Patent ID: 7464209
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for managing a plurality of PCI adapter slots in a computer system that includes a plurality of logical partitions, the method comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of PCI adapter slot locks, wherein each of the plurality of PCI adapter slots has a corresponding PCI adapter slot lock; controlling access to each PCI adapter slot by the plurality of logical partitions by requiring exclusive ownership of the corresponding PCI adapter slot lock before transferring control of the corresponding PCI adapter slot to one of the plurality of logical partitions; unbinding all memory and virtual address bindings and preventing the establishment of new bindings to an adapter in a selected PCI adapter slot when control of the selected PCI adapter slot is removed from one of the plurality of logical partitions if the memory and virtual address bindings have not been previously unbound; transferring control of the selected PCI adapter slot to a resource and partition manager when control of the selected PCI adapter slot is removed from one of the plurality of logical partitions; transferring control of a selected PCI adapter slot to one of the plurality of logical partitions when control of the selected PCI adapter slot is transferred to the one logical partition; enabling memory and virtual address bindings to the adapter in the selected PCI adapter slot when control of the selected PCI adapter slot is transferred to one of the plurality of logical partitions; one of the plurality of logical partitions relinquishing control of a PCI adapter slot that the one logical partition owns without relinquishing ownership of the PCI adapter slot; and the one logical partition regaining control of the PCI adapter slot that the logical partition owns but for which the one logical partition previously relinquished control.