VIRTUALIZATION OF VENDOR SPECIFIC NETWORK INTERFACES OF SELF-VIRTUALIZING INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE VIRTUAL FUNCTIONS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of accessing a self-virtualizing input/output (IO) resource with multiple logical partitions in a data processing system, the method comprising:
- interfacing a logical partition of the multiple logical partitions to an associated adjunct partition through a vendor-independent virtual network partition interface, the adjunct partition including a vender-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver configured to interface with the logical partition and a resource-specific device driver configured to interface with the self-virtualizing IO resource; and
in the logical partition, accessing the self-virtualizing IO resource by communicating with the vender-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver over the vendor-independent virtual network partition interface using a vendor-independent client virtual network partition interface device driver resident in the logical partition.
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Abstract
A vendor independent partition interface between a logical partition and an adjunct partition associated with a self-virtualizing IO resource is used to effectively abstract away vender-specific interface details for the self-virtualizing IO resource. By doing so, vender-specific implementation details may be isolated from the operating systems resident in logical partitions, thus requiring only changes in vendor specific firmware in order to support new or revised self-virtualizing IO resources.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of accessing a self-virtualizing input/output (IO) resource with multiple logical partitions in a data processing system, the method comprising:
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interfacing a logical partition of the multiple logical partitions to an associated adjunct partition through a vendor-independent virtual network partition interface, the adjunct partition including a vender-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver configured to interface with the logical partition and a resource-specific device driver configured to interface with the self-virtualizing IO resource; and in the logical partition, accessing the self-virtualizing IO resource by communicating with the vender-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver over the vendor-independent virtual network partition interface using a vendor-independent client virtual network partition interface device driver resident in the logical partition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one processor; and program code configured upon execution by the at least one processor to interface a self-virtualizing input/output (IO) resource with multiple logical partitions in a data processing system by interfacing a logical partition of the multiple logical partitions to an associated adjunct partition through a vendor-independent virtual network partition interface, wherein the adjunct partition includes a vender-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver configured to interface with the logical partition and a resource-specific device driver configured to interface with the self-virtualizing IO resource, and wherein the vendor-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver is configured to communicate over the vendor-independent virtual network partition interface with a vendor-independent client virtual network partition interface device driver resident in the logical partition. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A program product, comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and program code stored on the computer readable medium and configured upon execution to interface a self-virtualizing input/output (IO) resource with multiple logical partitions in a data processing system by interfacing a logical partition of the multiple logical partitions to an associated adjunct partition through a vendor-independent virtual network partition interface, wherein the adjunct partition includes a vender-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver configured to interface with the logical partition and a resource-specific device driver configured to interface with the self-virtualizing IO resource, and wherein the vendor-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver is configured to communicate over the vendor-independent virtual network partition interface with a vendor-independent client virtual network partition interface device driver resident in the logical partition. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of developing an adjunct partition for use in providing access to a self-virtualizing input/output (IO) resource by at least one logical partition in a data processing system, the method comprising:
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developing a resource-specific device driver configured to interface with the self-virtualizing IO resource; packaging the resource-specific device driver in an adjunct partition firmware component along with a vendor-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver, the vendor-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver configured to communicate with a vender-independent client virtual network partition interface device driver resident in a logical partition over a vendor-independent virtual network partition interface; and testing the adjunct partition firmware component with the resource-specific device driver and vendor-independent server virtual network partition interface device driver packaged therein. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification