System, method, and computer program product for executing a reliable warm reboot in logically partitioned systems

• US 20030236972A1
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mehta, Chetan, Willoughby, David R., Miller, Milton Devon II, Harrington, Bradley Ryan, Randall, David Lee, Perez, Michael Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,146,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• 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

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are disclosed for executing a reliable warm reboot of one of multiple partitions included in a logically partitioned data processing system. The data processing system includes partition hardware. A request to reboot a particular partition is received within the partition where the particular partition includes multiple processors. Prior to executing the reboot request, the partition hardware is set to a predetermined state. The reboot request is then executed within the particular partition. The predetermined state is preferably achieved by resetting the partition hardware to a predetermined state.

Claims

1. A method for executing a reliable warm reboot of one of a plurality of partitions included in a logically partitioned data processing system, said system including partition hardware, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, within one of said plurality of partitions, a request to reboot said one of said plurality of partitions, said one of said plurality of partitions including multiple processors;

setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request; and

executing said reboot request within said one of said plurality of partitions.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

allocating particular components of said partition hardware to said one of said plurality of partitions; and

setting said particular components of said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises the step of resetting said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of resetting said multiple processors further comprises the step of eliminating within each of said multiple processors a history of execution by said multiple processors.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of resetting said multiple processors further comprises the step of causing each one of said multiple processors to cease transmitting I/O requests.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

allocating at least one I/O adapter to said one of said plurality of partitions; and

wherein the step of setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises the step of resetting said at least one I/O adapter.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of resetting said at least one I/O adapter further comprises the step of eliminating within said at least one I/O adapter a history of execution by said at least one I/O adapter.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of resetting said multiple processors further comprises the step of causing said at least one I/O adapter to cease transmitting I/O requests.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one I/O adapter has been allocated to said one of said partitions and further wherein the step of setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises the steps of:

resetting said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions; and

resetting said at least one I/O adapter.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

including within said partition hardware a service processor;

resetting, utilizing said service processor, said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions; and

resetting, utilizing said service processor, said at least one I/O adapter, said at least one I/O adapter being allocated to said one of said plurality of partitions.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving, within one of said plurality of partitions, a request to execute a warm reboot of said one of said plurality of partitions.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises the step of halting I/O activity of said partition hardware.

13. A system for executing a reliable warm reboot of one of a plurality of partitions included in a logically partitioned data processing system, said system including partition hardware, comprising:

one of said plurality of partitions receiving a request to reboot said one of said plurality of partitions, said one of said plurality of partitions including multiple processors;

said partition hardware being set to a predetermined state prior to executing said request; and

said one of said plurality of partitions executing said reboot request.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

particular components of said partition hardware being allocated to said one of said plurality of partitions; and

said particular components of said partition hardware being set to a predetermined state prior to executing said request.

15. The system according to claim 13, further comprising said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions being reset.

16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a history of execution by said multiple processors being eliminating within each of said multiple processors.

17. The system according to claim 15, further comprising each one of said multiple processors being caused to cease to transmit I/O requests.

18. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

at least one I/O adapter being allocated to said one of said plurality of partitions; and

said at least one I/O adapter being reset.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a history of execution by said at least one I/O adapter being eliminating within said at least one I/O adapter.

20. The system according to claim 18, further comprising said at least one I/O adapter being caused to cease transmitting I/O requests.

21. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions being reset; and

said at least one I/O adapter being reset.

22. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

said partition hardware including a service processor;

said service processor for resetting said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions; and

said service processor for resetting said at least one I/O adapter, said at least one I/O adapter being allocated to said one of said plurality of partitions.

23. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

one of said plurality of partitions for receiving a request to execute a warm reboot of said one of said plurality of partitions.

24. The system according to claim 13, further comprising I/O activity of said partition hardware being halted.

25. A computer program product for executing a reliable warm reboot of one of a plurality of partitions included in a logically partitioned data processing system, said system including partition hardware, said computer program product comprising:

instruction means for receiving, within one of said plurality of partitions, a request to reboot said one of said plurality of partitions, said one of said plurality of partitions including multiple processors;

instruction means for setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request; and

instruction means for executing said reboot request within said one of said plurality of partitions.

26. The product according to claim 25, further comprising:

instruction means for allocating particular components of said partition hardware to said one of said plurality of partitions; and

instruction means for setting said particular components of said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request.

27. The product according to claim 25, wherein said instruction means for setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises instruction means for resetting said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions.

28. The product according to claim 27, wherein said instruction means for resetting said multiple processors further comprises instruction means for eliminating within each of said multiple processors a history of execution by said multiple processors.

29. The product according to claim 27, wherein said instruction means for resetting said multiple processors further comprises instruction means for causing each one of said multiple processors to cease transmitting I/O requests.

30. The product according to claim 25, further comprising:

instruction means for allocating at least one I/O adapter to said one of said plurality of partitions; and

wherein said instruction means for setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises instruction means for resetting said at least one I/O adapter.

31. The product according to claim 30, wherein said instruction means for resetting said at least one I/O adapter further comprises instruction means for eliminating within said at least one I/O adapter a history of execution by said at least one I/O adapter.

32. The product according to claim 30, wherein said instruction means for resetting said multiple processors further comprises instruction means for causing said at least one I/O adapter to cease transmitting I/O requests.

33. The product according to claim 25, wherein at least one I/O adapter has been allocated to said one of said partitions and further wherein said instruction means for setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises:

instruction means for resetting said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions; and

instruction means for resetting said at least one I/O adapter.

34. The product according to claim 25, further comprising:

instruction means for including within said partition hardware a service processor;

instruction means for resetting, utilizing said service processor, said multiple processors included in said one of said plurality of partitions; and

instruction means for resetting, utilizing said service processor, said at least one I/O adapter, said at least one I/O adapter being allocated to said one of said plurality of partitions.

35. The product according to claim 25, further comprising:

instruction means for receiving, within one of said plurality of partitions, a request to execute a warm reboot of said one of said plurality of partitions.

36. The product according to claim 25, wherein said instruction means for setting said partition hardware to a predetermined state prior to executing said request further comprises instruction means for halting I/O activity of said partition hardware.