Question & Answer
Question
IBM is committed to providing customers with options to assist with the migration from "End of Support" products, or when necessary, provide continued support past the standard life cycle of IBM products.
Visit the IBM PowerVM: Recommended upgrade paths to Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) Version 3.1 page to review the list of steps to upgrade from "End of Support" versions of VIOS to version 3.1.
This document provides details about how to obtain support and define the expectations when working with the IBM Remote Technical Support teams for versions of the IBM PowerVM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) that have reached their published "End of Support" date.
Answer
For the most up to date list of supported versions of IBM PowerVM, please, refer to the VIOS Software Lifecycle and PowerVM Service Extension pages.
IBM recommends customers using "End of Support" versions of PowerVM VIOS upgrade to an "In Support" version as soon as possible in order to receive the most up to date software features and to minimize the risk and business impacts of using outdated software versions that may no longer be supported.
Detailed instructions for upgrading to the latest PowerVM VIOS level is available on this technical article How to upgrade VIOS with IBM storage and NON Shared Storage Pool configurations
Click on the applicable scenario listed below to understand the scope of support and the expectations when working with the IBM Remote Technical Support teams for "End of Support" versions and releases of IBM PowerVM VIOS for your situation.
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Scenario #1: Your company is using an end-of-supported version of VIOS (versions prior to VIOS 3 which this includes 1.5, 2.1, 2.2.0, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5, or 2.2.6) (IBM PowerVM 2.2 standard support ended September 30, 2020) (IBM PowerVM 2.2 Service Extension ended June 30, 2023 - no additional service extensions).
Answer:
- As documented on the VIOS Software Lifecycle page, all PowerVM (VIOS) versions prior to V3 are no longer eligible to receive support. The VIOS 2.2 standard end of service date ended Sept 30, 2020 and the VIOS 2.2 service extension date ended June 30, 2023. No additional service extensions are available for VIOS 2.2. Customers must upgrade to VIOS 3 in order to be eligible to receive support.
- As a reminder, Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) is "End of Support" as of September 2019 when VIOS Version 2.2.5 reached end of life.
- IBM understands companies may have specific business requirements or obstacles that may impact their ability to upgrade to an "In Support" version of VIOS. For these situations, the Remote Technical Support teams will refer customers to their local IBM account representative to discuss a custom and fee-based support agreement to meet their business needs, then proceed with closing the support case.
- Already published VIOS updates or fix levels on Fix Central will continue to be available for download. However, IBM will not create, publish, or deliver any new update, fix, interim fix, or security fix for known or new defects, regardless of business impact.
- For assistance with "Out of Scope" questions and issues (e.g. migration planning and implementation assistance, performance tuning, system or data recovery, and consulting) associated with VIOS releases that are "End of Support", the IBM Remote Technical Support teams will work to transition the situation to an IBM Services team to provide product specific assessment and assistance. Then, the Remote Technical Support teams will proceed with closing the support case. For more information about this service, contact IBM Services directly, engage your local IBM account representative, or call your local IBM phone number. Click here for a directory of worldwide phone numbers. Your company can earn and may have earned rewards points on purchases of IBM Power Systems servers, including Power9, which can be redeemed for free service assistance. For more details, check out the IBM Power to Cloud Rewards Program or contact your local IBM account representative. If assistance is needed to transition to the services team, simply ask the Remote Technical Support teams for more information.
- For customers migrating from one of the "End of Support" versions of VIOS to an "In Support" version, and a support case is opened, the IBM Remote Technical Support teams will direct you to general documentation to aid with the VIOS migration and/or refer you to an IBM Services team or your IBM Business Partner to provide hands-on assistance to complete the migration. The Remote Technical Support teams will then proceed with closing the support case.
- If you company chooses to continue to run PowerVM (VIOS) 2.2, which is no longer eligible to receive support, which puts your business at risk, IBM strongly recommended upgrade to the latest PowerVM 2.2 level (2.2.6.65) to minimize your risk of experiencing any known defects at the PowerVM 2.2 level. However, when using the latest VIOS 2.2 is no longer eligible to receive support. For customers that would like or have a business (audit) requirement for continued support for products past their life cycle, contact the IBM Accelerated Value Program team for options available for your business.
Scenario #2: Your company is using VIOS on Power Hardware Architecture not Verified by IBM.
Answer:
IBM recommends customers run PowerVM Virtual I/O Server on Power Systems that have been verified. Using unverified configurations may lead to unpredictable results, increased downtime, and/or severely impact your business. Examples of configurations not verified by IBM include:
- Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) on VIOS 2.2.6 with a valid IBM PowerVM Service Extension. Click here for more details.
- VIOS version 3.1 on Power7 Systems and older hardware. VIOS 3.1.0, 3.1.1, and 3.1.2 are verified and supported on Power7+. , Power8, and Power9. Click here for VIOS 3.1 hardware requirements.
- To determine which versions of PowerVM VIOS are compatible with various Power Systems processors, refer to the System Software Maps for your specific machine type and model.
- For cross-product compatibility, refer to the Fix Level Recommendation Tool (FLRT) > Power System Recommendations web based tool.
Scenario #3: Your company has purchased the IBM PowerVM 2.2 Service Extension.
Answer:
- Although your company may have previously purchased a PowerVM (VIOS) 2.2 service extension, all VIOS 2.2 service extensions end June 30, 2023. As of June 30, 2023, VIOS 2.2 is no longer eligible for support. As documented on the VIOS Software Lifecycle page, these versions and releases have reached the published "End of Support" date and standard technical support may no longer be available from the IBM Remote Technical Support teams without having purchased extended support.
- As a reminder, Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) reached end of support in September 2019 when VIOS version 2.2.5 reached end of life.
- Already published VIOS updates or fix levels on Fix Central will continue to be available for download. However, IBM will not create, publish, or deliver any new update, fix, interim fix, or security fix for known or new defects, regardless of business impact.
- Since VIOS 2.2 is no longer eligible for support, requests for support and recovery assistance are considered "Beyond the Scope" as well as these topics as documented in the IBM Support Guide, such as:
- Root cause analysis
- Performance analysis or tuning
- Troubleshooting or assistance with customer's code customization
- Answering extensive configuration questions
- Data recovery
- Consulting
- Interpretation or triage of customer or third party generated defect scanning reports
Customers needing assistance with "Out of Scope" activities will be directed to an IBM services team or their IBM Business Partner, then the Remote Technical Support teams will proceed to close the case. - Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) is no longer eligible to receive support. Click here for more details.
Question #2:This is a test 2
Answer:
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Related Information
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Modified date:
03 May 2024
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ibm16245738