Patent ID: 7496790
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method in a shared processor data processing system for coordinating error reporting for and resetting of a physical input/output adapter that supports virtualization, said method comprising: specifying a master partition that owns said physical input/output adapter; virtualizing, by said master partition, said physical input/output adapter by generating a plurality of virtual input/output adapters that each represent a portion of said physical input/output adapter; assigning, by said master partition, each one of said plurality of virtual input/output adapters to a different one of a plurality of client logical partitions, wherein each of said plurality of client logical partitions includes a device driver for accessing its assigned virtual input/output adapter; reporting to said master partition, by one of said plurality of client logical partitions, that said physical input/output adapter may have experienced an error; determining, by said master partition, whether said physical input/output adapter experienced an error, wherein determining whether said physical input/output adapter experienced an error comprises said master partition asking platform firmware to check hardware registers to determine whether said physical input/output adapter is in a freeze state, wherein said physical input/output adapter enters a freeze state when said physical input/output adapter experiences an error; and in response to determining that said physical input/output adapter experienced an error, said master partition notifying each of said plurality of client logical partitions that said physical input/output adapter experienced an error, and said master partition coordinating a recovery of said physical input/output adapter among all of said plurality of client logical partitions, wherein coordinating a recovery of said physical input/output adapter among all of said plurality of client logical partitions, comprises: