diff --git a/doc/source/user/support-matrix.ini b/doc/source/user/support-matrix.ini
index 95a2f7b7b669..7c94d29fc434 100644
--- a/doc/source/user/support-matrix.ini
+++ b/doc/source/user/support-matrix.ini
@@ -674,6 +674,10 @@ driver-impl-ironic=missing
 driver-impl-libvirt-vz-vm=complete
 driver-impl-libvirt-vz-ct=complete
 driver-impl-powervm=complete
+driver-notes-powervm=When using the localdisk disk driver, snapshot is only
+  supported if I/O is being hosted by the management partition. If hosting I/O
+  on traditional VIOS, we are limited by the fact that a VSCSI device can't be
+  mapped to two partitions (the VIOS and the management) at once.
 
 [operation.suspend]
 title=Suspend instance
diff --git a/nova/conf/powervm.py b/nova/conf/powervm.py
index f18e79c28f50..50cd6aa8cd9f 100644
--- a/nova/conf/powervm.py
+++ b/nova/conf/powervm.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # Copyright 2018 IBM Corporation
-# All Rights Reserved.
 #
 #    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
 #    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
@@ -34,8 +33,26 @@ powervm_opts = [
              compute power given to each vCPU. E.g. A value of 1.0 means a
              whole physical processor, whereas 0.05 means 1/20th of a physical
              processor.
-             """
-    ),
+             """),
+    cfg.StrOpt('disk_driver',
+               choices=['localdisk', 'ssp'], ignore_case=True,
+               default='localdisk',
+               help="""The disk driver to use for PowerVM disks. PowerVM
+                    provides support for localdisk and PowerVM Shared Storage
+                    Pool disk drivers.
+
+                    Related options:
+
+                    * volume_group_name - required when using localdisk
+
+                    """),
+    cfg.StrOpt('volume_group_name',
+               default='',
+               help='Volume Group to use for block device operations. If '
+                    'disk_driver is localdisk, then this attribute must be '
+                    'specified. It is strongly recommended NOT to use '
+                    'rootvg since that is used by the management partition '
+                    'and filling it will cause failures.'),
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/nova/exception.py b/nova/exception.py
index 4c844347f0f6..b6365b36bdbb 100644
--- a/nova/exception.py
+++ b/nova/exception.py
@@ -2269,3 +2269,8 @@ class DeviceDeletionException(NovaException):
     msg_fmt = _("Device %(devpath)s is still present on the management "
                 "partition after attempting to delete it. Polled %(polls)d "
                 "times over %(timeout)d seconds.")
+
+
+class OptRequiredIfOtherOptValue(NovaException):
+    msg_fmt = _("The %(then_opt)s option is required if %(if_opt)s is "
+                "specified as '%(if_value)s'.")
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/powervm/disk/test_localdisk.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/powervm/disk/test_localdisk.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..69d1e156f03b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/powervm/disk/test_localdisk.py
@@ -0,0 +1,312 @@
+# Copyright 2015, 2018 IBM Corp.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+import fixtures
+import mock
+
+from nova import exception
+from nova import test
+from pypowervm import const as pvm_const
+from pypowervm.tasks import storage as tsk_stg
+from pypowervm.utils import transaction as pvm_tx
+from pypowervm.wrappers import storage as pvm_stg
+from pypowervm.wrappers import virtual_io_server as pvm_vios
+
+from nova.tests import uuidsentinel as uuids
+from nova.virt.powervm.disk import driver as disk_dvr
+from nova.virt.powervm.disk import localdisk
+
+
+class TestLocalDisk(test.NoDBTestCase):
+    """Unit Tests for the LocalDisk storage driver."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestLocalDisk, self).setUp()
+        self.adpt = mock.Mock()
+
+        # The mock VIOS needs to have scsi_mappings as a list.  Internals are
+        # set by individual test cases as needed.
+        smaps = [mock.Mock()]
+        self.vio_wrap = mock.create_autospec(
+            pvm_vios.VIOS, instance=True, scsi_mappings=smaps,
+            uuid='vios-uuid')
+
+        # Return the mgmt uuid.
+        self.mgmt_uuid = self.useFixture(fixtures.MockPatch(
+            'nova.virt.powervm.mgmt.mgmt_uuid', autospec=True)).mock
+        self.mgmt_uuid.return_value = 'mgmt_uuid'
+
+        self.pvm_uuid = self.useFixture(fixtures.MockPatch(
+            'nova.virt.powervm.vm.get_pvm_uuid')).mock
+        self.pvm_uuid.return_value = 'pvm_uuid'
+
+        # Set up for the mocks for the disk adapter.
+        self.mock_find_vg = self.useFixture(fixtures.MockPatch(
+            'pypowervm.tasks.storage.find_vg', autospec=True)).mock
+        self.vg_uuid = uuids.vg_uuid
+        self.vg = mock.Mock(spec=pvm_stg.VG, uuid=self.vg_uuid)
+        self.mock_find_vg.return_value = (self.vio_wrap, self.vg)
+
+        self.flags(volume_group_name='fakevg', group='powervm')
+
+        # Mock the feed tasks.
+        self.mock_afs = self.useFixture(fixtures.MockPatch(
+            'pypowervm.utils.transaction.FeedTask.add_functor_subtask',
+            autospec=True)).mock
+        self.mock_wtsk = mock.create_autospec(
+            pvm_tx.WrapperTask, instance=True)
+        self.mock_wtsk.configure_mock(wrapper=self.vio_wrap)
+        self.mock_ftsk = mock.create_autospec(pvm_tx.FeedTask, instance=True)
+        self.mock_ftsk.configure_mock(
+            wrapper_tasks={'vios-uuid': self.mock_wtsk})
+
+        # Create the adapter.
+        self.ld_adpt = localdisk.LocalStorage(self.adpt, 'host_uuid')
+
+    def test_init(self):
+        # Localdisk adapter already initialized in setUp()
+        # From super __init__()
+        self.assertEqual(self.adpt, self.ld_adpt._adapter)
+        self.assertEqual('host_uuid', self.ld_adpt._host_uuid)
+        self.assertEqual('mgmt_uuid', self.ld_adpt.mp_uuid)
+
+        # From LocalStorage __init__()
+        self.assertEqual('fakevg', self.ld_adpt.vg_name)
+        self.mock_find_vg.assert_called_once_with(self.adpt, 'fakevg')
+        self.assertEqual('vios-uuid', self.ld_adpt._vios_uuid)
+        self.assertEqual(self.vg_uuid, self.ld_adpt.vg_uuid)
+        self.assertFalse(self.ld_adpt.capabilities['shared_storage'])
+        self.assertFalse(self.ld_adpt.capabilities['has_imagecache'])
+        self.assertFalse(self.ld_adpt.capabilities['snapshot'])
+
+        # Assert snapshot capability is true if hosting I/O on mgmt partition.
+        self.mgmt_uuid.return_value = 'vios-uuid'
+        self.ld_adpt = localdisk.LocalStorage(self.adpt, 'host_uuid')
+        self.assertTrue(self.ld_adpt.capabilities['snapshot'])
+
+        # Assert volume_group_name is required.
+        self.flags(volume_group_name=None, group='powervm')
+        self.assertRaises(exception.OptRequiredIfOtherOptValue,
+                          localdisk.LocalStorage, self.adpt, 'host_uuid')
+
+    def test_vios_uuids(self):
+        self.assertEqual(['vios-uuid'], self.ld_adpt._vios_uuids)
+
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.gen_match_func', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.driver.DiskAdapter._get_disk_name')
+    def test_disk_match_func(self, mock_disk_name, mock_gen_match):
+        mock_disk_name.return_value = 'disk_name'
+        func = self.ld_adpt._disk_match_func('disk_type', 'instance')
+        mock_disk_name.assert_called_once_with(
+            'disk_type', 'instance', short=True)
+        mock_gen_match.assert_called_once_with(
+            pvm_stg.VDisk, names=['disk_name'])
+        self.assertEqual(mock_gen_match.return_value, func)
+
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.localdisk.LocalStorage._get_vg_wrap')
+    def test_capacity(self, mock_vg):
+        """Tests the capacity methods."""
+        mock_vg.return_value = mock.Mock(
+            capacity='5120', available_size='2048')
+        self.assertEqual(5120.0, self.ld_adpt.capacity)
+        self.assertEqual(3072.0, self.ld_adpt.capacity_used)
+
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.storage.rm_vg_storage', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.localdisk.LocalStorage._get_vg_wrap')
+    def test_delete_disks(self, mock_vg, mock_rm_vg):
+        self.ld_adpt.delete_disks('storage_elems')
+        mock_vg.assert_called_once_with()
+        mock_rm_vg.assert_called_once_with(
+            mock_vg.return_value, vdisks='storage_elems')
+
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.wrappers.virtual_io_server.VIOS.get')
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.remove_maps', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.gen_match_func', autospec=True)
+    def test_detach_disk(self, mock_match_fn, mock_rm_maps, mock_vios):
+        mock_match_fn.return_value = 'match_func'
+        mock_vios.return_value = self.vio_wrap
+        mock_map1 = mock.Mock(backing_storage='back_stor1')
+        mock_map2 = mock.Mock(backing_storage='back_stor2')
+        mock_rm_maps.return_value = [mock_map1, mock_map2]
+
+        back_stores = self.ld_adpt.detach_disk('instance')
+
+        self.assertEqual(['back_stor1', 'back_stor2'], back_stores)
+        mock_match_fn.assert_called_once_with(pvm_stg.VDisk)
+        mock_vios.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.ld_adpt._adapter, uuid='vios-uuid',
+            xag=[pvm_const.XAG.VIO_SMAP])
+        mock_rm_maps.assert_called_with(self.vio_wrap, 'pvm_uuid',
+                                        match_func=mock_match_fn.return_value)
+        mock_vios.return_value.update.assert_called_once()
+
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.remove_vdisk_mapping',
+                autospec=True)
+    def test_disconnect_disk_from_mgmt(self, mock_rm_vdisk_map):
+        self.ld_adpt.disconnect_disk_from_mgmt('vios-uuid', 'disk_name')
+        mock_rm_vdisk_map.assert_called_with(
+            self.ld_adpt._adapter, 'vios-uuid', 'mgmt_uuid',
+            disk_names=['disk_name'])
+
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.localdisk.LocalStorage._upload_image')
+    def test_create_disk_from_image(self, mock_upload_image):
+        mock_image_meta = mock.Mock()
+        mock_image_meta.size = 30
+        mock_upload_image.return_value = 'mock_img'
+
+        self.ld_adpt.create_disk_from_image(
+            'context', 'instance', mock_image_meta)
+
+        mock_upload_image.assert_called_once_with(
+            'context', 'instance', mock_image_meta)
+
+    @mock.patch('nova.image.api.API.download')
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.driver.IterableToFileAdapter')
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.storage.upload_new_vdisk')
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.driver.DiskAdapter._get_disk_name')
+    def test_upload_image(self, mock_name, mock_upload, mock_iter, mock_dl):
+        mock_meta = mock.Mock(id='1', size=1073741824, disk_format='raw')
+        mock_upload.return_value = ['mock_img']
+
+        mock_img = self.ld_adpt._upload_image('context', 'inst', mock_meta)
+
+        self.assertEqual('mock_img', mock_img)
+        mock_name.assert_called_once_with(
+            disk_dvr.DiskType.BOOT, 'inst', short=True)
+        mock_dl.assert_called_once_with('context', '1')
+        mock_iter.assert_called_once_with(mock_dl.return_value)
+        mock_upload.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.adpt, 'vios-uuid', self.vg_uuid, mock_iter.return_value,
+            mock_name.return_value, 1073741824, d_size=1073741824,
+            upload_type=tsk_stg.UploadType.IO_STREAM, file_format='raw')
+
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.add_map', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.build_vscsi_mapping',
+                autospec=True)
+    def test_attach_disk(self, mock_bldmap, mock_addmap):
+        def test_afs(add_func):
+            # Verify the internal add_func
+            self.assertEqual(mock_addmap.return_value, add_func(self.vio_wrap))
+            mock_bldmap.assert_called_once_with(
+                self.ld_adpt._host_uuid, self.vio_wrap, 'pvm_uuid',
+                'disk_info')
+            mock_addmap.assert_called_once_with(
+                self.vio_wrap, mock_bldmap.return_value)
+
+        self.mock_wtsk.add_functor_subtask.side_effect = test_afs
+        self.ld_adpt.attach_disk('instance', 'disk_info', self.mock_ftsk)
+        self.pvm_uuid.assert_called_once_with('instance')
+        self.assertEqual(1, self.mock_wtsk.add_functor_subtask.call_count)
+
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.wrappers.storage.VG.get')
+    def test_get_vg_wrap(self, mock_vg):
+        vg_wrap = self.ld_adpt._get_vg_wrap()
+        self.assertEqual(mock_vg.return_value, vg_wrap)
+        mock_vg.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.adpt, uuid=self.vg_uuid, parent_type=pvm_vios.VIOS,
+            parent_uuid='vios-uuid')
+
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.wrappers.virtual_io_server.VIOS.get')
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.find_maps', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.localdisk.LocalStorage.'
+                '_disk_match_func')
+    def test_get_bootdisk_path(self, mock_match_fn, mock_findmaps,
+                                         mock_vios):
+        mock_vios.return_value = self.vio_wrap
+
+        # No maps found
+        mock_findmaps.return_value = None
+        devname = self.ld_adpt.get_bootdisk_path('inst', 'vios_uuid')
+        self.pvm_uuid.assert_called_once_with('inst')
+        mock_match_fn.assert_called_once_with(disk_dvr.DiskType.BOOT, 'inst')
+        mock_vios.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.adpt, uuid='vios_uuid', xag=[pvm_const.XAG.VIO_SMAP])
+        mock_findmaps.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.vio_wrap.scsi_mappings,
+            client_lpar_id='pvm_uuid',
+            match_func=mock_match_fn.return_value)
+        self.assertIsNone(devname)
+
+        # Good map
+        mock_lu = mock.Mock()
+        mock_lu.server_adapter.backing_dev_name = 'devname'
+        mock_findmaps.return_value = [mock_lu]
+        devname = self.ld_adpt.get_bootdisk_path('inst', 'vios_uuid')
+        self.assertEqual('devname', devname)
+
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.vm.get_instance_wrapper', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.find_maps')
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.wrappers.virtual_io_server.VIOS.get')
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.wrappers.storage.VG.get', new=mock.Mock())
+    def test_get_bootdisk_iter(self, mock_vios, mock_find_maps, mock_lw):
+        inst, lpar_wrap, vios1 = self._bld_mocks_for_instance_disk()
+        mock_lw.return_value = lpar_wrap
+
+        # Good path
+        mock_vios.return_value = vios1
+        for vdisk, vios in self.ld_adpt._get_bootdisk_iter(inst):
+            self.assertEqual(vios1.scsi_mappings[0].backing_storage, vdisk)
+            self.assertEqual(vios1.uuid, vios.uuid)
+        mock_vios.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.adpt, uuid='vios-uuid', xag=[pvm_const.XAG.VIO_SMAP])
+
+        # Not found, no storage of that name.
+        mock_vios.reset_mock()
+        mock_find_maps.return_value = []
+        for vdisk, vios in self.ld_adpt._get_bootdisk_iter(inst):
+            self.fail('Should not have found any storage elements.')
+        mock_vios.assert_called_once_with(
+            self.adpt, uuid='vios-uuid', xag=[pvm_const.XAG.VIO_SMAP])
+
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.driver.DiskAdapter._get_bootdisk_iter',
+                autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.vm.get_instance_wrapper', autospec=True)
+    @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.add_vscsi_mapping', autospec=True)
+    def test_connect_instance_disk_to_mgmt(self, mock_add, mock_lw, mock_iter):
+        inst, lpar_wrap, vios1 = self._bld_mocks_for_instance_disk()
+        mock_lw.return_value = lpar_wrap
+
+        # Good path
+        mock_iter.return_value = [(vios1.scsi_mappings[0].backing_storage,
+                                   vios1)]
+        vdisk, vios = self.ld_adpt.connect_instance_disk_to_mgmt(inst)
+        self.assertEqual(vios1.scsi_mappings[0].backing_storage, vdisk)
+        self.assertIs(vios1, vios)
+        self.assertEqual(1, mock_add.call_count)
+        mock_add.assert_called_with('host_uuid', vios, 'mgmt_uuid', vdisk)
+
+        # add_vscsi_mapping raises.  Show-stopper since only one VIOS.
+        mock_add.reset_mock()
+        mock_add.side_effect = Exception
+        self.assertRaises(exception.InstanceDiskMappingFailed,
+                          self.ld_adpt.connect_instance_disk_to_mgmt, inst)
+        self.assertEqual(1, mock_add.call_count)
+
+        # Not found
+        mock_add.reset_mock()
+        mock_iter.return_value = []
+        self.assertRaises(exception.InstanceDiskMappingFailed,
+                          self.ld_adpt.connect_instance_disk_to_mgmt, inst)
+        self.assertFalse(mock_add.called)
+
+    def _bld_mocks_for_instance_disk(self):
+        inst = mock.Mock()
+        inst.name = 'Name Of Instance'
+        inst.uuid = uuids.inst_uuid
+        lpar_wrap = mock.Mock()
+        lpar_wrap.id = 2
+        vios1 = self.vio_wrap
+        back_stor_name = 'b_Name_Of__' + inst.uuid[:4]
+        vios1.scsi_mappings[0].backing_storage.name = back_stor_name
+        return inst, lpar_wrap, vios1
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/powervm/test_driver.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/powervm/test_driver.py
index e3fe0c84ae33..b74f103d6799 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/powervm/test_driver.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/powervm/test_driver.py
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@ class TestPowerVMDriver(test.NoDBTestCase):
 
     @mock.patch('nova.image.API')
     @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.storage.ComprehensiveScrub', autospec=True)
-    @mock.patch('nova.virt.powervm.disk.ssp.SSPDiskAdapter')
+    @mock.patch('oslo_utils.importutils.import_object_ns', autospec=True)
     @mock.patch('pypowervm.wrappers.managed_system.System', autospec=True)
     @mock.patch('pypowervm.tasks.partition.validate_vios_ready', autospec=True)
-    def test_init_host(self, mock_vvr, mock_sys, mock_ssp, mock_scrub,
+    def test_init_host(self, mock_vvr, mock_sys, mock_import, mock_scrub,
                        mock_img):
         mock_hostw = mock.Mock(uuid='uuid')
         mock_sys.get.return_value = [mock_hostw]
@@ -90,8 +90,10 @@ class TestPowerVMDriver(test.NoDBTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(mock_hostw, self.drv.host_wrapper)
         mock_scrub.assert_called_once_with(self.drv.adapter)
         mock_scrub.return_value.execute.assert_called_once_with()
-        mock_ssp.assert_called_once_with(self.drv.adapter, 'uuid')
-        self.assertEqual(mock_ssp.return_value, self.drv.disk_dvr)
+        mock_import.assert_called_once_with(
+            'nova.virt.powervm.disk', 'localdisk.LocalStorage',
+            self.drv.adapter, 'uuid')
+        self.assertEqual(mock_import.return_value, self.drv.disk_dvr)
         mock_img.assert_called_once_with()
         self.assertEqual(mock_img.return_value, self.drv.image_api)
 
@@ -309,6 +311,10 @@ class TestPowerVMDriver(test.NoDBTestCase):
         mock_rm.assert_called_once_with(
             stg_elem='stg_elem', vios_wrap='vios_wrap', disk_path='disk_path')
 
+        self.drv.disk_dvr.capabilities = {'snapshot': False}
+        self.assertRaises(exception.NotSupportedWithOption, self.drv.snapshot,
+                         'context', self.inst, 'image_id', 'update_task_state')
+
     def test_power_on(self):
         self.drv.power_on('context', self.inst, 'network_info')
         self.pwron.assert_called_once_with(self.adp, self.inst)
diff --git a/nova/virt/powervm/disk/localdisk.py b/nova/virt/powervm/disk/localdisk.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7baa674c7279
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nova/virt/powervm/disk/localdisk.py
@@ -0,0 +1,211 @@
+# Copyright 2013 OpenStack Foundation
+# Copyright 2015, 2018 IBM Corp.
+#
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+import oslo_log.log as logging
+from pypowervm import const as pvm_const
+from pypowervm.tasks import scsi_mapper as tsk_map
+from pypowervm.tasks import storage as tsk_stg
+from pypowervm.wrappers import storage as pvm_stg
+from pypowervm.wrappers import virtual_io_server as pvm_vios
+
+from nova import conf
+from nova import exception
+from nova import image
+from nova.virt.powervm.disk import driver as disk_dvr
+from nova.virt.powervm import vm
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+CONF = conf.CONF
+IMAGE_API = image.API()
+
+
+class LocalStorage(disk_dvr.DiskAdapter):
+
+    def __init__(self, adapter, host_uuid):
+        super(LocalStorage, self).__init__(adapter, host_uuid)
+
+        self.capabilities = {
+            'shared_storage': False,
+            'has_imagecache': False,
+            # NOTE(efried): 'snapshot' capability set dynamically below.
+        }
+
+        # Query to get the Volume Group UUID
+        if not CONF.powervm.volume_group_name:
+            raise exception.OptRequiredIfOtherOptValue(
+                if_opt='disk_driver', if_value='localdisk',
+                then_opt='volume_group_name')
+        self.vg_name = CONF.powervm.volume_group_name
+        vios_w, vg_w = tsk_stg.find_vg(adapter, self.vg_name)
+        self._vios_uuid = vios_w.uuid
+        self.vg_uuid = vg_w.uuid
+        # Set the 'snapshot' capability dynamically. If we're hosting I/O on
+        # the management partition, we can snapshot. If we're hosting I/O on
+        # traditional VIOS, we are limited by the fact that a VSCSI device
+        # can't be mapped to two partitions (the VIOS and the management) at
+        # once.
+        self.capabilities['snapshot'] = self.mp_uuid == self._vios_uuid
+        LOG.info("Local Storage driver initialized: volume group: '%s'",
+                 self.vg_name)
+
+    @property
+    def _vios_uuids(self):
+        """List the UUIDs of the Virtual I/O Servers hosting the storage.
+
+        For localdisk, there's only one.
+        """
+        return [self._vios_uuid]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _disk_match_func(disk_type, instance):
+        """Return a matching function to locate the disk for an instance.
+
+        :param disk_type: One of the DiskType enum values.
+        :param instance: The instance whose disk is to be found.
+        :return: Callable suitable for the match_func parameter of the
+                 pypowervm.tasks.scsi_mapper.find_maps method.
+        """
+        disk_name = LocalStorage._get_disk_name(
+            disk_type, instance, short=True)
+        return tsk_map.gen_match_func(pvm_stg.VDisk, names=[disk_name])
+
+    @property
+    def capacity(self):
+        """Capacity of the storage in gigabytes."""
+        vg_wrap = self._get_vg_wrap()
+        return float(vg_wrap.capacity)
+
+    @property
+    def capacity_used(self):
+        """Capacity of the storage in gigabytes that is used."""
+        vg_wrap = self._get_vg_wrap()
+        # Subtract available from capacity
+        return float(vg_wrap.capacity) - float(vg_wrap.available_size)
+
+    def delete_disks(self, storage_elems):
+        """Removes the specified disks.
+
+        :param storage_elems: A list of the storage elements that are to be
+                              deleted. Derived from the return value from
+                              detach_disk.
+        """
+        # All of localdisk is done against the volume group. So reload
+        # that (to get new etag) and then update against it.
+        tsk_stg.rm_vg_storage(self._get_vg_wrap(), vdisks=storage_elems)
+
+    def detach_disk(self, instance):
+        """Detaches the storage adapters from the image disk.
+
+        :param instance: Instance to disconnect the image for.
+        :return: A list of all the backing storage elements that were
+                 disconnected from the I/O Server and VM.
+        """
+        lpar_uuid = vm.get_pvm_uuid(instance)
+
+        # Build the match function
+        match_func = tsk_map.gen_match_func(pvm_stg.VDisk)
+
+        vios_w = pvm_vios.VIOS.get(
+            self._adapter, uuid=self._vios_uuid, xag=[pvm_const.XAG.VIO_SMAP])
+
+        # Remove the mappings.
+        mappings = tsk_map.remove_maps(
+            vios_w, lpar_uuid, match_func=match_func)
+
+        # Update the VIOS with the removed mappings.
+        vios_w.update()
+
+        return [x.backing_storage for x in mappings]
+
+    def disconnect_disk_from_mgmt(self, vios_uuid, disk_name):
+        """Disconnect a disk from the management partition.
+
+        :param vios_uuid: The UUID of the Virtual I/O Server serving the
+                          mapping.
+        :param disk_name: The name of the disk to unmap.
+        """
+        tsk_map.remove_vdisk_mapping(self._adapter, vios_uuid, self.mp_uuid,
+                                     disk_names=[disk_name])
+        LOG.info("Unmapped boot disk %(disk_name)s from the management "
+                 "partition from Virtual I/O Server %(vios_name)s.",
+                 {'disk_name': disk_name, 'mp_uuid': self.mp_uuid,
+                 'vios_name': vios_uuid})
+
+    def create_disk_from_image(self, context, instance, image_meta):
+        """Creates a disk and copies the specified image to it.
+
+        Cleans up the created disk if an error occurs.
+
+        :param context: nova context used to retrieve image from glance
+        :param instance: instance to create the disk for.
+        :param image_meta: The metadata of the image of the instance.
+        :return: The backing pypowervm storage object that was created.
+        """
+        LOG.info('Create disk.', instance=instance)
+
+        return self._upload_image(context, instance, image_meta)
+
+        # TODO(esberglu): Copy vdisk when implementing image cache.
+
+    def _upload_image(self, context, instance, image_meta):
+        """Upload a new image.
+
+        :param context: Nova context used to retrieve image from glance.
+        :param image_meta: The metadata of the image of the instance.
+        :return: The virtual disk containing the image.
+        """
+
+        img_name = self._get_disk_name(disk_dvr.DiskType.BOOT, instance,
+                                       short=True)
+
+        # TODO(esberglu) Add check for cached image when adding imagecache.
+
+        return tsk_stg.upload_new_vdisk(
+            self._adapter, self._vios_uuid, self.vg_uuid,
+            disk_dvr.IterableToFileAdapter(
+                IMAGE_API.download(context, image_meta.id)), img_name,
+            image_meta.size, d_size=image_meta.size,
+            upload_type=tsk_stg.UploadType.IO_STREAM,
+            file_format=image_meta.disk_format)[0]
+
+    def attach_disk(self, instance, disk_info, stg_ftsk):
+        """Attaches the disk image to the Virtual Machine.
+
+        :param instance: nova instance to connect the disk to.
+        :param disk_info: The pypowervm storage element returned from
+                          create_disk_from_image.  Ex. VOptMedia, VDisk, LU,
+                          or PV.
+        :param stg_ftsk: The pypowervm transaction FeedTask for the
+                         I/O Operations. The Virtual I/O Server mapping updates
+                         will be added to the FeedTask. This defers the updates
+                         to some later point in time.
+        """
+        lpar_uuid = vm.get_pvm_uuid(instance)
+
+        def add_func(vios_w):
+            LOG.info("Adding logical volume disk connection to VIOS %(vios)s.",
+                     {'vios': vios_w.name}, instance=instance)
+            mapping = tsk_map.build_vscsi_mapping(
+                self._host_uuid, vios_w, lpar_uuid, disk_info)
+            return tsk_map.add_map(vios_w, mapping)
+
+        stg_ftsk.wrapper_tasks[self._vios_uuid].add_functor_subtask(add_func)
+
+    def _get_vg_wrap(self):
+        return pvm_stg.VG.get(self._adapter, uuid=self.vg_uuid,
+                              parent_type=pvm_vios.VIOS,
+                              parent_uuid=self._vios_uuid)
diff --git a/nova/virt/powervm/driver.py b/nova/virt/powervm/driver.py
index 7aa247ad3b44..e2633ee3c86d 100644
--- a/nova/virt/powervm/driver.py
+++ b/nova/virt/powervm/driver.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 from oslo_utils import excutils
+from oslo_utils import importutils
 from pypowervm import adapter as pvm_apt
 from pypowervm import const as pvm_const
 from pypowervm import exceptions as pvm_exc
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@ from nova.i18n import _
 from nova import image
 from nova.virt import configdrive
 from nova.virt import driver
-from nova.virt.powervm.disk import ssp
 from nova.virt.powervm import host as pvm_host
 from nova.virt.powervm.tasks import base as tf_base
 from nova.virt.powervm.tasks import image as tf_img
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ from nova.virt.powervm import vm
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 
+DISK_ADPT_NS = 'nova.virt.powervm.disk'
+DISK_ADPT_MAPPINGS = {
+    'localdisk': 'localdisk.LocalStorage',
+    'ssp': 'ssp.SSPDiskAdapter'
+}
+
 
 class PowerVMDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
     """PowerVM NovaLink Implementation of Compute Driver.
@@ -91,9 +97,9 @@ class PowerVMDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
         pvm_stor.ComprehensiveScrub(self.adapter).execute()
 
         # Initialize the disk adapter
-        # TODO(efried): Other disk adapters (localdisk), by conf selection.
-        self.disk_dvr = ssp.SSPDiskAdapter(self.adapter,
-                                           self.host_wrapper.uuid)
+        self.disk_dvr = importutils.import_object_ns(
+            DISK_ADPT_NS, DISK_ADPT_MAPPINGS[CONF.powervm.disk_driver.lower()],
+            self.adapter, self.host_wrapper.uuid)
         self.image_api = image.API()
 
         LOG.info("The PowerVM compute driver has been initialized.")
@@ -312,8 +318,13 @@ class PowerVMDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
             nova.compute.task_states.IMAGE_SNAPSHOT. See
             nova.objects.instance.Instance.save for expected_task_state usage.
         """
-        # TODO(esberglu) Add check for disk driver snapshot capability when
-        # additional disk drivers are implemented.
+
+        if not self.disk_dvr.capabilities.get('snapshot'):
+            raise exc.NotSupportedWithOption(
+                message=_("The snapshot operation is not supported in "
+                          "conjunction with a [powervm]/disk_driver setting "
+                          "of %s.") % CONF.powervm.disk_driver)
+
         self._log_operation('snapshot', instance)
 
         # Define the flow.
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/powervm-localdisk-ccdf2347226303a8.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/powervm-localdisk-ccdf2347226303a8.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e0d63e5f0c6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/powervm-localdisk-ccdf2347226303a8.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    The PowerVM virt driver now supports booting from local ephemeral disk.
+    Two new configuration options have been introduced to the ``powervm``
+    configuration group, ``disk_driver`` and ``volume_group_name``. The former
+    allows the selection of either ssp or localdisk for the PowerVM disk
+    driver. The latter specifies the name of the volume group when using the
+    localdisk disk driver.
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    The PowerVM virt driver previously used the PowerVM Shared Storage Pool
+    disk driver by default. The default disk driver for PowerVM is now
+    localdisk. See configuration option ``[powervm]/disk_driver`` for usage
+    details.