Apparatus and method for dynamically improving memory affinity of logical partitions
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsKenneth Allen, William Brown, Stuart Jacobs, Wade Ouren, Kenneth Vossen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a computer system that includes multiple nodes and multiple logical partitions, a dynamic partition manager computes current memory affinity and potential memory affinity at the request of a logical partition to help the logical partition determine whether a reallocation of resources between nodes may improve memory affinity for the logical partition. If so, the logical partition requests reallocation of resources by the dynamic partition manager so memory affinity for the logical partition is improved.
Claims20
A computer system comprising:
- a plurality of logical partitions defined on a plurality of nodes;
- a dynamic partition manager that manages allocation of a plurality of resources on the plurality of nodes to the plurality of logical partitions, the dynamic partition manager comprising a memory affinity computation mechanism that computes memory affinity for a selected logical partition;
- and
- a memory affinity agent in the selected logical partition, the memory affinity agent determining from the memory affinity computation mechanism a current memory affinity for the selected logical partition based on a current allocation of resources in the selected logical partition, the memory affinity agent determining from the memory affinity computation mechanism a potential memory affinity for the selected logical partition based on a proposed reallocation of resources in the selected logical partition.
A computer-implemented method for dynamically improving memory affinity of a selected logical partition in a computer system that comprises a plurality of logical partitions on a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
- (A) determining current memory affinity for the selected logical partition based on a current allocation of resources in the logical partition;
- (B) determining whether at least one resource is available to improve the current memory affinity;
- (C) if at least one resource is available to improve the current memory affinity, performing the steps of:
- (C1) determining potential memory affinity for the selected logical partition based on a proposed reallocation of resources in the selected logical partition;
- and
- (C2) if the potential memory affinity determined in step (C1) is greater than the current memory affinity determined in step (A), dynamically adjusting at least one resource in the selected logical partition.
A computer-readable program product comprising:
- (A) a dynamic partition manager that manages allocation of a plurality of resources on a plurality of nodes to a plurality of logical partitions, the dynamic partition manager comprising a memory affinity computation mechanism that computes memory affinity for a selected logical partition;
- (B) a memory affinity agent in the selected logical partition, the memory affinity agent determining from the memory affinity computation mechanism a current memory affinity for the selected logical partition based on a current allocation of resources in the selected logical partition, the memory affinity agent determining from the memory affinity computation mechanism a potential memory affinity for the selected logical partition based on a proposed reallocation of resources in the selected logical partition;
- and
- (C) tangible signal bearing media bearing (A) and (B).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.