What is SWAPGEN?

SWAPGEN is tool to create and/or initialize a disk to be used for Linux swap space from an CMS environment.
 

Target Audience for SWAPGEN

SWAPGEN is useful for anyone running Linux guests in a z/VM environment.

 

SWAPGEN Features

The latest version of SWAPGEN provides:

  • Creation of VDISK swap disks at specified virtual addresses
     
  • Writing swap signatures on permanent DASD (ECKD)

    As well as creating virtual disks in memory, SWAPGEN can now add swap signatures to pre-allocated ECKD minidisks.
     
  • Internationalization

    SWAPGEN uses standard CMS message repositories for translated messages. SWAPGEN supports all languages supported by IBM for z/VM 5.4 and higher (mixed case American English, Japanese, uppercase English, and German).
     
  • Option to create swap space on the raw Linux device, or in a partition.

    Recent versions of Linux now expect swap space to be in a partition. The FBAPART option allows SWAPGEN to create the swap space as part of the first partition on the device.
     
  • Removes the need for RXDASD external module

    The current version of SWAPGEN no longer requires the external RXDASD MODULE to work. The function of the external module has been replaced by internal code based on CMS Pipelines.
     
  • Adds detail message help

    All messages issued by SWAPGEN now conform to regular IBM message id and message documentation practices. HELP MSG msgid will display detailed help information on a message.
     
  • Simplified install packaging

    SWAPGEN is distributed in three forms: a minimum package containing only the files necessary to run, a help file package, and a package containing the full source code in CMS UPDATE format.

Prerequisites

SWAPGEN is supported on all releases of z/VM 4.x and higher.

 

Delivery and Installation

SWAPGEN is distributed in VMARC format, labeled by year and month of release. Click on the package named below to download the associated VMARC file for the current release of SWAPGEN (the links below are updated to always point to the current recommended release). If you do not have a copy of the VMARC utility, a copy can be obtained by clicking here and following the download instructions.

Three packages are available:

  • SBINyymm.VMARC

    Only the minimum necessary files required to run SWAPGEN.
     
  • SHLPyymm.VMARC

    The help files for SWAPGEN. Not required to run, but we strongly recommend the installation of the help files, which include help for all messages issued by SWAPGEN. Help files are included for all messages issued by SWAPGEN. HELP MSG msgid will display the help files for messages issued by SWAPGEN if this package is installed.
     
  • SSRCyymm.VMARC

    The complete source code for SWAPGEN, messages, help files and message repositories. This package also includes the content of SHLPyymm and SBINyymm.

Where Can You Find Out More About SWAPGEN?