Patent ID: 6834340
Filing Date: 2004-12-21
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for managing system firmware in a data processing system having a plurality of logical partitions, said data processing system including partitioned hardware that includes a plurality of devices, each one of said plurality of devices being assigned to one of said plurality of logical partitions, each one of said plurality of logical partitions executing a different one of a plurality of operating systems, each one of said plurality of operating systems being able to access only ones of said plurality of devices that are assigned to one of said plurality of partitions that is executing said one of said plurality of operating systems, the method comprising the steps of:during a reboot of said data processing system iii a logically partitioned mode; responsive to a request to update the system firmware from a first logical partition within the plurality of logical partitions in the data processing system, determining whether the first logical partition within the plurality of logical partitions is present in the data processing system; determining whether the first logical partition has authority to update the system firmware; responsive to a determination that the first logical partition has authority to update the system firmware, determining that the first logical partition has service authority; responsive to determining a first logical partition within the plurality of logical partitions is present in the data processing system and has service authority, updating the system firmware from the first logical partition in the data processing system; and inhibiting starting of additional partitions within the plurality of logical partitions in the data processing system until the system firmware update from the first logical partition is complete.