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: An interface is provided between a virtual cluster proxy and a virtual I/O server on a logical partitioned platform. The virtual I/O server is configured to support virtual real memory. A command is received from a virtual cluster proxy. The virtual cluster proxy identifies whether the command is a virtual real memory command or a virtualization command. Virtual real memory commands and virtualization commands are marked by the virtual cluster proxy with a virtualization marker. The virtualization marker indicates that the command is a virtual real memory command or a virtualization command. The command is then forwarded to a logical partitioned platform. A virtual memory manager intercepts the command and identifies whether the command has been marked with the virtualization marker. If the command is marked with the virtualization marker, the virtual memory manager reroutes the command to the virtual I/O server.

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 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: 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: A method, system, and computer program product 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: Mechanisms are provided for detecting changes in virtual storage device configurations. The mechanisms detect an event corresponding to a change in configuration of a virtual storage device. The virtual storage device is comprised of a plurality of portions of a plurality of physical storage devices. The mechanisms further, in response to detecting the event, determine if the change in configuration of the virtual storage device results in a change in the types of physical storage devices that are part of the virtual storage device. Moreover, the mechanisms further transmit a notification, in response to a determination that the change in configuration of the virtual storage device results in a change in the types of physical storage devices that are part of the virtual storage device, of the results of the change in configuration of the virtual storage device to one or more registered recipients registered to receive such notifications.

Abstract: Mechanisms 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 first virtual I/O server (VIOS) provides a cluster aware (CA) operating system (OS) executing on a processor resource of the first VIOS to register the first VIOS within a VIOS cluster. The first VIOS comprises a first field/failure data capture (FFDC) module that executes within the first VIOS and performs the functions of: receiving from an event listener a signal indicating that an FFFDC event/condition has been detected by the first VIOS; and automatically transmitting FFDC data to the shared storage repository for storage of the FFDC data within the shared storage repository. The FFDC module further performs the functions of: transmitting to one or more second VIOSes within the VIOS cluster, one or more messages to inform the one or more second VIOSes of an occurrence of the FFDC event/condition that was detected by the first VIOS.

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.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for altering access to a network. A virtual I/O server controller in a virtual I/O server operating system receives an indication that an identified communications adapter requires attention. The virtual I/O server controller issues a set of calls to a set of N_port identification virtualization server adapters coupled to the identified communications adapter. Each of the set of calls indicates to each of the set of N_port identification virtualization server adapters a request to move a set of clients from their assigned port on the identified communications adapter to an available port on a failover communications adapter. The set of N_port identification virtualization server adapters moves the set of clients from the identified communications adapter to the failover communications adapter.

Abstract: A method for storing and retrieving blocks of data having different dimensions is disclosed. The method can include receiving a first data segment to be stored in a block storage device where the first data segment has an address. The method can also include determining if the first data segment conforms to a standard dimension and sorting the first data segment according to the destination address if it does not have a standard dimension. The method can further include placing a non-standard data segment into a unfilled block allocation and placing a second non-standard data segment into the unfilled block allocation when the second data segment has the destination identifier. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: Automated paging device management is provided for a shared memory partition data processing system. The automated approach includes managing a paging storage pool defined within one or more storage devices for holding logical memory pages external to physical memory managed by a hypervisor of the processing system. The managing includes: responsive to creation of a logical partition within the processing system, automatically defining a logical volume in the paging storage pool for use as a paging device for the new logical partition, the automatically defining occurring absent use of a filesystem, with the resultant paging device being other than a file in a filesystem; and automatically specifying the logical volume as a paging space device for the new logical partition and binding the paging space device to the new logical partition, wherein the logical volume is sized to accommodate a defined maximum memory size of the new logical partition.

Abstract: A computer implemented method 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 computer implemented method, apparatus, and program product for extending virtual memory associated with logical partitions. A hosting partition receives a paging request from a logical partition on a logically partitioned data processing. The hosting partition identifies a location of the physical memory space on a remote computing device assigned to the logical partition and sends an extended virtual memory paging request to an extended virtual memory manager located on the remote computing device using a network connection. The extended virtual memory paging request comprises the instructions for the memory page-in or the memory page-out and the location of the physical memory space on the remote computing device that is being paged-in or paged-out. The extended virtual memory manager performs a page-in operation or a page-out operation in accordance with the instructions for the memory page-in or memory page-out.

Abstract: In a data processing system having a plurality of virtual input/output servers (VIOSes) configured within a VIOS cluster, a method, data processing system and computer program product provide for autonomous election of a primary node within a virtual input/output server (VIOS) cluster. A first VIOS performs the functions of: detecting that a primary node is required for the VIOS cluster; and autonomously initiating an election process to elect a next primary node from among the VIOSes within the VIOS cluster. When the first VIOS meets the pre-established requirements for becoming a primary node, the first VIOS obtains a lock on a primary node ID field within a VIOS database (DB) and then initiates a primary node commit process to assign the first VIOS as the primary node. The first VIOS issues a notification to the VIOS cluster to notify the other VIOSes that a primary node has been elected.

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 method, data processing system, and computer program product autonomously migrate clients serviced by a first VIOS to other VIOSes in the event of a VIOS cluster “split-brain” scenario generating a primary sub-cluster and a secondary sub-cluster, where the first VIOS is in the secondary sub-cluster. The VIOSes in the cluster continually exchange keep-alive information to provide each VIOS with an up-to-date status of other VIOSes within the cluster and to notify the VIOSes when one or more nodes loose connection to or are no longer communicating with other nodes within the cluster, as occurs with a cluster split-brain event/condition. When this event is detected, a first sub-cluster assumes a primary sub-cluster role and one or more clients served by one or more VIOSes within the secondary sub-cluster are autonomously migrated to other VIOSes in the primary sub-cluster, thus minimizing downtime for clients previously served by the unavailable/uncommunicative VIOSes.