Apparatus and method for virtualizing interrupts in a logically partitioned computer system

A computer-implemented method for processing interrupts in a computer system that includes a plurality of logical partitions, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a plurality of virtual interrupt registers that each correspond to a physical interrupt register residing in a processor;
• and
• using the plurality of virtual interrupt registers to process interrupts.

A computer-implemented method for processing interrupts in a computer system that includes a plurality of logical partitions, wherein each logical partition includes a corresponding operating system, the method comprising the steps of:

• presenting a plurality of interrupts to an interrupt management mechanism;
• and
• the interrupt management mechanism processing the plurality of interrupts for a logical partition in a manner that is consistent with an interrupt processing model for the corresponding operating system when the corresponding operating system executes on a computer system that contains only dedicated processor partitions.

A program product comprising:

• an interrupt management mechanism that uses at least one virtual interrupt register to process a plurality of interrupts in a computer system that includes a plurality of logical partitions, wherein each virtual interrupt register corresponds to a physical interrupt register residing in a processor;
• and
• computer readable signal bearing media bearing the interrupt management mechanism.

A program product comprising:

• an interrupt management mechanism that processes a plurality of interrupts in a computer system that includes a plurality of logical partitions that each include a corresponding operating system in a manner that is consistent with an interrupt processing model for the corresponding operating system when the corresponding operating system executes on a computer system that contains only dedicated processor partitions;
• and
• computer readable signal bearing media bearing the interrupt management mechanism.