A method and apparatus is provided for routing error messages in a distributed computer
system comprising multiple root nodes, and further comprising one or more PCI switches and one or more I / O adapters, wherein each root node includes one or more
system images. In one useful embodiment, a method is provided for routing I / O error messages to root nodes respectively associated with the errors contained in the messages. The method includes detecting occurrence of an error at a specified one of the adapters, wherein the error affects one of the
system images, and generating an
error message at the specified adapter. The method further comprises routing the
error message from the specified adapter to the particular root node that includes the affected
system image. The
error message is then selectively processed at the particular root node, in order to identify the affected
system image. Usefully, the step of routing the error message includes using a
bus / device / function number associated with the error, together with a
routing table located in one of the PCI switches, to
route the error message to the correct root node and
system image.