Are you getting the most performance from your IBM hardware investment? Using an up-to-date compiler is key to hardware exploitation. A no-charge, 60-day evaluation copy of the latest IBM XL C/C++ compiler is downloadable from www.ibm.com, but how can you really test it in scenarios such as seeing how your application behaves on newer hardware, with a different operating system, or on a newer level of an operating system? If you are member of IBM PartnerWorld, the Virtual Loaner Program may be the answer.
The IBM Virtual Loaner Program provides no-charge, self-service Internet access to IBM hardware and middleware for IBM business partners and qualified members of IBM PartnerWorld. The Virtual Loan Program allows a user to select an environment from multiple hardware and operating system configurations. The dedicated, IBM IES/ITSC-certified environment of a VLP system provides the benefits of a secure loaner machine with greater flexibility in scheduling and less hassle than other loaner programs because IBM manages and hosts the hardware. Instead of month-long engagements, a VLP user makes multiple short reservations for a VLP system. The VLP system "remembers" the user's system image so that he or she can return repeatedly during a longer overall period of time to the same type of system and environment, including all files and work in progress.
On a VLP system, a user might evaluate IBM hardware, tools, and middleware, or develop, test, debug, and port applications and solutions. VLP systems might be used to develop product demonstrations or to allow users to see how their application performs with varying amounts of virtual CPU and RAM. Other features of the VLP usage model are full access to the user's own data and build environments and full root access (QSECOFR), which allows the user to install fixes and software.
The IBM Software Access catalog, accessible from an AIX or Linux partition on a VLP system, includes other IBM compilers, such as IBM XL Fortran.
Platforms and operating systems currently supported
POWER5, and POWER6 dedicated (root access) resources:
- AIX 5.3, AIX 6.1 with WPAR
- IBM i 5.4, IBM i 6.1
- Linux:
- Red Hat: RHEL4, RHEL5
- SUSE: SLES9, SLES10
Watch for our development blogs about using the XL C/C++ compiler on VLP systems.
For more information, see: