US 2009/0276773 A1 · Multi-Root I/O Virtualization Using Separate Management Facilities of Multiple Logical Partitions

Abstract

Mechanisms are provided for implementing a multi-root PCI manager (MR-PCIM) in a multi-root I/O virtualization management partition (MR-IMP) to control the shared functionality of an multi-root I/O virtualization (IOV) enabled switch fabric and multi-root IOV enabled I/O adapter (IOA) through the base functions (BF) of the switches and IOAs. A hypervisor provides device-independent facilities to the code running in the I/O Virtualization Management Partition (IMP), Multi-Root (MR)-IMP and client partitions. The MR-IMP may include device specific code without the hypervisor needing to sacrifice its size, robustness, and upgradeability. The hypervisor provides the virtual intermediary functionally for the sharing and control of the switch and IOA's control functions.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method, in a data processing system, for managing input/output (I/O) virtualization management operations, comprising:

creating at least one multiple root I/O virtualization management partition (MR-IMP) in the data processing system;
and
controlling IOV management operations within the data processing system using the at least one MR-IMP, wherein a multiple root I/O virtualization (MR-IOV) manager application of the MR-IMP controls access to base functions (BFs) of one or more I/O virtualization (IOV) enabled I/O endpoints of the data processing system.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

create at least one multiple root I/O virtualization management partition (MR-IMP) in the data processing system;
and
control IOV management operations within the data processing system using the at least one MR-IMP, wherein a multiple root I/O virtualization (MR-IOV) manager application of the MR-IMP controls access to base functions (BFs) of one or more I/O virtualization (IOV) enabled I/O endpoints of the data processing system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-Root I/O Virtualization Using Separate Management Facilities of Multiple Logical Partitions

Life of this patent

Multi-Root I/O Virtualization Using Separate Management Facilities of Multiple Logical Partitions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20