Expansion and contraction of logical partitions on virtualized hardware

A method of managing a first plurality of resources of a first logically partitioned computing system of the type that includes a first plurality of logical partitions managed by a first partition manager, wherein each logical partition of the first plurality of logical partitions is allocated at least a portion of the first plurality of resources, and wherein at least one logical partition of the first plurality of logical partitions is configured as a member of a distributed computing environment, the method comprising:

• maintaining resources that are not allocated to the first plurality of logical partitions in a resource pool;
• receiving a user request with an application level administrative console resident in a logical partition on a second logically partitioned computer of the type that includes a second plurality of logical partitions managed by a second partition manager, wherein each of the second plurality of logical partitions has an operating system resident therein, wherein the application level administrative console is disposed in an application level above that of an operating system resident in such logical partition and includes an interface with a user, wherein the second logically partitioned computer includes a second plurality of resources, wherein each logical partition of the second plurality of logical partitions is allocated at least a portion of the second plurality of resources, wherein at least one logical partition of the second plurality of logical partitions is configured as a member of the distributed computing environment, wherein the first and second logically partitioned computing systems communicate with each other over a network, wherein the application level administrative console is disposed in a middleware application configured to manage the distributed computing environment, and wherein the user request includes a request to adjust the allocation of a least a portion of the first plurality of resources;
• determining the resources of the first logically partitioned computing system to adjust in order to satisfy the request using the application level administrative console;
• and
• utilizing the application level administrative console to access the first partition manager through a resource allocation interface for the first partition manager to adjust the determined resources of the first logically partitioned computing system, wherein the user request is for the creation of a new logical partition and utilizing the application level administrative console further comprises:
• identifying a logical partition profile to configure on the new logical partition;
• allocating at least a portion of the resources in the resource pool to the new logical partition;
• and
• migrating data from the logical partition profile to the new logical partition.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one physical processor;
• and
• program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor to manage a plurality of resources of a logically partitioned computing system that includes a plurality of logical partitions managed by a partition manager, wherein each logical partition is allocated at least a portion of the plurality of resources and has an operating system resident therein, the program code further configured to receive a user request to adjust the allocation of at least a portion of the plurality of resources using an application level administrative console that is resident within a logical partition in the logically partitioned computing system, that is disposed in an application level above that of an operating system resident in such logical partition, and that includes an interface with a user, determine resources of the logically partitioned computing system to adjust in order to satisfy the user request using the application level administrative console, and utilize the application level administrative console to access the partition manager through a resource allocation interface for the partition manager to adjust the determined resources of the logically partitioned computing system in order to satisfy the user request, wherein the program code is further configured to maintain resources that are not allocated to the plurality of logical partitions in a resource pool, wherein the user request is for the creation of a new logical partition and wherein the program code is further configured to identify a logical partition profile to configure on the new logical partition, allocate at least a portion of the resources in the resource pool to the new logical partition, and migrate data from the logical partition profile to the new logical partition.

A program product, comprising:

• a recordable computer readable medium;
• and
• program code stored on the recordable computer readable medium and configured to be executed by at least one processor to manage a plurality of resources of a logically partitioned computing system that includes a plurality of logical partitions managed by a partition manager, wherein each logical partition is allocated at least a portion of the plurality of resources and has an operating system resident therein, the program code further configured to receive a user request to adjust the allocation of at least a portion of the plurality of resources using an application level administrative console that is resident within a logical partition in the logically partitioned computing system, that is disposed in an application level above that of an operating system resident in such logical partition, and that includes an interface with a user, determine resources of the logically partitioned computing system to adjust in order to satisfy the user request using the application level administrative console, and utilize the application level administrative console to access the partition manager through a resource allocation interface for the partition manager to adjust the determined resources of the logically partitioned computing system in order to satisfy the user request, wherein the program code is further configured to maintain resources that are not allocated to the plurality of logical partitions in a resource pool, wherein the user request is for the creation of a new logical partition and wherein the program code is further configured to identify a logical partition profile to configure on the new logical partition, allocate at least a portion of the resources in the resource pool to the new logical partition, and migrate data from the logical partition profile to the new logical partition.