System and method for virtual adapter resource allocation matrix that defines the amount of resources of a physical I/O adapter

A data processing system, which includes system memory, for allocating adapter resource groups to a plurality of system images, each one of the plurality of system images independently executing an operating system, comprising:

• a physical adapter having adapter physical resources;
• a system memory that contains the plurality of system images;
• and
• a processor that, responsive to execution of a set of instructions, maintains a resource allocation matrix that defines respective amounts of total resources of a physical I/O adapter to be allocated to each one of the plurality of system images to use as a virtual adapter;
• evaluates the physical I/O adapter to determine if the adapter physical resources are sufficient for respectively allocating a plurality of resource groups to each of the plurality of system images, wherein each resource group of the plurality of resource groups respectively comprises a portion of the adapter physical resources, and wherein the processor respectively creates, responsive to determining the physical adapter has sufficient adapter physical resources, a plurality of different virtual adapters by assigning each of the plurality of resource groups to one of the plurality of system images, wherein adapter physical resources of a resource group are exclusively available to a system image of the plurality of system images to which the resource group is assigned, and wherein each one of the plurality of virtual adapters is associated with one of the plurality of system images.