When you install Storage Foundation and High Availability Solutions in the logical partition (LPAR), you can use SmartIO to cache data onto an SSD or any other supported fast device. The SSD used for the cache can be either a PCIe or SAS device, or an array-based SSD. The supported caching always happens at the LPAR level. In case the applications' I/O workload is running inside the WPARs, the I/O caching still works at the LPAR layer. SmartIO caching is not supported within the WPAR.

Storage Foundation for Oracle RAC is not supported in the WPAR.

If an array-based SSD is used, Live Partition Mobility (LPM) is supported with SmartIO caching. With direct attached devices (PCIe or SAS), LPM is not supported if SmartIO caching is enabled. If you need to perform LPM, you can use manual steps.

See Performing LPM in the SmartIO environment.

Table: AIX: SmartIO support in AIX virtual environments shows how SmartIO can be used in the virtualized environment.

For more information about configuring Storage Foundation and High Availability Solutions in the AIX Virtualization environment, see the Symantec Storage Foundation and High Availability Solutions Virtualization Guide - AIX.