IBM are gradually releasing the features from the next generation of POWER7 VIOS. In short VIO servers will be able to participate in a cluster outside of a single frame (across multiple boxes). This will mean that you can present virtual disks to LPAR's from one VIO server and make them available to another server via another VIO server at the same time without using NPIV. This reduces the dependency on feature rich storage (and cooperative storage teams!) will prove useful for the scale-out clustering technologies and for partition mobility.

They are planning to build in some useful auto-provisioning, Snapshot, cloning and thin provisioning features at the VIO cluster level all controller by director. Making it much more flexible to work in a virtualised environment with multiple systems.

VMware has been using datastores across multiple ESX servers all controlled by vCenter for a while now, and cloning, snapshots and thin provisioning are all there in V4.0. IBM are right introduce these features slowly into their IBM POWER7 range and the customers in this space will hopefully appreciate the importance of a slower evolution for systems that have reliability and robust performance at the core of their brand.

I'm pleased to see that those who have opted for an AIX strategy for mission critical, or high profile apps are not to going to be short of virtualisation features.

For a more in-depth view of Centiq's IBM POWER7 appliances: Click here

Read Robin Websters blog for more IBM POWER7 info:  Click here

IBM preview http://gibsonnet.net/AIX/ibm/VIOS_NextGen_Server_Storage_Integration.pdf