Contents
Intended Audience
This Getting Started guide is intended for anyone who needs to install, configure, or manage the Stromasys Charon-SSP processor/platform emulation software in the IBM cloud. Its focus is on cloud-specific steps to install the Charon-SSP Virtual Environment (VE) emulator and license server. A general working knowledge of PC operating systems and their conventions is expected.
This guide describes the cloud-specific aspects of Charon-SSP for IBM. It is supplemented by the general Charon-SSP User's Guide for your Charon-SSP product version (see CHARON-SSP for Linux) and the VE License Server User's Guide in Licensing Documentation.
For additional information about this product, please contact Stromasys at the regional addresses listed below in Obtaining Technical Assistance, or contact your Stromasys VAR.
Product Overview
Stromasys provides Charon-SSP for on-premises installations and cloud environments. For both environments, there are several different options. The availability of cloud-specific options may differ depending on the cloud environment. Please contact your Stromasys representative for availability details. The typical cloud-specific options are:
- Prepackaged images provided on the cloud-specific marketplace:
- Cloud-specific Charon-SSP AL (Automatic Licensing) image using a public, Stromasys-operated, cloud-specific license server for metered licensing (license created automatically at first instance launch). Starting with Charon-SSP version 5.3.8, Charon-SSP AL also supports AutoVE where the instance can be configured at first launch to automatically connect to a customer-operated license server running in AutoVE mode. The minimum VE license server version for AutoVE mode is 1.1.21.
- Specific to AWS: the original Charon-SSP AL marketplace image was replaced by an AWS service providing the same features as the original AL image. However, the underlying Linux host system is Amazon Linux 2023, and licensing is based on public AutoVE servers, i.e., different public servers (operated by Stromasys) are used than in the original AL image. Please contact your Stromasys representative should you require a private, customer-operated AutoVE license server.
- Cloud-specific Charon-SSP VE (Virtual Environment) image using a customer-operated, private VE license server in the cloud (license must be obtained from Stromasys).
- Installation of Charon-SSP for Virtual Environments (VE) on a Linux server in the cloud using RPM packages provided by Stromasys, and utilizing a customer-operated, private VE license server in the cloud (license must be obtained from Stromasys).
Overview of the relevant documentation for Charon-SSP for cloud environments:
- This Getting Started Guide covers basic cloud-specific aspects when installing a Charon-SSP product in the cloud. The main focus is on the prepackaged images provided on the cloud-specific marketplaces. However, it can also serve as an introduction to general cloud-specific aspects when installing the individual Charon-SSP RPM packages on a server in the cloud.
- The general Charon-SSP User's Guides (see CHARON-SSP for Linux) cover features, configuration, and management of the Charon-SSP products.
- The VE License Server User's Guide in the Licensing Documentation section of the Stromasys Product Documentation site covers features, installation, and management of the VE (Virtual Environment) license server and the VE licenses.
- The Release Notes of your product provide important information regarding known problems and possible workarounds.
Charon-SSP overall product overview:
The following table provides an overview of Charon-SSP packaging in cloud and non-cloud environments, the associated licensing, and the applicable product documentation:
| Basic Packaging | Packaging Variants | Installation Location 5) | Licensing | Documentation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prepackaged Versions including underlying host OS and Charon-SSP software | Cloud marketplace image | Automatic Licensing (AL) AWS SSP Amazon Linux (AL) | Cloud only | Public, Stromasys-operated license server 1) | Cloud-specific Getting Started Guide General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide (for AutoVE) |
Virtual Environment (VE) | Private, customer-operated VE license server 2) | Cloud-specific Getting Started Guide General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide | |||
Baremetal ISO | On-premises | HASP license | General Charon-SSP User's Guide | ||
Individual RPMs | VE-enabled emulator | Cloud or on-premises (physical HW or VMware VM) 3) | Private, customer-operated VE license server | General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide | |
Non VE-enabled emulator | On-premises | HASP license | General Charon-SSP User's Guide | ||
Marketplace RPM packages 4) | Cloud only | Public, Stromasys-operated license server 1) or | Cloud-specific Getting Started Guide General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide (for AutoVE) | ||
1) Use of public license server requires Internet access of Charon host.
4) Only for updating the Charon-SSP emulator software on hosts based on Charon-SSP cloud-specific marketplace images for Automatic Licensing (AL). | |||||
Of the typical options described above, the following are available for the IBM cloud environment (as planned at the time of writing):
- Installation of Charon-SSP for Virtual Environments (VE) on a Linux server in the cloud using RPM packages provided by Stromasys.
Document Structure
The document contains the following main sections:
- Introduction to Charon-SSP: overview of emulator concepts.
- Charon-SSP Cloud - Virtual HW and Guest OS Support: list of supported virtual hardware and supported guest operating systems.
- Setting up an IBM Cloud Instance for Charon-SSP: basic steps to create and launch a Charon-SSP host system in the cloud.
- Installing the Charon-SSP Manager: steps to install the main management tool for the cloud-based Charon-SSP host instance.
- Accessing the Charon-SSP Cloud Instance: explains how to use SSH, SFTP, and the Charon-SSP Manager to access the instance, and how to set the initial management password.
- Additional Charon-SSP IBM Instance Configuration: steps to add additional storage and network interfaces; introduction to cloud-specific networking aspects.
Obtaining Documentation
The latest released version of this manual and other related documentation are available on the Stromasys support website at Product Documentation and Knowledge Base.
Obtaining Technical Assistance or General Product Information
Obtaining Technical Assistance
Several support channels are available to cover the Charon virtualization products.
If you have a support contract with Stromasys, please visit http://www.stromasys.com/support/ for up-to-date support telephone numbers and business hours. Alternatively, the support center is available via email at support@stromasys.com.
If you purchased a Charon product through a Value-Added Reseller (VAR), please contact them directly.
Obtaining General Product Information
If you require information in addition to what is available on the Stromasys Product Documentation and Knowledge Base and on the Stromasys web site you can contact the Stromasys team using https://www.stromasys.com/contact/, or by sending an email to info@stromasys.com.
For further information on purchases and the product best suited to your requirements, you can also contact your regional sales team by phone:
| Region | Phone | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Americas | +1 919 239 8450 | Stromasys LLC |
| Europe, Middle-East and Africa | +41 22 794 1070 | Avenue Louis-Casai 84 |
Conventions
Notation | Description |
$ | The dollar sign in interactive examples indicates an operating system prompt for VMS. The dollar sign can also indicate non superuser prompt for UNIX / Linux. |
# | The number sign represents the superuser prompt for UNIX / Linux. |
| > | The right angle bracket in interactive examples indicates an operating system prompt for Windows command (cmd.exe). |
| Bold monospace type in interactive examples indicates typed user input. |
| Bold monospace type enclosed by angle brackets indicates command parameters and parameter values. |
| Monospace type in interactive examples, indicates command response output. |
[ ] | In syntax definitions, brackets indicate items that are optional. |
... | In syntax definitions, a horizontal ellipsis indicates that the preceding item can be repeated one or more times. |
| Italic monospace type, in interactive examples, indicates typed context dependent user input. |
Definitions
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Host | The system on which the emulator runs, also called the Charon server |
| Guest | The operating system running on a Charon instance, for example, Tru64 UNIX, OpenVMS, Solaris, MPE or HP-UX |
Related Documents
- General Charon-SSP User's Guide
- VE License Server User's Guide in Licensing Documentation