Abstract: A method and system for migrating at least one critical resource during a migration of an operative portion of a computer system are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the method includes (a) sending first information constituting a substantial copy of a first of the at least one critical resource via at least one intermediary between a source component and a destination component. The method further includes (b) transitioning a status of the destination component from being incapable of receiving requests to being capable of receiving requests, and (c) re-programming an abstraction block to include modified addresses so that at least one incoming request signal is forwarded to the destination component rather than to the source component.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a flash-based/solid-state storage system with an implemented data redundancy scheme such as RAID is configured to hold parity data in a volatile memory such as RAM and write such parity data to the non-volatile flash media when a full stripe of data has been written to the media. Other embodiments in certain situations force an early write of the parity for a partial stripe that has not been fully written to the non-volatile media. Those situations may include a data access error on data in a partial stripe and a detected power loss event with a partial stripe present. Embodiments are directed to writing additional data with the parity data for the partial stripe and then later using the additional data in data recovery. This approach allows the controller to easily detect the presence of a partial stripe and handle such a stripe accordingly.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage system is disclosed which provides a mapping table which includes a granularity which does not correspond to the page size of a non-volatile storage array. A reduced mapping table granularity enables more than one mapping entry to exist in a single page on the solid-state array. A write command which does not exceed a mapping table entry can invalidate only a portion of the written page, and can be combined with a second write command to write a new page of the solid-state array.

Abstract: A system and method for achieving one or more protected regions within a computer system having multiple partitions are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the system includes an intermediary device for use within the computer system having the multiple partitions. The intermediary device includes a fabric device, and a first firewall device capable of limiting communication of a signal based upon at least one of a source of the signal and an intended destination of the signal, the first firewall device being at least indirectly coupled to the fabric device. The intermediary device further includes a first conversion device that is one of integrated with the first firewall device and distinct from the first firewall device, and that is capable of converting between a processor address and a fabric address for use by the fabric device. In some embodiments, the various devices each include Control and Status Registers (CSRs).

Abstract: A solid-state storage system is described with a method for adjusting the frequency of data retention operations. The data retention operation frequency can be increased or decreased according to a variety of environmental factors such as error code frequency, system temperature, altitude, and other operating conditions. These factors can indicate an increased or decreased risk of failure and accordingly provide increased or decreased rates of data retention operations.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a flash-based/solid-state storage system with an implemented data redundancy scheme such as RAID is configured to hold parity data in a volatile memory such as RAM and write such parity data to the non-volatile flash media when a full stripe of data has been written to the media. Other embodiments in certain situations force an early write of the parity for a partial stripe that has not been fully written to the non-volatile media. Those situations may include a data access error on data in a partial stripe and a detected power loss event with a partial stripe present. Embodiments are directed to writing additional data with the parity data for the partial stripe and then later using the additional data in data recovery. This approach allows the controller to easily detect the presence of a partial stripe and handle such a stripe accordingly.

Abstract: A method and system for handling interrupts within a computer system during hardware resource migration are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the method includes (a) programming an address conversion component so that incoming interrupt signals are directed to a control component rather than to a source processing resource, and (b) accumulating the incoming interrupt signals at the control component. Additionally the method also includes, subsequent to the migration of the partition from the source processing resource to a destination processing resource, (c) sending the accumulated incoming interrupt signals to the destination processing resource, and (d) reprogramming the address conversion component so that further incoming interrupt signals are directed to the destination processing resource.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for subdividing a hard partition of a computer server system into one or more soft partitions using partition management programming installed within firmware of the server system. The partition management firmware may be disposed at least partially on a central service processor and may be programmed to present generic interfaces, so that operating systems do not require modification to interface with the partition management programming.

Abstract: A solid-state storage system is described with a method for adjusting the frequency of data retention operations. The data retention operation frequency can be increased or decreased according to a variety of environmental factors such as error code frequency, system temperature, altitude, and other operating conditions. These factors can indicate an increased or decreased risk of failure and accordingly provide increased or decreased rates of data retention operations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to enhancing VPAR monitors to allow an active VPAR to be moved from one machine to another, as well as to enhancing virtual-machine monitors to move active VPARs from one machine to another. Because traditional VPAR monitors lack access to many computational resources and to executing-operating-system state, VPAR movement is carried out primarily by specialized routines executing within active VPARs, unlike the movement of guest operating systems between machines carried out by virtual-machine-monitor routines.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for allocating a plurality of resources on a chip to a plurality of partitions in a partitionable computer system. In one embodiment, a resource allocated to a first partition generates a physical address in an address space allocated to the first partition. A partition identification value identifies the first partition. The first partition identification value is stored in the first physical address to produce a partition-identifying address, which may be transmitted to a system fabric. In another embodiment, a transaction is received which includes a source terminus identifier identifying a source device which transmitted the transaction. It is determined, based on the source terminus identifier, whether the source device is allocated to the same partition as any of the plurality of resources. If the source device is so allocated, the transaction is transmitted to a resource that is allocated to the same partition as the source device.

Abstract: A method of allocating a resource in a computer system having a plurality of operating systems, and related system, are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes providing an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) operating to facilitate interactions between at least one of the plurality of the operating systems and one or more of the resource, a hardware device, and firmware, and determining whether the resource is allocated to a first of the plurality of operating systems. The method further includes ejecting the resource from the first operating system, and allocating the resource to a second of the plurality of operating systems.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for subdividing a hard partition of a computer server system into one or more soft partitions using partition management programming installed within firmware of the server system. The partition management firmware may be disposed at least partially on a central service processor and may be programmed to present generic interfaces, so that operating systems do not require modification to interface with the partition management programming.

Abstract: Provided is a method for restarting a computing platform to a state in which applications run in less time than an initial start, including powering on a computing platform having a plurality of devices; identifying one or more of the devices which are not critical to running applications; storing information about the non-critical devices; restarting the computing platform; retrieving the information about the non-critical devices; disabling the non-critical devices; performing at least one of testing and initialization of at least one device of the plurality of devices that are critical to running the applications before the restart is completed; offloading at least one of testing and initialization of at least one of the non-critical devices; enabling devices which are not non-critical; and enabling the non-critical devices after the restart is completed.

Abstract: To dynamically adjust at least one setting of an interface to a communications link in a system, in response to receiving an indication of a change in a characteristic of the communications link, a representation of potential solutions for parameters associated with the communications link is constructed. From the representation, at least one solution is selected from among the potential solutions, where the selected at least one solution specifies values for the parameters that define the at least one setting for the interface to the communications link.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to enhancing VPAR monitors to allow an active VPAR to be moved from one machine to another, as well as to enhancing virtual-machine monitors to move active VPARs from one machine to another. Because traditional VPAR monitors lack access to many computational resources and to executing-operating-system state, VPAR movement is carried out primarily by specialized routines executing within active VPARs, unlike the movement of guest operating systems between machines carried out by virtual-machine-monitor routines.

Abstract: To dynamically adjust at least one setting of an interface to a communications link in a system, in response to receiving an indication of a change in a characteristic of the communications link, a representation of potential solutions for parameters associated with the communications link is constructed. From the representation, at least one solution is selected from among the potential solutions, where the selected at least one solution specifies values for the parameters that define the at least one setting for the interface to the communications link.

Abstract: Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with external virtualization are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes an emulation logic located external to an integrated circuit to which it may be operably connected. The example emulation logic may include a virtualization logic that is configured to virtualize a portion of a function performed by the integrated circuit. The portion may be identifiable by an address associated with the portion. The example emulation logic may also include a data store that is operably connected to the virtualization logic and that is configured to store a state data associated with virtualizing the portion of the function.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for allocating a plurality of resources on a chip to a plurality of partitions in a partitionable computer system. In one embodiment, a resource allocated to a first partition generates a physical address in an address space allocated to the first partition. A partition identification value identifies the first partition. The first partition identification value is stored in the first physical address to produce a partition-identifying address, which may be transmitted to a system fabric. In another embodiment, a transaction is received which includes a source terminus identifier identifying a source device which transmitted the transaction. It is determined, based on the source terminus identifier, whether the source device is allocated to the same partition as any of the plurality of resources. If the source device is so allocated, the transaction is transmitted to a resource that is allocated to the same partition as the source device.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for allocating a plurality of resources on a chip to a plurality of partitions in a partitionable computer system. In one embodiment, a resource allocated to a first partition generates a physical address in an address space allocated to the first partition. A partition identification value identifies the first partition. The first partition identification value is stored in the first physical address to produce a partition-identifying address, which may be transmitted to a system fabric. In another embodiment, a transaction is received which includes a source terminus identifier identifying a source device which transmitted the transaction. It is determined, based on the source terminus identifier, whether the source device is allocated to the same partition as any of the plurality of resources. If the source device is so allocated, the transaction is transmitted to a resource that is allocated to the same partition as the source device.