IBM Front cover Partitioning Implementations for IBM Eserver p5 Servers Discusses Advanced POWER Virtualization and Micro-Partitioning technology Describes virtualization on IBM Eserver OpenPower systems Includes information on dynamic logical partitioning Nic Irving Mathew Jenner Arsi Kortesniemi ibm.com/redbooks International Technical Support Organization Partitioning Implementations for IBM Eserver p5 Servers February 2005 SG24-7039-02 Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on page xv. Third Edition (February 2005) This edition applies to IBM Sserver p5 servers for use with AIX 5L Version 5.3 (product number 5765-G03). © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2003, 2004, 2005. All rights reserved. Note to U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. Contents Figures . ix Tables . xi Examples. xiii Notices . xv Trademarks . xvi Preface . xvii The team that wrote this redbook. xvii Become a published author . xviii Comments welcome. xix Summary of changes . xxi February 2005, Third Edition . xxi October 2003, Second Edition . xxii January 2003, First Edition. xxiii Chapter 1. Logical partitioning primer . 1 1.1 An introduction to partitioning . 2 1.1.1 Basic types of partitioning . 3 1.1.2 Partition isolation and security . 3 1.2 Introduction to Micro-Partitioning and Virtualization . 4 1.2.1 Micro-Partitioning . 4 1.2.2 Virtual Ethernet . 5 1.2.3 Virtual I/O Server. 5 1.2.4 Advanced POWER Virtualization technologies. 6 1.2.5 Advanced OpenPower Virtualization technologies . 7 1.2.6 Obtaining the Virtual I/O Server and Partition Load Manager. 8 1.3 Partitioning on eServer p5 and OpenPower servers . 10 1.4 IBM Hardware Management Console . 11 1.5 IBM ^ Information Center . 14 1.6 LPAR Validation Tool . 15 1.7 Operating system support . 16 1.7.1 AIX . 19 1.7.2 Linux . 22 Chapter 2. Partitioning implementation . 25 © Copyright IBM Corp. 2003, 2004, 2005. All rights reserved. iii 2.1 Partitioning enablers . 26 2.1.1 Hardware. 26 2.1.2 Firmware . 29 2.2 Partition resources . 32 2.2.1 Partition and system profiles . 33 2.2.2 Processors . 34 2.2.3 Memory . 36 2.2.4 Physical I/O slots. 40 2.2.5 Virtual I/O . 40 2.2.6 Minimum, desired, and maximum values . 41 2.3 Resource planning using LPAR Validation Tool . 42 2.3.1 System Selection dialog . 43 2.3.2 Memory Specification dialog . 45 2.3.3 LPAR Validation dialog . 46 2.4 I/O device assignment considerations. 46 2.4.1 Media devices . 47 2.4.2 Boot device considerations . 48 2.4.3 Network devices . 52 2.4.4 Graphics console . 52 2.4.5 High availability . 52 2.5 LPAR limitations and considerations. 53 Chapter 3. Basic partition management . 57 3.1 Hardware Management Console. 58 3.1.1 Managing I/O devices and slots . 59 3.1.2 Managing memory . 61 3.1.3 Managing processing power . 62 3.1.4 Scheduling movement of resources . 64 3.2 Advanced System Management Interface . 64 3.2.1 Accessing the ASMI using a Web browser . 65 3.2.2 Accessing the ASMI using the HMC . 65 3.2.3 Network configuration . 65 3.2.4 Service processor . 67 3.2.5 Power/Restart control . 67 3.3 Resetting a server . 69 3.3.1 EEH adapters and partitioning . 69 3.3.2 Restoring a server to factory settings . 70 3.4 Partition Load Manager . 71 3.4.1 Managing memory . 76 3.4.2 Managing processors . 76 3.4.3 Limitations and considerations . 77 3.4.4 Installing Partition Load Manager . 78 3.4.5 Querying partition status . 78 iv Partitioning Implementations for IBM Eserver p5 Servers 3.4.6 Managing memory resource requests. 79 3.4.7 Processor resources in a shared partition environment . 81 Chapter 4. Virtualized resource management . 83 4.1 Micro-Partitioning technology . 84 4.1.1 Shared processor partitions . 84 4.1.2 Processing units of capacity . 86 4.1.3 Capped and uncapped mode . 88 4.1.4 Virtual processors . 89 4.1.5 Dedicated processors . 91 4.1.6 Capped and uncapped processing units. 93 4.1.7 Dynamic processor deallocation and sparing . 96 4.2 Advanced Virtualization. 97 4.2.1 Virtual LAN . 98 4.2.2 VLAN communication by example . 99 4.3.