.
• These videos are also reachable in the IBM Knowledge Center.
• Publication: Introducing IBM Secure Execution for Linux
  The new version of the guide includes new troubleshooting information and additional image hardening tips.
  Also available as PDF.
• Publication: KVM Virtual Server Management
  New information includes configuring KVM virtual servers for IBM Secure Execution for Linux, backing virtual block devices with PCIe-attached NVMe devices, and descriptions of new tools.
  Also available as PDF.

For more updates, check this blog entry.