820 results about "Logical partition" patented technology

A network virtualization layer for an information handling system in which a physical machine coupled to a network is divided into a plurality of logical partitions, each of which has a host system residing thereon. In response to receiving a set command from one of the host systems specifying a data link layer (layer 2) address, the virtualization layer associates the data link layer address with the host system and forwards to the host system data packets specifying the data link layer address as a destination address. Unicast packets are forwarded to the single host system specifying the destination address as an individual MAC address, while multicast packets are forwarded to each host system specifying the destination address as a group MAC address. A host system may also specify a virtual LAN (VLAN) ID, which is used to scope the forwarding of packets to host systems sharing that VLAN ID.

Methods, systems, and media to expand resources available to logical partition associated with a client are contemplated. Embodiments may associate the logical partition with a grid that retains a list of resources, referred to as grid resources, available for allocation to logical partitions. The grid resources may include resources from, e.g., other logical partitions within the logically partitioned system, logical partitions from other logically partitioned systems, another type of system, a cluster, and the like. Further, one or more of the systems associated with the grid may include on-demand resources that are also available to supplement resources based upon the demands of the client. Embodiments may also monitor resource usage by the client and meter billable usage of the grid resources and / or on-demand resources based upon agreements between service providers and clients.

A system is disclosed for facilitating relationship-centric authorization of transactions in a manner which provides optimum scalability and availability by logically partitioning key servers in conjunction with partitioning a resource associated with a group of consumers across the set of logical servers associated therewith.

A hierarchal data management system for a storage device includes an entity relationship discover to generate meta data from a business object, a file manager to create a partition based on the metadata, a data mover to generate a logical partitioning key and to store the logical partitioning key in the metadata for the partition. The file manager includes a data management policy to define a data class and a storage policy to map the data class to the storage device to form a partition table.

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with logically partitioned networking devices are described herein. One example method includes receiving a message from a common interface. The message comprises a logical partition header (LPH) and a network segmentation header (NSH). The LPH may be associated with a logical partition of a networking device. The NSH is associated with a grouping (e.g., segmentation) of networking devices. The example method may also include forwarding the message to the grouping of networking devices based, at least in part, on the NSH and a virtual route forwarding (VRF) table. Forwarding the message to the logical partition of the networking device based, at least in part, on the LPH.

A processor allocation mechanism for a logically partitionable computer system allows an administrator to specify processing capability allocable to each partition as an equivalent number of processors, where the processing capability may be specified as a non-integer value. This processing capability value is unaffected by changes to the processing capability values of other partitions. The administrator may designate multiple sets of processors, assigning each physical processor of the system to a respective processor set. Each logical partition is constrained to execute in an assigned processor set, which may be shared by more than one partition. Preferably, the administrator may designate a logical partition as either capped, meaning that a partition can not use excess idle capacity of the processors, or uncapped, meaning that it can.

A method and system for achieving stability while reallocating resources in a logically partitioned environment. The present invention comprises Performance Enhancement Program (PEP), Classification Program (CP), System Analysis Program (SAP), and System Evaluation Program (SEP). PEP allows a user to enter several performance parameters. CP classifies each of the virtual systems in the managed system based on their workload. SAP analyses the managed system to determine the configuration of the managed system. Managed systems configurations are classified according to the reciprocity of resource allocation and the overall symmetry of the managed systems. SEP evaluates the configuration of the managed system and recommends alterations for improved performance of the managed system. The managed system will be optimized when the functional differentiator (FD) of the virtual systems is small enough to allow reallocation of resources without an unacceptable sacrifice in managed system stability.

Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for executing a query against a partitioned database. The query may be executed against each partition of the database to retrieve results from each partition. The results from the partitions may be integrated to provide the results of the query. Each partition may take different amounts of time to retrieve results for the query. Embodiments of the invention allow reallocation of resources to logical partitions of a system executing the query based on the relative execution times of the query for the various database partitions.

A method and apparatus for enforcing capacity limitations such as those imposed by software license agreements in an information handling system in which a physical machine is divided into a plurality of logical partitions, each of which is allocated a defined portion of processor resources by a logical partition manager. A software license manager specifies a maximum allowed consumption of processor resources by a program executing in one of the logical partitions. A workload manager also executing in the partition measures the actual consumption of processor resources by the logical partition over a specified averaging interval and compares it with the maximum allowed consumption. If the actual consumption exceeds the maximum allowed consumption, the workload manager calculates a capping pattern and interacts with the logical partition manager to cap the actual consumption of processor resources by the partition in accordance with the calculated capping pattern. To provide additional capping flexibility, partitions are assigned phantom weights that the logical partition manager adds to the total partition weight to determine whether the partition has exceeded its allowed share of processor resources for capping purposes. The logical partition thus becomes a “container” for the licensed program with an enforced processing capacity less than that of the entire machine.

The system and method address the situation where an input / output (I / O) fabric is shared by more than one logical partition (LPAR) and where each LPAR can share with the other LPARs an I / O adapter (IOA). In particular, each LPAR is assigned its own separate address space to access a virtual function (VF) assigned to it such that each LPAR's perception is that it has its own independent IOA. Each VF may be shared across multiple LPARs. Facilities are provided for management of the shared resources of the IOA via a Physical Function (PF) of the IOA by assignment of that PF to an I / O Virtualization Management Partition (IMP). The code running in the IMP acts as a virtual intermediary to the VFs for fully managing the VF error handling, VF reset, and configuration operations. The IMP also acts as an interface to the PF for accessing common VF functionality. Furthermore, the functions of resource assignment and management relative to the VFs and the client partitions that use those VFs, which might normally be done by an entity like a hypervisor, are implemented by this IMP.

A method and apparatus are provided for routing in an SAS expander for logical zoning. Common SAS topology defined by the ANSI T10 specification only relates to physical topology with multiple end devices, as well as to expander devices and the broadcast handling mechanisms in such physical topologies. The present invention introduces the concept of virtual topologies that can be non-overlapping or overlapping subsets of the physical topology and the routing mechanism that handles the routing issues with the virtual topologies.

Program instructions, responsive to processor utilization being above a first predetermined upper threshold, automatically change a boot configuration file of the server to increase a number of real processors, physically resident within the server, allocated to LPAR effective upon a next boot-up of the server. Program instructions, responsive to the processor utilization being below a second predetermined lower threshold, automatically change a boot configuration file to decrease a number of the real processors, physically resident within the server, allocated to the LPAR effective upon a next boot-up of the server. Program instructions, responsive to the processor utilization being below a second predetermined lower threshold, automatically change a boot configuration file to decrease a number of the real processors, physically resident within the server, allocated to the LPAR effective upon a next boot-up of the server.

A computer system reduces an overhead by using an I / O switch high in versatility when realizing the sharing of an I / O between virtual computers. The system includes a CPU module #0 having plural CPU cores, an AS bridge 15 connected to the CPU cores, and a main memory that can be accessed from the CPU cores or the AS bridge 15, and AS switches SW0 and SW1 that connect the AS bridge 15 of the CPU module #0 and an I / O blade #5. The CPU module #0 has a hypervisor that divides the plural CPU cores and the main memory into plural logical partitions, and the AS bridge 15 adds virtual path information set in each of the logical partitions and path information of from the AS bridge 15 to the I / O blade #5 to the path information of the AS packet to switch over the AS packet between each of the logical partitions and the I / O blade #5 when relaying the AS packet transmitted or received between the logical partitions and the I / O blade #5.

A computer system including a plurality of physical processors (CPs) having physical processor performances (PCPs), a plurality of logical processors (LCPs), a plurality of logical partitions (LPARs) where each partition includes one or more of the logical processors (LCPs), and a system assist processor having a control element. The control element controls the virtualization of the physical processors (CPs), the logical partitions (LPARs) and the logical processors (LCPs) and allocates the physical processor performances (PCPs) to the logical partitions (LPARs). The control element operates to exclusively bind logical processors (LCPs) to the physical processors (CPs). For a logical processor (LCP) exclusively bound to a physical processor (CP), the logical processor (LCP) has exclusive use of the underlying physical processor (CP) and no other logical processor (LCP) can be dispatched on the underlying physical processor (CP) even if the underlying physical processor (CP) is otherwise available.

Methods and systems for auto-configuration of an internal network interface are disclosed. Embodiments may install an internal VLAN manager in a logically partitioned computer system along with network agents in each of the partitions in the logically partitioned system to facilitate configuring an internal communications network and the corresponding internal network interfaces in each participating partition. In particular, an administrator accesses internal VLAN manager, selects an internal VLAN ID, selects each of the participating partitions, and configures the communications network with global parameters and ranges. The internal VLAN manager then generates partition parameters and incorporates them into messages for each of the partitions selected to participate in the internal network. Each of the participating partitions receives one of the messages and, in response, invokes the corresponding network agent that extracts partition parameters from the message and creates or re-configures an internal network interface based upon the parameters.

A logical partitioned computer system. A hypervisor includes a resource management table for managing resources assigned to the hypervisor and an assigning / collecting unit for assigning and collecting resources to logical partitions. Each logical partition has a guest resource monitoring unit for monitoring the amount of the resource being used out of the amount of the resource assigned to the logical partition and an adding / separating unit for requesting addition and separation of a resource to the assigning / collecting unit based on results of monitoring. In response to the request, assigning / collecting unit searches resource management table, assigns a resource to logical partition when a reserve resource exists in case of an assignment request, and collects a resource as a reserve resource in the resource management table in case of a collection request.

A method, apparatus, and program product manage a plurality of resources of at least one logically partitioned computing system of the type that includes a plurality of logical partitions managed by a partition manager with an application level administrative console resident in a logical partition of the computing system. Each logical partition is allocated at least a portion of the plurality of resources. A user request to adjust the allocation of at least a portion of the resources using the administrative console is received. The resources of the logically partitioned computing system to adjust in order to satisfy the user request are determined using the application level administrative console. The application level administrative console accesses the partition manager through a resource allocation interface to adjust the determined resources of the logically partitioned computing system in order to satisfy the user request.

A storage virtualization environment is provided that includes a system for providing one or more virtual volumes. The system may include a host system and a set of storage devices, each of which includes physical block addresses that stores data. Further, the system includes a network switch system connecting the host system and the set of storage devices and is configured to define and manage a virtual volume associated with data distributed across the physical block addresses. The network switch system includes a first virtualization layer that maintains first tier objects including information reflecting a relationship between the physical block addresses and one or more logical partitions of virtual volume data. Moreover, the network switch system includes a second virtualization layer that maintains second tier objects including information reflecting a logical configuration of the virtual volume. The network switch system manages the virtual volume for the host system using the first and second tier objects.

A method, apparatus and program product for allocating resources in a logically partitioned multiprocessor environment. Resource usage is monitored in a first logical partition in the logically partitioned multiprocessor environment to predict a future underutilization of a resource in the first logical partition. An application executing in a second logical partition in the logically partitioned multiprocessor environment is configured for execution in the second logical partition with an assumption made that at least a portion of the underutilized resource is allocated to the second logical partition during at least a portion of the predicted future underutilization of the resource.

Performance counters are provided for virtualized network interfaces of communications networks, while minimizing the use of hardware resources. A virtualized network interface includes physical resources, as well as logical resources. Dedicated performance counters are provided for the physical resources of the virtualized network interface, as well as for logical partitions coupled to that interface, while non-dedicated performance counters are provided for the logical resources. This enables the provision of performance counters for virtualized network interfaces, while minimizing hardware resources consumed by those interfaces.

A method, computer program product, and data processing system for providing system-area network (SAN) multicasting functionality in a logically partitioned (LPAR) data processing system in which a channel adapter is shared among a plurality of logical partitions is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the present invention allows LPAR “hypervisor” firmware to assume the responsibility for multicast protocol handling and distribution of packets among logical partitions.

Database partition monitoring and dynamic logical partition reconfiguration in support of an autonomic self-tunable database management system are provided by an automated monitor that monitors one or more resource parameters in a logical partition running a database application in a logically partitioned data processing host. The monitor initiates dynamic logical partition reconfiguration in the event that the parameters vary from predetermined parameter values. In particular, the monitor can initiate removal of resources if one of the resource parameters is being underutilized and initiate addition of resources if one of the resource parameters is being overutilized. The monitor can also calculate an amount of resources to be removed or added. The monitor can interact directly with a dynamic logical partition reconfiguration function of the data processing host or it can utilize an intelligent intermediary that listens for a partition reconfiguration suggestion from the monitor. In the latter configuration, the listener can determine where available resources are located and attempt to fully or partially satisfy the resource needs suggested by the monitor.

Access control to shared virtual address space within a single logical partition is provided. The access control includes: associating, by a hypervisor of the data processing system, a memory protection key with a portion of a single logical partition's virtual address space being shared by multiple entities, the key preventing access by one of the multiple entities to that portion of the virtual address space, and allowing access by another of the entities to that portion of the virtual address space; and locking by the hypervisor the memory protection key from modification by the one entity, wherein the locking prevents the one entity from modifying the key and thereby gaining access to the portion of the single logical partition's virtual address space with the associated memory protection key. In one embodiment, the one entity is the single logical partition itself, and the another entity is a partition adjunct.

A vendor-independent resource configuration interface automatically maps virtual functions to physical functions in a self-virtualizing IO resource using the concept of a logical port that maps to a particular physical port and protocol in the self-virtualizing IO resource. A user wishing to provide a logical partition access to a self-virtualizing IO resource typically creates or configures a logical port for the logical partition by mapping the logical port to a particular physical port and protocol defined for the self-virtualizing IO resource, and an appropriate virtual function mapped to an appropriate physical function on an appropriate self-virtualizing IO resource is automatically selected, typically without requiring the user to have a detailed understanding of the numbers of supported virtual functions, physical functions and protocols supported by specific resources.

The present invention makes coordination of I / O access operations of operating systems independently running in logical partitions. In a data processing system comprising processors, a main memory, I / O slots, and a node controller, wherein the processors, the main memory, and the I / O slots are interconnected via the node controller and divided into a plurality of partitions in which individual operating systems are run simultaneously, the node controller includes a logical partition arbitration unit which stores information as to whether each logical partition is using an I / O slot and controls access from each logical partition to an I / O slot by referring to the information thus stored.

A method, system, and computer program product for enforcing logical partitioning of a shared device to which multiple partitions within a data processing system have access is provided. In one embodiment, a firmware portion of the data processing system receives a request from a requesting device, such as a processor assigned to one of a plurality of partitions within the data processing system, to access (i.e., read from or write to) a portion of the shared device, such as an NVRAM. The request includes a virtual address corresponding to the portion of the shared device for which access is desired. If the virtual address is within a range of addresses for which the requesting device is authorized to access, the firmware provides access to the requested portion of the shared device to the requesting device. If the virtual address is not within a range of addresses for which the requesting device is authorized to access, the firmware denies the request.

A storage virtualization environment is provided that includes a system for providing multi-path communications in a virtualization storage environment for managing a virtual volume of data. The system may include a host system connected to first and second communication fabrics and a network switch system connected to the first and second communication fabrics and to third and fourth communication fabrics / Further, the system includes a set of storage devices storing virtual volume data and connected to the third and fourth storage communication fabrics. In certain embodiments the network switch system includes a first set of storage processors having access to the host system and maintaining virtual volume objects reflecting a logical configuration of the virtual volume. Further, the network switch system includes a second set of storage processors having access to the storage devices and maintaining virtual volume objects associated with logical partitions of the virtual volume data. Also, the first and second set of storage processors are interconnected by a fifth communication fabric and the network switch system provides fault tolerant access by the host system to the virtual volume data using one of a plurality of dynamically configurable multi-communication paths traversing selective combinations of the fabrics, storage processors, and storage devices.

Error handling is simplified for a self-virtualizing IO resource that utilizes a physical function adjunct partition for a physical function in the self-virtualizing IO resource to coordinate error recovery for the self-virtualizing IO resource, by restarting each virtual function adjunct partition associated with that physical function to avoid the need to coordinate error recovery within the logical partitions to which such virtual function adjunct partitions are assigned.

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed in a data processing system for establishing virtual endorsement credentials. The data processing system includes a hardware trusted platform module (TPM). Logical partitions are generated in the system. A different virtual TPM is generated for each one of the logical partitions. For each one of the logical partitions, the virtual TPM that was generated for the logical partition then dynamically generates a virtual endorsement credential for use by the logical partition that includes the virtual TPM. The virtual endorsement credential is generated within the data processing system without the data processing system or its devices accessing a trusted third party that is external to the data processing system.