Patent ID: 7987464
Filing Date: 2011-07-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for allocating processor cores in a heterogeneous multi-core processor, the method comprising: creating a first virtual processor of a first type by allocating, by partition management software, a first portion of a first physical processor of the first type included in a first set of processors of the first type to a first partition in the heterogeneous multi-core processor; creating a second virtual processor of the first type by allocating, by the partition management software, a second portion of the first physical processor of the first type to a second partition in the heterogeneous multi-core processor; creating a first virtual processor of a second type by allocating, by the partition management software, a first portion of a first physical processor of the second type of a second set of processors of the second type to the first partition; creating a second virtual processor of the second type by allocating, by the partition management software, a second portion of the first physical processor of the second type to the second partition; causing, by the first virtual processor of the second type, a first processor of the first type exception that is intended to be delivered to the first virtual processor of the first type, wherein the first processor of the first type exception is delivered to the first physical processor of the first type; in response to the first processor of the first type exception, determining a logical partitioning environment selector setting; in response to the logical partitioning environment selector setting being a first value: in response to the logical partitioning environment selector setting being a second value: determining, by the partition management software, if the first physical processor of the first type is currently allocated to the first partition that is associated with the first virtual processor of the second type by comparing a logical partition identifier associated with the first virtual processor of the second type with a logical partition identifier associated with the particular partition to which the first physical processor of the first type is currently allocated; and in response to the first physical processor of the first type being currently allocated to the second partition, scheduling the first partition on the first physical processor of the first type and delivering the exception to an operating system that is being executed by the first partition.