IBM 8408-44E, Site And Hardware Planning

Page: 17 / 206

Site and hardware physical planning overview
Successful installation requires effective planning of your physical and operational environment. You are
the most valuable resource in site planning because you know where and how your system, and devices
attached to it, will be used.
Site preparation for the complete system is the responsibility of the customer. The primary task of your
site planner is to ensure that each system is installed so that it can operate and be serviced efficiently.
This topic collection provides the basic information you need to plan for your system installation. It
provides an overview of each planning task, as well as valuable reference information useful throughout
the performance of these tasks. Depending on the complexity of the system you ordered and your
existing computing resource, you might not need to perform all the steps noted here.
First, with the help of your systems engineer, sales representative, or with the help of those coordinating
your installation, list the hardware for which you need to plan. Use the summary of your order to help
you when making your list. This list is now your “To Do” list. You can use the Planning task checklist to
assist you.
While you are responsible for planning, vendors, contractors, and your sales representative are also
available to help with any aspect of the planning. For some system units, a customer service
representative will install your system unit and verify correct operation. Some system units are
considered customer-installed. If you are not sure, check with your sales representative.
The physical planning section of this topic collection provides the physical characteristics of many system
units, and associated products. For information on products not included in this topic collection, contact
your sales representative or your authorized dealer.
Before proceeding with planning, ensure that the hardware and software you have chosen meets your
needs. Your sales representative is available to answer questions.
While this information is for hardware planning, the system memory and disk storage needed are a
function of the software to be used, therefore some things to consider are listed below. Information on
software products is generally in or with the software Licensed Program Product itself.
In assessing the adequacy of hardware and software, consider the following:
v Available disk space and system memory for accommodating software, online documentation, and data
(including future growth needs resulting from additional users, more data, and new applications)
v Compatibility of all devices
v Compatibility of software packages with each other and with the hardware configuration
v Adequate redundancy or backup capabilities in hardware and software
v Software portability to the new system, if necessary
v Prerequisites and corequisites of chosen software have been satisfied
v Data to be transferred to the new system
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2015, 2016
1