Enable Time Reference

Yes, this function is available via HMC. Marking the RFE as delivered, since the function is already available.

Hello IBM_Systems_Developer (IBM),

Great news!

Is this functionality available on any Power 8 or 9 server with the latest version of the HMC code?

Greetings Rudi

Hi Rudi,

Whenever time is changed on the TRP enabled partition, Hypervisor will pick that up and adjust its time as well the time on FSP and you can verify the FSP time from ASMI. hope this will help you to verify. Please let us know if you that helps or if you need more information.

Can you please tell me how I can check if the "enable time reference",when enabled on an IBM LPAR, if it is working?

Is there a log file where I can check the time is synced?

I did base the fact that IBM i LPARs do not qualify for the "enable time reference" on the following link https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/time-and-date-management-powervm.
When you open this link the Document Information lists the Operating system(s). We only see AIX there. I now see that this document was update after the RFE was created. I wonder what has been corrected/adjusted in this document, because when I created the RFE I thought that this document did contain the information that an IBM i LPAR was not an option being the time reference.

We did a check internally and when IBM i is set as Time Reference partition, IBM i partition TOD is synced to the system TOD. If this is not working in your env, have you opened any PMR or case to investigate earlier?

Hi,

When looking at LPARs IBM i also seems the exception to the rule, Things which can be selected for a LINUX or AIX partition is not available for i. This RFE is a first step to sync those differences and try to rid of the exceptions for IBM i LPAR's.

When an option is available for an IBM i LPAR is should work otherwise the option should not be available, because it only leads to confusion. If selecting an LPAR this option makes sense for AIX and Linux why not for IBM i also? That is confusion which was created for me when seeing this option.

If you need more info, just let me know.

Greetings Rudi

Hi,

Any partition can be marked as time reference partition but the recommendation is not to mark a partition which you intend to move to another system via LPM or Remote Restart as time reference partition. We will fix the HMC help text to call out the same. Can you please provide more on "it doesn't work even if selected on another partition" ? Is this not syncing up the time appropriately with the IBM i partition enabled as time reference?

Thanks.

Due to processing by IBM, this request was reassigned to have the following updated attributes:
Brand - Servers and Systems Software
Product family - Power Systems
Product - Power Hardware Management Console
Component - Product functionality
Operating system - Other
Source - None

For recording keeping, the previous attributes were:
Brand - Servers and Systems Software
Product family - Power Systems
Product - IBM i
Component - Hardware
Operating system - IBM i
Source - None

The COMMON Europe Advisory Council (CEAC) has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a “nice to have” low priority feature.

Background: The CEAC members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CEAC has a crucial role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your RFE.

To find out how CEAC help to shape the future of IBM i, see CEAC @ ibm.biz/BdYSYj and the article "The Five Hottest IBM i RFEs Of The Quarter" at ibm.biz/BdYSZT

Therese Eaton – CEAC Program Manager, IBM