Partial link-down status for virtual Ethernet adapters

• US 7,793,139 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nogueras, Jorge Rafael, Jain, Vinit
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riad; Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/609,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 714/48, 709/229, 370/216
• US Class Current: 714/4.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer-usable program product for identifying a link status for a virtual adapter in a logical partition framework are provided. A partition management firmware receives a signal identifying a communication disruption in a link associated with the virtual adapter within the logical partition framework. The partition management firmware identifies which links associated with the virtual adapter are affected by the communication disruption. Responsive to identifying that only a physical link associated with the virtual adapter is disrupted, the partition management firmware categorizes the link status for the virtual adapter as partial link-down. Responsive to identifying that both the physical link and a virtual link associated with the virtual adapter are disrupted, the partition management firmware categorizes the link status for the virtual adapter as link-down.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying a link status for a virtual adapter in a logical partition framework, the method comprising:

receiving, at a partition management firmware, a signal identifying a communication disruption in a link associated with the virtual adapter within the logical partition framework;

identifying which links associated with the virtual adapter are affected by the communication disruption;

responsive to identifying that only a physical link associated with the virtual adapter is disrupted, categorizing the link status for the virtual adapter as partial link-down; and

responsive to identifying that both the physical link and a virtual link associated with the virtual adapter are disrupted, categorizing the link status for the virtual adapter as link-down.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the link status being partial link-down, notifying an operating system that the physical link associated with the virtual adapter has the link status of link down, and wherein the operating system identifies an alternative route for the logical partition framework to communicate with an external network in response to a notification; and

continuing to facilitate communications between each logical partition in the logical partition framework.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the alternative route comprises identifying another physical link to communicate with an external network.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the alternative route comprises initiating an internet address takeover procedure.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual link facilitates communications between each logical partition in the logical partition framework.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the physical link facilitates communications between the logical partition framework and an external network.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to not receiving the signal, categorizing the link status for the virtual adapter as link-up.

8. A data processing system comprising:

at least one logical partition in a logical partition framework;

a partition management firmware that receives a signal identifying a communication disruption in a link associated with a virtual adapter within the logical partition framework, and wherein the partition management firmware identifies which links associated with the virtual adapter are affected by the communication disruption;

a physical adapter coupled to the logical partition framework, wherein the partition management firmware categorizes a link status for the virtual adapter as partial link-down in response to identifying that only communications within the physical adapter are disrupted; and

the virtual adapter coupled to the at least one logical partition and the partition management firmware, wherein the partition management firmware categorizes the link status for the virtual adapter as link-down in response to identifying that the communications within both the physical adapter and the virtual adapter are disrupted.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the partition management notifies an operating system that the physical link associated with the virtual adapter has the link status of link down in response to the link status for the virtual adapter being partial link-down, and wherein the operating system identifies an alternative route for the logical partition framework to communicate with an external network in response to a notification.

10. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the alternative route comprises identifying another physical adapter of another logical partition to communicate with an external network.

11. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the alternative route comprises initiating an internet address takeover procedure.

12. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the virtual adapter facilitates communications between each logical partition in the logical partition framework.

13. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the physical adapter facilitates communications between the logical partition framework and an external network.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-usable program code for identifying a link status in a logical partition framework, the computer program product comprising:

computer-usable program code for receiving, at a partition management firmware, a signal identifying a communication disruption in a link associated with the virtual adapter within the logical partition framework;

computer-usable program code for identifying which links associated with the virtual adapter are affected by the communication disruption;

responsive to identifying that only a physical link associated with the virtual adapter is disrupted, computer-usable program code for categorizing the link status for the virtual adapter as partial link-down; and

responsive to identifying that both the physical link and a virtual link associated with the virtual adapter are disrupted, computer-usable program code for categorizing the link status for the virtual adapter as link-down.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

responsive to the link status being partial link-down, computer-usable program code for notifying an operating system that the physical link associated with the virtual adapter has the link status of link down, and wherein the operating system identifies an alternative route for the logical partition framework to communicate with an external network in response to a notification; and

computer-usable program code for continuing to facilitate communications between each logical partition in the logical partition framework.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the alternative route comprises identifying another physical link to communicate with an external network.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the alternative route comprises initiating an internet address takeover procedure.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the virtual link facilitates communications between each logical partition in the logical partition framework.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the physical link facilitates communications between the logical partition framework and an external network.

20. A data processing system comprising:

a means for receiving, at a partition management firmware, a signal identifying a communication disruption in a link associated with the virtual adapter within the logical partition framework;

a means for identifying which links associated with the virtual adapter are affected by the communication disruption;

a physical link associated with the virtual adapter;

responsive to identifying that only the physical link associated with the virtual adapter is disrupted, a means for categorizing the link status for the virtual adapter as partial link-down; and

responsive to identifying that both the physical link and a virtual link associated with the virtual adapter are disrupted, a means for categorizing the link status for the virtual adapter as link-down.