Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method in which a memory address space is allocated non-uniformly to IO resources in a memory mapped IO fabric based upon the locations of individual IO endpoints to which such IO resources are coupled. In a PCI-based environment, for example, PCI adapters are allocated memory address ranges in a PCI bus address space based upon the locations of the particular slots within which the PCI adapters are mounted.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and system for controlling input/output adapter data flow operations in a data processing system that includes at least one of a traffic class mechanism in conjunction with virtual channel resources so as to be able to associate Load/Store and DMA flows to/from an input/output adapter, and a relaxed ordering mechanism for associating a relaxed ordering bit to Load/Store operations to an input/output adapter. Functionality for controlling the input/output adapter data flow is provided in a host bridge that connects the input/output adapter to a system bus of the data processing system.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method in which a memory address space is allocated non-uniformly to IO resources in a memory mapped IO fabric based upon the locations of individual IO endpoints to which such IO resources are coupled. In a PCI-based environment, for example, PCI adapters are allocated memory address ranges in a PCI bus address space based upon the locations of the particular slots within which the PCI adapters are mounted.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for dynamically informing an operating system (OS) of a distributed computer system, when a (new) device is added on the network. An OS registers with the subnet administrator (SA) to be notified when a new component is added to the subnet and placed in a partition to which the OS has access. The subnet manager (SM) initializes and configures the new component that is added and, through the partition manager, associates the component to one or more partitions of the subnet. The SA then notifies the OSs with access to the partition(s) to which the component is associated and that have a right to access the new component that the new component is available to the OS. Following, the OS updates a database of available components to include the new component and establishes communication with the new component.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method propagate errors detected in an IO fabric element from an IO fabric that is used to couple a plurality of endpoint IO resources to processing elements in a computer. In particular, such errors are propagated to the endpoint IO resources affected by the IO fabric element in connection with recovering from the errors in the IO fabric element. By doing so, a device driver or other program code used to access each affected IO resources may be permitted to asynchronously recover from the propagated error in its associated IO resource, and often without requiring the recovery from the error in the IO fabric element to wait for recovery to be completed for each of the affected IO resources. In addition, an IO fabric may be dynamically configured to support both recoverable and non-recoverable endpoint IO resources.

Abstract: A resource and partition manager includes a power on/power off mechanism that is used to assure a hardware resource is powered down when control of the resource is removed from a logical partition, and to assure the hardware resource is powered up when control of the hardware resource is transferred to a logical partition. In the alternative, the resource and partition manager may simply place the hardware resource in a power on reset state when the hardware resource is transferred to a logical partition. In this manner, when made available to a partition, the hardware resource is in a power-on reset state, which is the state typically expected by the logical partition.

Abstract: A resource and partition manager of the preferred embodiments includes a lock mechanism that operates on a plurality of locks that control access to individual hardware resources. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to obtain a lock on a hardware resource when transferring control of the hardware resource to a logical partition that is powering on and when removing the hardware resource from a logical partition that is powering off. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to remove control of a hardware resource from, or return control to, an operating logical partition in order to facilitate hardware service operations on that hardware resource or on the physical enclosure in which it is contained.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to perform network fabric management is provided. The method and apparatus provide a mechanism by which modifications to components of the network fabric may be made without tearing down existing connections. The apparatus and method facilitate such fabric management by placing send queues in a send queue drain state and suspending the send queues affected by changes to the network fabric while the modifications are being made. Once the modifications are complete, the send queues are place back into an operational state.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for communicating with an I/O processor (IOP) are provided. Polling of message queue pointers is utilized to detect the occurrence of certain message queue related events, rather than rely on interrupts generated by the IOP. The polling may decrease the disruptive effects of IOP generated interrupts. In an effort to minimize the latency associated with detecting IOP related events, the polling may be initiated frequently by an operating system task dispatcher. In an effort to minimize context switches, the task dispatcher may schedule the processing of upstream messages detected while polling to coincide with naturally occurring task swaps.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method propagate errors detected in an IO fabric element from an IO fabric that is used to couple a plurality of endpoint IO resources to processing elements in a computer. In particular, such errors are propagated to the endpoint IO resources affected by the IO fabric element in connection with recovering from the errors in the IO fabric element. By doing so, a device driver or other program code used to access each affected IO resources may be permitted to asynchronously recover from the propagated error in its associated IO resource, and often without requiring the recovery from the error in the IO fabric element to wait for recovery to be completed for each of the affected IO resources. In addition, an IO fabric may be dynamically configured to support both recoverable and non-recoverable endpoint IO resources.

Abstract: A method, which may be embodied upon a computer readable medium and executed by a processor, for detecting PCI buses in a logically partitioned system. The method may include determining PCI buses that are accessible to a guest operating system via querying a hypervisor, generating a PCI controller list, wherein a PCI controller exists for each determined PCI bus, and constructing a PCI bus structure for each PCI controller in the PCI controller list. The method may further include calling a platform dependent device detection code to detect PCI devices accessible to the logically partitioned system, and connecting to each function of each detected PCI device to authorize the guest operating system to conduct configuration IO operations thereon through a platform dependent code operation.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for communicating with an I/O processor (IOP) are provided. Polling of message queue pointers is utilized to detect the occurrence of certain message queue related events, rather than rely on interrupts generated by the IOP. The polling may decrease the disruptive effects of IOP generated interrupts. In an effort to minimize the latency associated with detecting IOP related events, the polling may be initiated frequently by an operating system task dispatcher. In an effort to minimize context switches, the task dispatcher may schedule the processing of upstream messages detected while polling to coincide with naturally occurring task swaps.

Abstract: A logically-partitioned computer, program product and method utilize a flexible and adaptable communication interface between a partition and a partition manager, which permits optimal handling of partition management operations such as state change operations and the like over a wide variety of circumstances. In particular, a partition is permitted to indicate, in connection with a request to perform a partition management operation, whether an asynchronous notification should be generated or suppressed in association with the performance of the partition management operation by a partition manager. As a result, asynchronous notifications are selectively generated in association with the performance of partition management operations based upon indications in the requests made by partitions for such operations.

Abstract: A resource and partition manager of the preferred embodiments includes a lock mechanism that operates on a plurality of locks that control access to individual hardware resources. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to obtain a lock on a hardware resource when transferring control of the hardware resource to a logical partition that is powering on and when removing the hardware resource from a logical partition that is powering off. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to remove control of a hardware resource from, or return control to, an operating logical partition in order to facilitate hardware service operations on that hardware resource or on the physical enclosure in which it is contained.

Abstract: A resource and partition manager includes a power on/power off mechanism that is used to assure a hardware resource is powered down when control of the resource is removed from a logical partition, and to assure the hardware resource is powered up when control of the hardware resource is transferred to a logical partition. In the alternative, the resource and partition manager may simply place the hardware resource in a power on reset state when the hardware resource is transferred to a logical partition. In this manner, when made available to a partition, the hardware resource is in a power-on reset state, which is the state typically expected by the logical partition.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides embodiments relative to a method for PCI interrupt routing in a logically partitioned guest operating system. The method, which may be embodied upon a computer readable medium and executed by a processor, may include the steps of locating primary PCI buses, initializing IRQ tables, locating hardware interrupt sources, and activating an interrupt handling process. Embodiments of the present invention include the capability to mask and unmask function interrupts for each device associated with the guest operating system, wherein the process of masking and unmasking function interrupts may include calling a hypervisor to associate an OS IRQ number with a slot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pausing a send queue while preventing sympathy error from propagating through a SAN fabric system is provided. The method and apparatus place a send work queue in an error state, i.e. pauses the send work queue, when a reliable data error occurs in the send work queue but does not place any other work queues in an error state. In this way, the send queue experiencing the error is not able to send any further messages until error recovery is performed. However, other work queues continue to be able to send and/or receive messages. Once error recovery is performed, the send work queue that was placed in the error state is returned to a working state and is able to continue to send messages. In addition, the send queue that was in the error state will send the messages that it attempted to send at the time of the error. The messages sent will continue from a last known point at which the send work queue was operating properly.

Abstract: A method, which may be embodied upon a computer readable medium and executed by a processor, for PCI IO using PCI device memory mapping in a logically partitioned system. The method may include the steps of detecting PCI devices in a bus walk initialization process, and associating a pseudonym address range with each PCI device detected in the bus walk initialization process. The method may further include updating PCI device IO resources for each PCI device detected with the associated pseudonym address range, and accessing the detected PCI devices with a device driver using the pseudonym address range stored in the PCI device IO resources.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method to dynamically control the bindings between Input/Output Adaptors (IOA's) and Input/Output Processors (IOP's) in a hierarchical I/O interface of a computer, such that an IOA can be dynamically reassigned from one IOP to another IOP such that the latter IOP takes over management of data transfer between the processing complex of the computer and the IOA from the former IOP. At least partial system availability is maintained in the computer during dynamic reassignment to minimize system downtime and simplify maintenance operations on the computer.

Abstract: A method, which may be embodied upon a computer readable medium and executed by a processor, for PCI IO using PCI device memory mapping in a logically partitioned system. The method may include the steps of detecting PCI devices in a bus walk initialization process, and associating a pseudonym address range with each PCI device detected in the bus walk initialization process. The method may further include updating PCI device IO resources for each PCI device detected with the associated pseudonym address range, and accessing the detected PCI devices with a device driver using the pseudonym address range stored in the PCI device IO resources.