6.3.4 IBM i and FlashSystem 900 AE3 This section covers the following topics pertaining to IBM i and FlashSystem 900 AE3: The IBM FlashSystem 900 AE3 can be attached to IBM i hosts by using one of the following  Fibre Channel (FC) methods: Attachment methods Note:  IBM i attachment to the IBM FlashSystem 900 through the IBM VIOS using virtual  SCSI is  not  supported. The same rules apply for IBM i direct-attachment to an IBM FlashSystem 900 as for other  host operating systems. However, different zoning rules apply for SAN switch-attached IBM i  host Fibre Channel initiators. Unlike with other operating systems, these initiators must not be  zoned to both FlashSystem canisters.  For IBM FlashSystem 900 native or NPIV SAN switch attachment, a one-to-one zoning  should be used such that one IBM i Fibre Channel initiator port is zoned with one  FlashSystem target port from a single FlashSystem canister, as shown in Figure 6-3 on  page 161 under Switch Attachment. Note that this is different also to IBM FlashSystem  V9000, IBM Storwize series, or IBM SAN Volume Controller attachment where a single IBM i  initiator should be zoned to both storage controller nodes to support the SCSI Asymmetrical  Logical Unit Access (ALUA) LUN affinity concept of these controller nodes with preferred  (active) and non-preferred (passive) paths. With IBM FlashSystem 900, all paths are active. 160  Implementing IBM FlashSystem 900 Model AE3 Zoning rules GLYPH<SM590000> Native-attachment , that is, without the IBM VIOS, either with a SAN switch or without one.  The latter (without a SAN switch) is also known as  direct-attachment . GLYPH<SM590000> NPIV-attachment  through the IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) using Node Port Identifier  Virtualization (NPIV) in conjunction with the required NPIV-capable SAN switch. GLYPH<SM590000> Attachment methods GLYPH<SM590000> Zoning rules GLYPH<SM590000> Hardware and software requirements GLYPH<SM590000> Configuration and performance considerations