Patent ID: 7904564
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for providing access to block storage, the computer implemented method comprising: monitoring, by an orchestrator executing on a hardware management console, a migration setting for a client executing on a first partition of a plurality of partitions of a first logical partitioned data processing system, wherein the client is at least one of a process and a program, wherein the hardware management console executes on a separate data processing system from the first logical partitioned data processing system, wherein a source virtual input/output server executes on a second partition of the first logical partition data processing system, wherein the source virtual input/output server provides access to the client to a block storage through a server adapter within the second partition, wherein the client accesses the block storage by sending access requests from a client adapter in the first partition to the server adapter in the second partition, wherein the server adapter accesses the block storage and returns results to the client adapter; responsive to the orchestrator detecting the client is scheduled for migration to a fourth partition of a second logical partitioned data processing system separate from the first logical partitioned data processing system, identifying the source virtual input/output server in the first logical partitioned data processing system for the client and requesting parameters used by the source virtual input/output server to provide the client access to the block storage, wherein the parameters comprise a virtual object that describes said server adapter and a block object that describes said block storage; responsive to the orchestrator receiving the parameters from the source virtual input/output server, identifying an unchecked target virtual input/output server executing in a third partition on the second logical partitioned data processing system; querying, by the orchestrator, the target virtual input/output server with the parameters to determine whether access to the block storage is available through the target virtual input/output server; responsive to the orchestrator receiving an indicator from the target virtual input/output server that access is available, locking, by the orchestrator, the source virtual input/output server; requesting, by the orchestrator, current parameters used by the source virtual input/output server after the source virtual/input output is locked; responsive to the orchestrator receiving the current parameters from the target virtual input/output server, recreating, by the orchtestrator, a same access for the client to the block storage through the target virtual input/output server located on the second logical partitioned data processing system in the third partition using the current parameters by sending a request to the target virtual input/output server to configure a target virtual adapter in the third partition with the current parameters to provide the client access to the block storage when the client is migrated to a fourth partition in the second logical partitioned data processing system; and responsive to the orchestrator receiving a confirmation that the target virtual adapter is set up, reporting the set up to enable migration of the client to the fourth partition in the second logical partitioned data processing system without terminating execution of the client, wherein the client accesses the block storage through the target virtual adapter of the target virtual input/output server located in the third partition in the same manner as the client accessed the block storage when located in the first partition.