Abstract: Methods and systems for migrating a virtual machine instance between devices include scoring a received migration request against one or more rules in a rule database relating to one or more respective validation sets. Each validation set includes one or more validation subtasks. Each score is compared to a respective threshold to determine if a level of risk according to the respective rule merits performing validation. The migration request is validated by one or more validation sets that correspond to the scores that exceed the respective threshold.

Abstract: Multipath I/O in a computer system includes: receiving asynchronously, for a single I/O operation by a memory controller from a plurality of I/O adapters, a request to access a memory page, where each request to access the memory page includes an adapter-specific tag; and for each request received by the memory controller: determining, by the memory controller, whether an adapter-specific tag has been assigned to the memory page; if an adapter-specific tag has not been assigned to the memory page: assigning, by the memory controller, the received adapter-specific tag to the memory page; and allowing, by the memory controller, access to the memory page; and if an adapter-specific tag has been assigned to the memory page, granting access to the memory page only when the received adapter-specific tag is the adapter-specific tag assigned to the memory page.

Abstract: An approach is provided for migrating a live instance of a virtual machine from a source computer system to a target computer system. The approach operates by creating a consistent snap shot image of an operating system environment that is running the live instance of the virtual machine on the source computer system. A test virtual machine container is created based on an actual virtual machine container that corresponds to the live instance of the virtual machine. Based on the snap shot image of the operating system environment, a test virtual machine is created in the test virtual machine container. The generated test virtual machine is tested with a migration of the live instance of the virtual machine being performed in response to a successful test of the test virtual machine. The migration is aborted in response to an unsuccessful test of the test virtual machine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer implemented method, computer program product, and apparatus to establish at least one paging partition in a data processing system. The virtualization control point (VCP) reserves up to the subset of physical memory for use in the shared memory pool. The VCP configures at least one logical partition as a shared memory partition. The VCP assigns a paging partition to the shared memory pool. The VCP determines whether a user requests a redundant assignment of the paging partition to the shared memory pool. The VCP assigns a redundant paging partition to the shared memory pool, responsive to a determination that the user requests a redundant assignment. The VCP assigns a paging device to the shared memory pool. The hypervisor may transmit at least one paging request to a virtual asynchronous services interface configured to support a paging device stream.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for logical partition migration. Responsive to a virtual machine monitor initiating a logical partition migration operation to move a logical partition from a source system to a destination system, the mechanism reallocates a portion of processing resources from the logical partition to the virtual machine monitor. The virtual machine monitor uses the portion of processing resources to effect the logical partition migration operation. Responsive to completion of the logical partition migration operation, the mechanism returns the portion of processing resources to the logical partition.

Abstract: With N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV), a managed system can be configured so that multiple logical partitions (LPARs) can access independent physical storage through the same physical fiber channel adapter. An NPIV client recovery component of a virtualization management component, such as a Power Hypervisor (pHYP), provides the emulation mapping between server and client virtual fiber channel adapters. The pHYP also provides a mechanism that prevents client partition crashes when the NPIV server (e.g., a VIOS logical partition) goes down. When the NPIV server is rebooted or powers down, the pHYP handles the client LPARs to avoid a crash by removing processing resources from the client logical partition. Thereby, the client logical partition is prevented from attempting to access a root volume group in physical storage via the NPIV server. The pHYP allocates processor resources to the client LPAR when the NPIV server is again available for I/O processing.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided n a data processing system for logical partition migration. Responsive to a virtual machine monitor initiating a logical partition migration operation to move a logical partition from a source system to a destination system, the mechanism reallocates a portion of processing resources from the logical partition to the virtual machine monitor. The virtual machine monitor uses the portion of processing resources to effect the logical partition migration operation. Responsive to completion of the logical partition migration operation, the mechanism returns the portion of processing resources to the logical partition.

Abstract: Systems, methods and media for providing to a plurality of WPARs private access to physical storage connected to a server through a VIOS are disclosed. In one embodiment, a server is logically partitioned to form a working partition comprising a WPAR manager and individual WPARs. Each WPAR is assigned to a different virtual port. The virtual ports are created by using NPIV protocol between the WPAR and VIOS. Thereby, each WPAR has private access to the physical storage connected to the VIOS.

Abstract: Systems, methods and media for providing to a plurality of WPARs private access to physical storage connected to a server through a VIOS are disclosed. In one embodiment, a server is logically partitioned to form a working partition comprising a WPAR manager and individual WPARs. Each WPAR is assigned to a different virtual port. The virtual ports are created by using NPIV protocol between the WPAR and VIOS. Thereby, each WPAR has private access to the physical storage connected to the VIOS.

Abstract: Systems, methods and media for providing to a plurality of WPARs private access to physical storage connected to a server through a VIOS are disclosed. In one embodiment, a server is logically partitioned to form a working partition comprising a WPAR manager and individual WPARs. Each WPAR is assigned to a different virtual port. The virtual ports are created by using NPIV protocol between the WPAR and VIOS. Thereby, each WPAR has private access to the physical storage connected to the VIOS.

Abstract: Systems, methods and media for providing to a plurality of WPARs private access to physical storage connected to a server through a VIOS are disclosed. In one embodiment, a server is logically partitioned to form a working partition comprising a WPAR manager and individual WPARs. Each WPAR is assigned to a different virtual port. The virtual ports are created by using NPIV protocol between the WPAR and VIOS. Thereby, each WPAR has private access to the physical storage connected to the VIOS.

Abstract: A method enables cluster-level backup and restore functionality of all Virtual Input/Output Server (VIOS) configuration data within a VIOS cluster and the data of a shared VIOS cluster database. The method comprises: performing, via a backup/restore utility of a VIOS partition, a cluster level backup, which creates a first VIOS cluster configuration backup file having configuration information about hardware, logical and virtual devices of each VIOS partition within a VIOS cluster and all cluster data from the shared VIOS database of the VIOS cluster; storing the VIOS cluster configuration backup file within a storage location; and responsive to receipt of a VIOS restore command at a VIOS partition: retrieving the configuration backup file from the storage location; restoring a configuration of the hardware, logical and virtual devices of each VIOS within the VIOS cluster to prior state; and restoring the shared VIOS database with the backed-up cluster data.

Abstract: A method utilizes cluster-awareness to effectively support a live partition mobility (LPM) event and provide recovery from node failure within a Virtual Input/Output (I/O) Server (VIOS) cluster. An LPM utility creates a monitoring thread on a first VIOS on initiation of a corresponding LPM event. The monitoring thread tracks a status of an LPM and records status information in the mobility table of a database. The LPM utility creates other monitoring threads on other VIOSes running on the (same) source server. If the first VIOS VIOS sustains one of multiple failures, the LPM utility provides notification to other functioning nodes/VIOSes. The LPM utility enables a functioning monitoring thread to update the LPM status. In particular, a last monitoring thread may perform cleanup/update operations within the database based on an indication that there are nodes on the first server that are in failed state.

Abstract: Hibernation and remote restore functions of a client logical partition (LPAR) that exists within a data processing system having cluster-aware Virtual Input/Output (I/O) Servers (VIOSes) is performed via receipt of commands via a virtual control panel (VCP) through an underlying hypervisor. The client hibernation data file is stored in a shared repository by a source/original VIOS assigned to the client. The hypervisor receives a remote restart command and assigns a target/remote client LPAR and a target VIOS. The source I/O adapters and target I/O adapters are locked and the target VIOS gathers adapter configuration information from the source VIOS and configures the target adapters to be able to perform the I/O functionality provided by the source adapters to the client LPAR. The target VIOS then retrieves the client's hibernation data file, and the client LPAR is restored at the remote LPAR with the target VIOS providing the client's I/O functionality.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer implemented method, data processing system and computer program product to discover an SCSI target. The method comprises a client adapter transmitting an N_port ID virtualization (NPIV) login to a virtual I/O server (VIOS). The client adapter receives a successful login acknowledgement from the VIOS and issues a discover-targets command to the fabric. Upon determining that the SCSI target information is received, wherein the SCSI target information includes at least one SCSI identifier. Responsive a determination that SCSI target information is received the client adapter issues a port login to a target port, wherein the target port is associated with the at least one SCSI target. The client adapter makes a process login to form an initiator/target nexus between a client and at least one SCSI target. The client adapter queries the SCSI target by using a world wide port name associated with the target port.

Abstract: In a Virtual Input/Output (I/O) Server (VIOS) partition within a data processing system that comprises cluster-aware VIOSes, a method includes: performing, via a backup/restore utility of a cluster aware (CA) operating system (OS) executing on a processor resource of the first VIOS partition, a backup operation on the first VIOS partition, which creates a first configuration backup file having configuration information about the hardware, logical and virtual devices of the VIOS partition; storing the configuration backup file within local storage; and responsive to receipt of a VIOS restore command: retrieving the configuration backup file from the local storage; and restoring the configuration of the hardware, logical and virtual devices of the first VIOS to a state that existed at a time at which the backup operation creating the configuration backup file was performed.

Abstract: A method, data processing system and computer program product provide scalable data synchronization for a virtual input/output server (VIOS) cluster and one or more registered callers. A first VIOS is commits as a primary node of the VIOS cluster and performs the functions of: registering one or more callers to receive notification from the first VIOS of specific events occurring within the cluster; receiving notification of an occurrence of one of the specific events; and in response to receiving notification of the specific events, a deamon of the first VIOS retrieving a message payload file from a message payload file directory within the shared VIOS DB and passing the message payload file to the API, which forwards/posts the relevant event notification information from the message payload file to the TCP socket of each registered caller.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided n a data processing system for logical partition migration. Responsive to a virtual machine monitor initiating a logical partition migration operation to move a logical partition from a source system to a destination system, the mechanism reallocates a portion of processing resources from the logical partition to the virtual machine monitor. The virtual machine monitor uses the portion of processing resources to effect the logical partition migration operation. Responsive to completion of the logical partition migration operation, the mechanism returns the portion of processing resources to the logical partition.

Abstract: A mechanism for interfacing block storage devices is disclosed. The mechanism performs operations including receiving communications from an initiator at a block storage device interface, translating the received communications, transmitting the translated communications to a native storage device driver, forwarding the translated communication to a physical adapter, and controlling physical storage devices in response to the communications received from the initiator.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product provides effective management and deployment of image files within a Virtual Input/Output (I/O) Server (VIOS) cluster. An Image Management (IM) utility utilizes a discovery process to establish connections with objects in order to manage these objects. Following discovery of an ICP client, the IM utility enables creation of a virtual server partition and initiates the importing of a captured image to a VIOS cluster Storage Pool (SP). The IM utility creates logical units (LUs) within the Image Management Fileset (IMF) for each file within the captured image. The IM utility maps the LUs to the VIOS Cluster SP using unique image file handles. The IM utility configures the new storage that comprises the created LUs. The IM utility copies image files to the appropriate storage device/LU. When import/copy of the image is completed, the IM utility activates the virtual server partition.