Hybrid Cloud Solutions

Hybrid Cloud Positioning for Power S1112

Overview

Hybrid cloud is a core design principle of the IBM Power platform. It enables workloads to run consistently across on-premises systems, edge environments, and IBM Power Virtual Server (PowerVS).

The Power S1112 plays a key role in this model as an entry-level, scale-out system within the Power11® portfolio. It extends enterprise capabilities to distributed and edge environments.

The Power11 platform is optimized for hybrid cloud through:

• A consistent architecture across environments
• Integration with IBM Cloud and PowerVS
• Support for containerized and cloud-native applications

This approach enables:

• Workload portability without replatforming
• Flexible deployment across edge, on-prem, and cloud
• Consistent operations and security across environments

Positioning of Power S1112

The Power S1112 is designed for:

• Departmental workloads
• Remote and edge deployments
• Distributed application environments

As a scale-out system, it is optimized for:

• Horizontal scalability
• Cost-efficient deployment
• Incremental growth

Within hybrid cloud strategies, the S1112 acts as a foundational compute node that bridges edge and core environments.

Role in hybrid cloud architecture

Edge and local processing

The S1112 enables data processing close to the source, supporting:

• Low-latency processing
• Continued operation during network outages
• Reduced bandwidth usage

This makes it ideal for edge-first hybrid architectures.

On-premises workload hosting

The system provides a secure and controlled environment for:

• Core business applications
• Regulated workloads
• Sensitive data processing

It benefits from Power11 capabilities such as:

• Enterprise-grade reliability and availability
• Integrated security and encryption

Integration with Cloud (PowerVS)

Hybrid cloud integration is achieved through Power Virtual Server (PowerVS), which enables:

• Workload extension to the cloud
• Disaster recovery and backup
• Rapid provisioning of environments

PowerVS provides:

• Fast provisioning (minutes)
• Consistent architecture and OS support
• Flexible consumption models

Hybrid cloud use cases

Development and production separation

• Development → PowerVS
• Production → S1112

Disaster recovery

• Primary workload → S1112
• Failover → PowerVS

Data processing pipeline

• Edge (S1112): Data ingestion and preprocessing
• Cloud (PowerVS): Analytics and AI

Cloud bursting

• Base workload → S1112
• Peak demand → PowerVS

Enabling technologies

Virtualization

• IBM PowerVM®
• Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)
• Live Partition Mobility (LPM)

Cloud integration

• IBM Power Virtual Server
• Hybrid consumption models
• IBM Cloud connectivity

Modernization

• Red Hat OpenShift
• IBM Cloud Paks
• AI and analytics integration

Architectural placement

LayerRole of S1112EdgeLocal processing and resiliencyOn-PremCore workload hostingCloudExtension through PowerVS

Key benefits in hybrid cloud

• Consistent architecture across environments
• Flexible workload placement based on latency and compliance needs
• Scalable integration with PowerVS
• Built-in security and compliance capabilities
• Cost-efficient scaling model

Within the Power11 hybrid ecosystem:

• The S1112 provides entry-level on-prem and edge compute
• PowerVS provides elastic cloud capacity
• Larger systems provide enterprise-scale processing

Together, they enable a unified hybrid cloud architecture that supports:

• Distributed computing
• Application modernization
• High availability and disaster recovery

What are the differences between cloud-hosted and on-premises Power11 platforms?

The IBM Power11 family is designed for consistent deployment across on‑premises environments, edge locations, and the IBM Cloud. Although these platforms share the same processor architecture, their operational model, scalability, AI acceleration capabilities, and workload placement characteristics differ significantly. These differences help organizations determine the optimal environment for each workload based on performance, latency, economics, compliance, and modernization strategy.

Overview of Power11 deployment models

The Power11 platform is available in three primary consumption models:

On‑premises edge and entry systems (e.g., S1112)

Installed in customer-controlled environments, typically used for IBM i, AIX, Linux, and CPU‑based inference at distributed sites or departmental deployments.

On‑premises midrange and high-end systems (e.g., Power E1150 and Power E1180)

Scalability-oriented platforms optimized for enterprise virtualization, SAP HANA, large AI inference, and high availability.

Cloud‑hosted Power11 in IBM Power Virtual Server (PowerVS)

A fully managed IBM Cloud service delivering Power11 virtual machines with rapid provisioning, consumption billing, automated DR options, and integration with cloud-native services.

Each model provides architectural consistency, but with different trade-offs around control, cost, acceleration, and operational responsibility.

Hardware and AI acceleration differences

All Power11 processors include Matrix Math Accelerator (MMA) units and enhanced SIMD vector engines. These provide a baseline of on‑chip AI acceleration across all deployment models.

However, off‑chip acceleration differs:

• S1112 (on‑prem entry/edge): MMA and SIMD only; no support for IBM Spyre Accelerator; suitable for lightweight inference and CPU‑driven AI workloads

• Midrange and High-End Power11 (E1150, E1180): MMA + SIMD; full Spyre accelerator support via PCIe Gen4 expansion drawers; suitable for LLM inference, multimodal workloads, large-context pipelines, and high-throughput analytics

• PowerVS (cloud): MMA + SIMD within virtualized CPU instances; no Spyre accelerator availability in PowerVS; suitable for general AI workloads, training orchestration, and CPU inference

Thus, very large AI inference workloads requiring Spyre accelerators must run on compatible Power11 systems on‑premises. Lightweight inference, preprocessing, and embedding pipelines can run in the cloud or on S1112.

Scalability and performance considerations

Performance characteristics across deployment models remain architecturally consistent due to the shared Power11 processor design. The key differences relate to:

On‑Premises (S1112, E1150, E1180):

• Deterministic local performance
• Direct-attached NVMe and PCIe devices
• Dedicated memory bandwidth
• Hardware accelerators (Spyre on select models)
• Suitable for latency-sensitive and mission-critical workloads

Cloud (PowerVS):

• Capacity scales elastically
• Provisions new Power11 VMs in under 10 minutes
• Shared infrastructure introduces virtualization layers
• Uses cloud-native storage and networking constructs
• Ideal for burst capacity, DR, dev/test, and modernization

No published CPU performance penalty exists in PowerVS versus on-premises, but I/O and network latency depend on the cloud region and WAN connectivity.

Operational and management differences

On‑Premises (S1112, E1150, E1180):

Customer manages:

• Hardware lifecycle

• Firmware updates

• Physical security

• Networking and storage

• Full control over environment configuration

• Required for regulated or air‑gapped workloads

• Supports advanced RAS features (Power E1180: up to 99.9999% availability)

Cloud‑Hosted Power11 (PowerVS):

IBM manages:

• Hardware

• Power supplies and fans

• Racks, networking, storage

• Firmware lifecycle

• Infrastructure security

• Customers manage OS, applications, and middleware

• Single pane of management through IBM Cloud portal and APIs

• Consistent experience across public cloud and PowerVS Private Cloud

In PowerVS Private Cloud, IBM installs the PowerVS pod inside the customer's data center and manages it through IBM Cloud Satellite, blending cloud operations with local data residency.

Cost and consumption differences

On‑Premises Power11:

• Customers purchase hardware (CapEx)
• Useful for predictable long-term workloads
• Existing licensing models for AIX and IBM i apply
• Highest control, lowest runaway-cost risk
• Power Enterprise Pools 2.0 (PEP 2.0) provides shared capacity across participating Power11 systems and monitors both base and metered processor capacity across the pool, allowing organizations to optimize consumption while maintaining predictable operational costs

PowerVS (Cloud or Private Cloud):

• Pay-as-you-use (OpEx)
• Ideal for inconsistent or seasonal workloads
• Rapid test environments with no hardware investment
• Shared Processor Pools (SPPs) offer granular billing
• Cloud services reduce operational overhead

The two models often complement each other in hybrid cloud deployments.

Data sovereignty, security, and compliance

On‑Premises Power11:

• Full control of data residency
• Required for:
  • Financial institutions
  • Government workloads
  • Healthcare data
  • Strict compliance regions
• Zero WAN dependency for local processing

PowerVS:

• Meets major compliance standards (SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS)
• PowerVS offered in 22 global IBM data centers
• Regional placement for data sovereignty
• PowerVS Private Cloud ensures local data residency, cloud operations model, and no public internet dependency

Hybrid approaches allow customers to maintain sensitive data on-prem while scaling compute in the cloud.

Workload placement guidance (S1112 vs larger Power11 vs cloud)

The following table contains a summary of the key differences to consider for workload placement on Power11 systems.

AreaOn-Prem S1112Larger On-Prem Power11Cloud-Hosted Power11 (PowerVS)AI AccelerationMMA/SIMD onlyMMA + SpyreMMA/SIMD onlyScalabilityEdge/departmentalHigh, up to large enterpriseElastic, cloud-scaleOperational ModelCustomer-managedCustomer-managedIBM-managedLatencyNear-data, deterministicNear-data, deterministicWAN-dependentIdeal ForEdge, IBM i P05, CPU inferenceERP, SAP HANA, large AIDR, dev/test, modernizationCost ModelCapExCapEx / OpEx (PEP 2.0)OpEx (consumption)Data ResidencyFull controlFull controlRegional placement or on-prem via Private CloudProvisioningManualManualUnder 10 minutesSpyre SupportNoYesNo

Cloud-hosted and on‑premises Power11 platforms offer the same processor architecture but deliver fundamentally different operational characteristics. On‑premises systems — especially midrange and high-end Power11 models — provide maximum performance, resiliency, and control, especially for workloads requiring Spyre acceleration or strict data governance. The S1112 extends Power11 capabilities to the edge with a compact, efficient, and IBM i–friendly design.

PowerVS expands Power11 into the cloud, offering elastic capacity, modernization pathways, and rapid provisioning with full OS compatibility. By understanding these differences and aligning them with workload requirements, organizations can deploy Power11 where it delivers the greatest value across edge, on-premises, and cloud environments.

Integration with IBM Power Virtual Server

Overview

IBM Power Virtual Server (PowerVS) extends the IBM Power platform into the cloud. It enables organizations to run AIX, IBM i, and Linux workloads in a hybrid cloud model with consistent architecture across environments.

When combined with on-premises Power S1112 systems, PowerVS enables:

• Seamless workload mobility

• Hybrid deployment models

• Unified operations across edge, on-prem, and cloud

This integration enables enterprises to optimize workload placement, improve resiliency, and accelerate modernization initiatives.

Hybrid connectivity models

Integration between Power S1112 and PowerVS relies on secure, high-performance connectivity options.

VPN connectivity

Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides a secure connection over the public internet:

• Rapid setup for initial hybrid deployments

• Suitable for non-critical or development workloads

• Encrypted communication between environments

Best for:

• Proof-of-concept deployments

• Dev/test environments

IBM Cloud Direct Link

IBM Cloud Direct Link provides dedicated private connectivity between on-premises environments and IBM Cloud:

• Low latency and predictable performance

• High bandwidth for production workloads

• Enhanced security compared to public internet

Best for:

• Mission-critical workloads

• High data transfer requirements

• Enterprise hybrid architectures

Hybrid network architectures

Organizations can implement different network patterns:

• Centralized connectivity: All traffic routed through a central hub

• Direct connectivity: S1112 systems connect directly to PowerVS

• Hybrid mesh: Multiple interconnected systems across locations

These architectures enable flexible workload placement and scalability.

Integration use cases

Disaster recovery and business continuity

PowerVS acts as a disaster recovery target for S1112 environments:

• Replication of data and workloads to cloud

• Failover during outages

• Rapid recovery using cloud resources

Development and testing

PowerVS enables separation of environments:

• Production workloads → S1112

• Development and testing → PowerVS

Benefits:

• Reduced infrastructure cost

• Faster provisioning

• Safe testing environments

Cloud bursting

Hybrid integration enables dynamic scaling:

• Base workloads run on S1112

• Peak or seasonal demand extends to PowerVS

Data processing and analytics

A distributed architecture can be implemented:

• S1112 (edge/on-prem) → Data collection and preprocessing

• PowerVS (cloud) → Advanced analytics and AI

Migration and modernization

PowerVS supports gradual workload migration:

• Lift-and-shift migration

• Hybrid coexistence of legacy and modern applications

• Incremental cloud adoption

The consistent Power architecture ensures workloads run without replatforming.

Deploying hybrid environments using PowerVS

Although S1112 systems are deployed on-premises, PowerVS enables cloud extension through virtual server instances that integrate with S1112 environments.

Deployment using PowerVS UI

Steps to create a PowerVS instance:

1. Log in to IBM Cloud

2. Navigate to Power Virtual Server

3. Create or select a workspace

4. Click Create Instance

5. Configure:

   • Region and zone

   • System profile (aligned to workload size)

   • CPU, memory, and storage

   • Network connectivity

6. Select OS image:

   • AIX, IBM i, or Linux

7. Deploy instance

Example use cases:

• Create a disaster recovery environment for S1112

• Provision development systems without impacting production

• Rapidly spin up test workloads for validation

Deployment using IBM Cloud CLI

PowerVS instances can be provisioned using CLI for automation.

Private Cloud Entry Level Use Cases

Introduction

Organizations are increasingly adopting private cloud infrastructure to improve control, security, and performance for business-critical workloads. Entry-level systems such as the IBM Power S1112 provide a cost-effective and scalable platform to begin this transformation.

This topic presents practical examples of entry-level private cloud use cases for the IBM Power S1112. These examples demonstrate how organizations can deploy S1112 in real-world scenarios to quickly realize value while building a strong foundation for future cloud expansion.

With these use cases, organizations can:

• Gain hands-on experience with private cloud environments
• Improve operational efficiency through virtualization and consolidation
• Support application modernization initiatives
• Prepare for seamless adoption of hybrid cloud models

The scenarios in this topic focus on solutions that:

• Require minimal setup and operational complexity
• Deliver quick and measurable business benefits
• Align with modernization and cloud adoption strategies
• Serve as practical starting points for private cloud implementation

Overview of IBM Power S1112

The IBM Power S1112 system is designed for:

• Small to medium workloads
• Branch and edge deployments
• Development and test environments
• Entry-level virtualization

Key characteristics

• Compact, single-socket architecture
• Support for AIX, IBM i, and Linux
• PowerVM virtualization capabilities
• High reliability and performance per core
• Integrated security features

Example use cases

The following examples demonstrate how S1112 enables:

• Cost savings through consolidation
• Faster provisioning and agility
• Scalable infrastructure growth
• Enhanced control and security
• A starting point for hybrid cloud

Development and test environment example

Scenario

A development team requires multiple isolated environments for testing new application builds without affecting production.

Implementation

• Create multiple LPARs on S1112
• Assign CPU and memory dynamically using PowerVM
• Clone environments for repeatable testing

Outcome

• Faster development cycles
• Reduced infrastructure cost
• Improved testing consistency

Workload consolidation example

Scenario

An organization runs several low-utilization servers that increase operational cost and management complexity.

Implementation

• Consolidate workloads onto a single S1112 system
• Use virtualization to separate workloads
• Manage centrally from one system

Outcome

• Lower infrastructure cost
• Simplified operations
• Better resource utilization

Branch office deployment example

Scenario

A remote office needs reliable local compute capability for business-critical applications.

Implementation

• Deploy S1112 at the branch office
• Run local workloads with minimal latency
• Maintain centralized monitoring

Outcome

• Reduced latency
• Improved application availability
• Local autonomy

Application modernization example

Scenario

An organization wants to modernize legacy applications gradually without full migration risk.

Implementation

• Run legacy apps on AIX or IBM i
• Run modern services on Linux LPARs
• Integrate both environments

Outcome

• Smooth transition to modern architecture
• Reduced risk
• Continued business operations

Disaster recovery example

Scenario

A business requires a cost-effective disaster recovery solution.

Implementation

• Use S1112 as a secondary DR node
• Configure replication from primary system
• Maintain standby workloads

Outcome

• Improved resilience
• Faster recovery times
• Cost-effective DR solution

Sandbox environment example

Scenario

IT teams want to test automation tools and cloud configurations safely.

Implementation

• Create dedicated sandbox LPARs
• Install automation tools
• Test configurations without impacting production

Outcome

• Safe experimentation
• Skill development
• Faster innovation

Key enablers

Virtualization

• PowerVM micro-partitioning
• Dynamic resource allocation
• Isolation of workloads

Automation

• Integration with tools such as Ansible
• Template-based provisioning
• Repeatable deployments

Security

• Hardware-based protection
• Secure boot
• Access control mechanisms

Best practices

Capacity planning

• Evaluate current workload requirements
• Plan for growth

Segmentation

• Separate environments by purpose
• Protect critical workloads

Automation

• Standardize and automate deployments
• Reduce manual tasks

Monitoring

• Track performance metrics
• Optimize continuously

What is Red Hat OpenShift integration?

Red Hat OpenShift integration on the IBM Power S1112 enables organizations to deploy, orchestrate, and manage containerized workloads on the Power11 platform with enterprise-grade Kubernetes. By combining the performance and resiliency of Power11 with OpenShift's container management capabilities, organizations gain a unified, cloud-native environment that runs modern applications alongside traditional workloads such as IBM i, AIX, and Linux.

OpenShift integration means that the S1112 can operate as a fully supported OpenShift cluster node, whether as a single-node cluster for edge deployments or as a worker or control-plane node in a multi-node configuration. Because OpenShift is fully supported on IBM Power (ppc64le), organizations can run containerized applications directly on the S1112 using the same tools, CI/CD pipelines, operators, and governance frameworks as in the public cloud or larger data centers. This provides consistency across environments and enables a common operational model.

The Power S1112 is particularly well suited for OpenShift deployments in distributed environments due to its compact half‑width 2U form factor, low power consumption, and enterprise‑class RAS features. These characteristics make it ideal for edge‑site clusters, store locations, remote offices, or space‑constrained facilities where deploying a traditional multi‑rack OpenShift footprint is impractical. The system supports flexible deployment models, including rack‑mounted or standalone tower configurations, allowing OpenShift to be deployed wherever compute capacity is needed.

The integration of OpenShift on S1112 also enables the coexistence of containerized workloads with IBM i and AIX running on the same system. Using PowerVM virtualization, organizations can dedicate LPARs to Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS (RHCOS) or RHEL for OpenShift nodes, while maintaining IBM i or AIX partitions for existing business workloads. This architecture allows low‑latency communication between containerized microservices and traditional enterprise applications, supporting modernization efforts without requiring replatforming.

OpenShift clusters deployed on S1112 follow the same architectural patterns as other platforms. A cluster typically includes three control plane nodes, two or more worker nodes, and a temporary bootstrap node used during installation. On Power, control plane and bootstrap nodes must run RHCOS, while worker nodes may run either RHCOS or RHEL. The S1112 can support these configurations depending on workload requirements, making it possible to deploy OpenShift clusters entirely on Power hardware or in multi‑architecture configurations with x86 worker nodes.

In addition to multi‑node deployments, the S1112 supports Single Node OpenShift (SNO), which consolidates the control plane and worker functions onto a single system. This is ideal for edge sites such as retail stores, manufacturing cells, or branch offices where local containerized applications are required but space and power are limited. SNO provides a full Kubernetes experience in an extremely small footprint, and the S1112's redundant power supply and high reliability make it well suited for production workloads in remote environments.

OpenShift integration on S1112 also enables organizations to run Red Hat OpenShift AI, a suite of capabilities that supports the development, training, deployment, and monitoring of AI models. This is especially valuable for use cases that require local AI inference near the source of data, such as machine vision, sensor analysis, or real‑time decision‑making. OpenShift AI is supported on the Power Architecture and can take advantage of Power11 CPU performance and MMA‑accelerated math operations.

The combination of OpenShift and IBM Power also provides access to IBM Cloud Pak solutions, each of which is built on Red Hat OpenShift and fully supported on Power. These Cloud Paks — including Cloud Pak for Applications, Cloud Pak for Data, Cloud Pak for Integration, and Cloud Pak for AIOps — allow organizations to modernize at their own pace and deploy enterprise-grade containerized middleware directly on the S1112. Because Cloud Paks run anywhere OpenShift is supported, workloads can be moved seamlessly between on-premises S1112 systems and PowerVS environments in the IBM Cloud.

Deployment of OpenShift on the S1112 follows the same RHEL and RHCOS lifecycle as OpenShift on any other platform. OpenShift 4.19 and later require RHEL 9.6-based CoreOS, and installation requirements, including networking, storage, and control plane design, are documented in Red Hat's official installation guides for Power. The S1112 provides sufficient CPU and memory resources to host small and medium-sized OpenShift clusters, especially in edge or departmental environments, while also supporting multi‑architecture deployments that combine ppc64le control-plane nodes with x86 or ARM worker nodes.

In essence, Red Hat OpenShift integration on the Power S1112 allows organizations to adopt a modern, cloud‑native application platform while preserving the strengths of their existing Power environment. It enables consistent deployment, automation, and management of containerized workloads across hybrid and multi‑cloud architectures, while delivering the performance, reliability, and security expected from IBM Power. For organizations looking to modernize applications, introduce microservices, deploy AI workloads, or extend cloud‑native capabilities to the edge, the S1112 provides a compact yet powerful platform fully aligned with Red Hat OpenShift's enterprise Kubernetes ecosystem.

Edge computing usage scenario on S1112

The explosive growth and increasing computing power of IoT devices have resulted in unprecedented volumes of data. Those data volumes continue to grow as 5G networks increase the number of connected mobile devices. In the past, the promise of cloud and AI was to automate and speed up innovation by driving actionable insight from data. But the unprecedented scale and complexity of data that is created by connected devices has outpaced network and infrastructure capabilities.

Sending all device-generated data to a centralized data center or the cloud causes bandwidth and latency issues. Edge computing offers a more efficient alternative. Data is processed and analyzed closer to the point where it is created. Because data does not traverse a network to a cloud or data center to be processed, latency is reduced. Edge computing and mobile edge computing on 5G networks enable faster and more comprehensive data analysis, which creates the opportunity for deeper insights, faster response times, and improved customer experiences.

Edge computing is a distributed computing framework that brings enterprise applications closer to data sources such as IoT devices or local edge servers. This proximity to data at its source can deliver strong business benefits, including faster insights, improved response times, and better bandwidth availability. Characteristically, edge is distributed, software defined, and flexible. The value of edge is the movement of computing resources to the physical location where data is created, transacted, or stored, thereby increasing enablement of business processes, decisions, and intelligence outside of the core IT environment.

Power S1112 benefits for edge computing with AI

The Power S1112 provides several features that make it an excellent choice for an edge computing environment. The Power S1112 provides an entry-level compute platform that brings benefits that are designed into the Power11 chip:

• Built-in AI acceleration circuitry to run AI workloads without the requirement for expensive GPU cards
• Built-in reliability, availability, and serviceability options to provide a highly available AI platform
• Remote management capability through the integrated eBMC card

The small size and flexibility of the Power S1112 make it an ideal platform for edge computing locations with limited space and with minimal power requirements. The ability to be either rack mounted or configured as a stand-alone tower mode makes the Power S1112 a good candidate for use in the following environments:

• In remote offices, stores, and manufacturing locations

  Organizations with distributed offices often need to run line‑of‑business applications, local databases, print services, or lightweight analytics functions on site. The S1112 can be installed in a small equipment closet or mounted under a desk in tower mode, providing a secure and reliable local compute platform. Its resilience ensures that operations continue even during network outages, and its small form factor enables deployment in locations that cannot accommodate traditional server hardware.

• In manufacturing equipment management environments with IoT

  Manufacturing environments often host IoT devices, sensors, and equipment controllers that generate continuous streams of operational data. The S1112 can act as a near‑edge compute node to aggregate, process, and analyze this data in real time. The ability to operate safely with minimal power and cooling makes it suitable for plant‑floor deployment, while its resiliency ensures that operations remain online even with intermittent connectivity to a central data center.

• In new locations with new applications designed for edge computing

  The S1112 supports new workloads designed for distributed computing models, including containerized applications, lightweight machine learning inference, and local data processing microservices. The system's ability to operate as a standalone tower or in high‑density rack configurations gives organizations flexibility to build modular, scalable edge clusters as demand grows.

• As an alternative to potentially expensive cloud deployments for edge computing environments

  In some cases, pushing all computation to the cloud is either cost‑prohibitive or introduces unacceptable latency. The S1112 offers a compelling on‑premises alternative for running edge workloads while still supporting hybrid integration with cloud environments. This approach helps organizations maintain low-latency local operations, control data governance requirements, and selectively offload non‑critical workloads to cloud platforms.

Additional use cases

There are many additional use cases to consider as you look at future edge computing applications. Power11 customers can benefit from edge and remote computing in the following situations:

• Endpoint Security and Surveillance
• In-store Point-of-sales customer experience (scoring)
• Edge and remote container-based applications
• Healthcare patient monitoring
• Manufacturing equipment management with IoT (IBM Maximo®)
• Utilities for power grid optimization and reducing energy waste
• Embedded solutions for OEM/ESA contracts and exploring opportunities with Linux-based ISVs focused on ROBO deployment

SAP deployment on PowerVS

IBM Power Virtual Server (PowerVS) enables SAP workloads on cloud infrastructure with enterprise performance, reliability, and security. This topic covers cloud-hosted SAP deployment on PowerVS, which complements an on-premises S1112 deployment in a hybrid architecture. S1112 is an on-premises system and is not available as a PowerVS machine type.

This topic provides step-by-step guidance to deploy SAP application servers using the IBM Cloud GUI, eliminating the need for CLI expertise.

Prerequisites

• IBM Cloud account with PowerVS access

• Network plan (CIDR, connectivity, firewall rules)

• SAP knowledge and installation media

• SSH key pair

Deployment scope

This topic covers:

• Workspace creation

• Network setup

• Instance deployment

• Snapshot and cloning

• Lifecycle management

• Monitoring and cost optimization

• Security best practices

SAP-certified images

PowerVS provides pre-configured SAP-certified images:

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) for SAP

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for SAP

These include:

• Pre-tuned kernel parameters

• Optimized storage and networking

• Built-in security configurations

Deployment scenarios

• Development/Test

  • Shared cores, lower-tier storage

  • Stop instances during off-hours

• Production

  • Dedicated cores, Tier 1 storage

  • High availability setup

• Disaster Recovery

  • Standby instance (shutoff state)

  • Activated only during DR events

• Hybrid Cloud

  • Database on-premises

  • App servers on PowerVS

Create PowerVS workspace

Access IBM Cloud

• Navigate to IBM Cloud

• Open Power Virtual Server

Create workspace

• Click Create workspace

• Provide:

  • Workspace name

  • Resource group

  • Region and zone

• Click Create

Configure private network

Create subnet

• Go to Subnets → Create subnet

• Provide:

  • Name

  • CIDR range

  • Gateway

  • DNS servers

Configure connectivity (optional)

• Use:

  • Direct Link (production)

  • VPN (dev/test)

Deploy SAP instance

Select image

• Go to Virtual server instances → Create

• Choose SAP-certified image

Configure instance

• Provide:

  • Instance name

  • Machine type (select a PowerVS-certified SAP profile)

  • Core type (shared/dedicated)

  • CPU and memory

Configure storage

• Boot volume (Tier 1 or Tier 3)

• Optional data volumes

Configure network

• Attach private subnet

• Assign IP (auto or static)

Configure SSH key

• Add or select SSH key

Create instance

• Review configuration

• Click Create

• Wait until status = Active

Create snapshot

Capture instance

• Select instance → Actions → Capture

• Provide name and description

• Include all volumes

Verify snapshot

• Check Boot images

• Confirm snapshot is available

Deploy instance from snapshot

Create new instance

• Select Custom image

• Choose snapshot

Configure instance

• Define:

  • Name

  • CPU/memory

  • Network and SSH key

Verify

• Ensure status is Active

• Confirm network access

Manage instance lifecycle

Operations

• Start: Actions → Start

• Stop: Actions → Stop

• Restart: Actions → Restart

• Delete: Actions → Delete

Monitor instances

Metrics

• CPU utilization

• Memory usage

• Network throughput

• Disk I/O

Tools

• PowerVS Monitoring tab

• Console logs for troubleshooting

Cost management

Tracking costs

• Go to Billing → Usage

• Filter by PowerVS

Optimization tips

• Stop dev/test instances during off-hours

• Keep DR instances shutoff

• Use shared cores where possible

• Resize based on utilization

Security best practices

Network security

• Use private subnets

• Restrict traffic via firewall rules

• Use VPN or Direct Link

Access control

• Use IAM roles

• Follow least privilege principle

Data protection

• Encrypt data at rest and in transit

• Use IBM Key Protect

Monitoring

• Enable logging and alerts

• Monitor for suspicious activity

System security

• Apply regular patches

• Perform audits and vulnerability scans