IBM Mainframe Forum

Hi Everyone

This is my first post here.

I am just getting started with mainframes.

I am starting to read about Linux on the Mainframe but I am wondering about something.

Virtualisation is everything on the mainframe. When Linux is running on a Z series mainframe, is it virtualized with proprietary software or is the whole stack actually free software?

Thanks

zLinux is supported natively, NO virtualisation stack is necessary

These users thanked the author enrico-sorichetti for the post:

HalfMadDad (Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:02 pm)

z/VM can be used to run multiple instances of Linux in an LPAR, or you can use the IFL LPAR to run the Linux system natively (z/VM also runs on IFL LPARs).

These users thanked the author Robert Sample for the post:

HalfMadDad (Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:02 pm)

Thanks Enrico and Robert!

I am so excited about this! You just bought yourselves another mainframe disciple!

Virtualization on IBM mainframes was possible since CP67 on the 360/67 in the late 1960s. It started to become more common in the early 1980s, and was a defined feature by the late 1980s when IBM started with the PR/SM "hardware" feature, though in fact it was VM/370 hiding in the hardware. So IBM has been doing virtualization for nearly 40 years!