APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DYNAMICALLY REPARTITIONING A COMPUTER SYSTEM IN RESPONSE TO PARTITION WORKLOADS

• US 20080134192A1
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jack Allen Alford
• Original Assignee: Jack Allen Alford
• Inventors: Alford, Jack Allen
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for dynamically repartitioning a partitioned computer system in response to workload demands are provided. In one embodiment, a monitoring software is used to monitor workloads on all resources in all the partitions. If a workload on a resource in a partition is determined to exceed a maximum threshold, a similar resource is allocated to the partition. The similar resource is preferentially an unassigned or unallocated resource. However, resources from other partitions may also be used. In another embodiment, a workload schedule is stored in a workload profile. If a scheduled workload in any of the resources of a partition is to exceed a maximum threshold, additional similar resources will be allocated to the partition before the scheduled workload.

Claims

1-5. -5. (canceled)

6. A computer implemented method of dynamically re-partitioning a partitioned computer system in response to workloads, each partition of the partitioned computer system having a plurality of resources, the computer implemented method comprising the steps of:

creating a workload profile for each partition, the profile having a workload and a workload time schedule; and

automatically allocating additional resources to a partition before the workload is to occur if the workload on the resources originally assigned to the partition is to exceed a maximum threshold.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6 wherein one of the resources is a processor.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7 wherein another one of the resources is memory space.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein a further of the resources is an I/O slot.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein the additional resources are not assigned to any partition.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein the additional resources are part a plurality of similar resources that are allocated to one or more other partitions having a scheduled workload that does not exceed a particular threshold.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition and re-assigned to the one or more partitions after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.

14-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for dynamically re-partitioning a partitioned computer system in response to workloads, each partition of the partitioned computer system having a plurality of resources, the computer program product comprising:

code means for creating a workload profile for each partition, the profile having a workload and a workload time schedule; and

code means for automatically allocating additional resources to a partition before the workload is to occur if the workload on the resources originally assigned to the partition is to exceed a maximum threshold.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein one of the resources is a processor.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein another one of the resources is memory space.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein a further of the resources is an I/O slot.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the additional resources are not assigned to any partition.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.

25. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the additional resources are part a plurality of similar resources that are allocated to one or more other partitions having a scheduled workload that does not exceed a particular threshold.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition and re-assigned to the one or more partitions after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.

27-31. -31. (canceled)

32. An apparatus for dynamically re-partitioning a partitioned computer system in response to workloads, each partition of the partitioned computer system having a plurality of resources, the apparatus comprising:

means for creating a workload profile for each partition, the profile having a workload and a workload time schedule; and

means for automatically allocating additional resources to a partition before the workload is to occur if the workload on the resources originally assigned to the partition is to exceed a maximum threshold.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein one of the resources is a processor.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein another one of the resources is memory space.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein a further of the resources is an I/O slot.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the additional resources are not assigned to any partition.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the additional resources are part a plurality of similar resources that are allocated to one or more other partitions having a scheduled workload that does not exceed a particular threshold.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition and re-assigned to the one or more partitions after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.

40-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A computer system that is partitioned into a plurality of partitions, the computer system having code data for dynamically re-partitioning itself in response to workloads, each partition of the partitioned computer system having a plurality of resources, the computer system comprising:

at least one storage device for storing the code data; and

at least one processor for processing the code data to create a workload profile for each partition, the profile having a workload and a workload time schedule and to automatically allocate additional resources to a partition before the workload is to occur if the workload on the resources originally assigned to the partition is to exceed a maximum threshold.

46. The computer system of claim 45 wherein one of the resources is a processor.

47. The computer system of claim 46 wherein another one of the resources is memory space.

48. The computer system of claim 47 wherein a further of the resources is an I/O slot.

49. The computer system of claim 48 wherein the additional resources are not assigned to any partition.

50. The computer system of claim 49 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.

51. The computer system of claim 48 wherein the additional resources are part a plurality of similar resources that are allocated to one or more other partitions having a scheduled workload that does not exceed a particular threshold.

52. The computer system of claim 51 wherein the additional resources are de-allocated from the partition and re-assigned to the one or more partitions after the workload has decreased to a minimum threshold.