HP 9000 rp8440 HP-UX 11i v3 Dynamic nPartitions - Features and Configuration R - Page 3

Introduction This white paper introduces the Dynamic nPartitions feature that will debut with HP-UX 11i v3 Update 1. The nPartitions Background section summarizes the properties of nPartitions on HP-UX 11i before the update. The Dynamic nPartitions operations section explains the operations that make nPartitions dynamic. The Dynamic nPartitions commands section illustrates the invocation of the new Dynamic nPartitions commands. Finally, this paper concludes with Scenarios for Dynamic nPartitions and Configuration recommendations for Dynamic nPartitions to illustrate the value of Dynamic nPartitions and to show how to configure server complexes to realize the best value. Appendices cover an illustrated example of cell online migration, command sequences for Dynamic nPartitions scenarios, a transcript of a cell migration operation, troubleshooting hints, a glossary, and a table showing the servers that support Dynamic nPartitions. nPartitions Background Dynamic nPartitions functionality is an important extension of static nPartitions. Cell-based HP servers can be configured into multiple nPartitions of various sizes. The great value of cell-based servers is that they enable you to have incredible flexibility in configuration options. A server complex containing eight cells can be configured as a single nPartition containing all eight cells, eight independent single-cell nPartitions, or in any combination to suit the application workload. When the workload changes, the server complex can be repartitioned to contain a different number of independent nPartitions-each containing the optimal number of cells for its application. Before the introduction of Dynamic nPartitions operations, it was necessary to reboot a partition to change the cells contained in it. Dynamic nPartitions allows the composition of partitions to change online, while the nPartition continues to run its application workload, with no reboot or planned downtime needed. For more information on nPartitions, refer to the nPartition Administrator's Guide. The appendix Cellbased HP servers and Dynamic nPartitions lists the HP servers that can be configured for nPartitions. Dynamic nPartitions operations There are two basic Dynamic nPartitions operations: • Cell online activation • Cell online deactivation Cell online activation The cell online activation operation is used to activate an inactive cell while the nPartition containing it continues to run. For this operation to be possible, an nPartition must be running HP-UX 11i Update 1 and its supporting firmware, and that nPartition must contain a cell in the inactive state. Upon completion of the cell online activation operation, the processor and memory resources on the activated cell are available for use by the operating system and applications, and any I/O resources will be ready to be activated. Cell online deactivation The cell online deactivation operation is used to deactivate an active cell while the nPartition containing it continues to run. For this operation to be possible, an nPartition must be running HP-UX 11i v3 Update 1 and its supporting firmware, that nPartition must contain a cell that is eligible for deactivation, and any I/O resources on that cell must be inactive. Upon completion of the cell online deactivation operation, the processor and memory resources on the deactivated cell will no longer be used by the operating system or applications. 3