Method, Apparatus and Article of Manufacture for Configuring Multiple Partitions to use a Shared Network Adapter

• US 20070283286A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ashok, Shamsundar, McNeils, Christopher, Verrilli, Colin, Underhill, Joy, Logan, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC

Abstract

A graphical user interface, method, and apparatus for configuring a logical partition (LPAR), comprises one or more screens for configuring an LPAR having allocated resources residing on a server computer, the LPAR being uniquely identified by a partition ID; the one or more screens comprising an SNA selection element configured for user-selection of a shared network adapter (SNA) ID from one or more available SNA IDs, wherein each selectable SNA ID uniquely identifies a respective SNA installed on the server computer; a physical port selection element configured for user-selection of a physical port ID from one or more physical port IDs each corresponding to a respective physical port, wherein the one or more physical port IDs uniquely identify all physical ports residing on the respective SNA for the selected SNA ID; and an active configure button which, when selected by a user, causes the display of one or more screens for configuring a logical shared adapter (LSA) associated with the respective SNA.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

one or more screens for configuring a logical partition (LPAR) having allocated resources residing on a server computer, the LPAR being uniquely identified by a partition ID;

the one or more screens comprising;

an SNA selection element configured for user-selection of a shared network adapter (SNA) ID from one or more available SNA IDs, wherein each selectable SNA ID uniquely identifies a respective SNA installed on the server computer;

a physical port selection element configured for user-selection of a physical port ID from one or more physical port IDs each corresponding to a respective physical port, wherein the one or more physical port IDs uniquely identify all physical ports residing on the respective SNA for the selected SNA ID; and

an active configure button which, when selected by a user, causes the display of one or more screens for configuring a logical shared adapter (LSA) associated with the respective SNA.

2. The GUI of claim 1 wherein the SNA selection element is a GUI drop-down list and the physical port selection element is a GUI radio button.

3. The GUI of claim 1, further comprising:

an active OK button which, when selected by a user causes a configuration of;

the LPAR according to the selected SNA ID; and

the respective SNA, according to the LSA.

4. The GUI of claim 3, further comprising:

an LSA capability selection element configured for user selection of a resource assignment level, wherein the resource assignment level describes a bandwidth level allocation for the LSA; and

when the user selects the active OK button further causes a configuration of the LSA according to the selected resource assignment level.

5. The GUI of claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of logical port ID selection elements configured for user selection of a logical port ID from a plurality of logical port IDS, wherein the plurality of logical port IDs uniquely identifies all logical ports associated with the respective physical port for the selected physical port ID; and

wherein the selection of the active OK button further causes a configuration of the LSA according to the selected logical port ID and the respective physical port.

6. The GUI of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of logical port ID selection elements configured for user selection of a logical port ID from a plurality of logical port IDs, wherein the plurality of logical port IDs uniquely identify all logical ports associated with the physical port.

7. The GUI of claim 6, further comprising:

an active OK button which, when selected by a user causes a configuration of;

the LPAR according to the selected SNA ID;

the respective SNA according to the LSA; and

the LSA according to the selected logical port ID and the respective physical port.

8. The GUI of claim 6 wherein the plurality of logical port ID selections elements is a plurality of GUI radio buttons.

9. A graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:

one or more screens for configuring a logical shared adapter (LSA) associated with a shared network adapter (SNA), the one or more screens comprising;

a plurality of logical port ID selection elements configured for user selection of a logical port ID from a plurality of logical port IDs, wherein the plurality of logical port IDs uniquely identifies all logical ports associated with a physical port residing on the SNA; and

an active OK button which, when selected by a user causes a configuration of the LSA according to the selected logical port ID and the physical port.

10. The GUI of claim 9, further comprising:

a virtual Ian (VLAN) entry field configured for user entry of one or more VLAN IDs each associated with a respective VLAN of a plurality of VLANs associated with the server, wherein the active OK button, when selected by a user further causes a configuration of the LSA according to the entered VLAN IDs and selected logical port ID.

11. The GUI of claim 9 wherein the plurality of logical port id selection elements is a plurality of GUI radio buttons.

12. A method of configuring a logical partition (LPAR), comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for configuring an LPAR having allocated resources residing on a server computer, the LPAR being uniquely identified by a partition ID;

receiving user input selecting a shared network adapter (SNA) ID from one or more available SNA IDs displayed in an SNA selection screen area of the GUI, wherein each selectable SNA ID uniquely identifies a respective SNA installed on the server computer;

receiving user input selecting a physical port ID from one or more physical port IDs, each corresponding to a respective physical port, displayed in a physical port selection screen area of the GUI, wherein the one or more physical port IDs uniquely identify all physical ports residing on the respective SNA for the selected SNA ID;

receiving user input selecting an active configure button; and

in response to selection of the active configure button, displaying of one or more screens of the GUI for configuring a logical shared adapter (LSA) associated with the respective SNA.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the SNA selection element is a GUI drop-down list and the physical port selection element is a GUI radio button.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting an active OK button; and

in response to selection of the active OK button, causing a configuration of;

the LPAR, according to the selected SNA ID; and

the respective SNA, according to the LSA.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting a logical port ID from a plurality of logical port IDs displayed in a logical port ID selection screen area of the GUI, wherein the plurality of logical port IDs identifies all logical ports associated with the respective physical port for the selected physical port ID;

receiving user input selecting an active OK button; and

in response to selection of the active OK button, further causing a configuration of the LSA according to the selected logical port ID and the respective physical port.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of logical port id selection elements are GUI check-boxes.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting an LSA capability selection element displayed in an LSA capability selection screen area of the GUI, wherein in response to the selection of the active OK button, further causes a configuration of the LSA, according to the selected resource assignment level.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting a logical port ID from a plurality of logical port IDs displayed in a logical port ID selection screen area of the GUI, wherein the plurality of logical port IDs identifies all logical ports associated with the respective physical port for the selected physical port ID;

receiving user input selecting an active OK button; and

in response to selection of the active OK button, further causing a configuration of the LSA according to the selected logical port ID and the respective physical port.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving user input of one or more virtual Ian (VLAN) IDs displayed in a VLAN entry screen area of the GUI, wherein the one or more VLAN IDs are associated with a plurality of VLANs associated with the server, and wherein in response to the selection of the active OK button, the LSA is configured further according to the entered VLAN IDs and the selected logical port ID.

20. An apparatus for configuring a logical partition (LPAR), the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a GUI application, which when executed by the processor displays one or more screens for configuring an LPAR having allocated resources residing on a server computer, the LPAR being uniquely identified by a partition ID;

the one or more screens comprising;

an SNA selection element configured for user-selection of a shared network adapter (SNA) ID from one or more available SNA IDs, wherein each selectable SNA ID uniquely identifies a respective SNA installed on the server computer;

a physical port selection element configured for user-selection of a physical port ID from one or more physical port IDs each corresponding to a respective physical port, wherein the one or more physical port IDs uniquely identify all physical ports residing on the respective SNA for the selected SNA ID; and

an active configure button which, when selected by a user, causes the display of one or more screens for configuring a logical shared adapter (LSA) associated with the respective SNA.