Patent ID: 7231504
Filing Date: 2007-06-12
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A system for managing loans of memory within a data processing system, comprising: a data processing system comprising a plurality of memory units enabled for a data processing system comprising a plurality of memory units enabled for allocation to a plurality of defined logical partitions; a partition manager for allocating a first selection of said plurality of memory units to at least one logical partition of allocated resources and for managing a memory pool of unallocated memory from among said plurality of memory units; said partition manager, responsive to receiving a request for a memory loan from said at least one logical partition, for loaning a second selection of said plurality of memory units from said memory pool to said at least one logical partition on the basis that said partition manager controls retrieval of said second selection of said plurality of memory units from said at least one logical partition at any time; and said partition manager, responsive to receiving a request to allocate a portion of said unallocated memory comprising said second selection of said plurality of memory units to a particular one of said plurality of defined logical partitions, for controlling retrieval of said second selection of said plurality of memory units from said at least one logical partition for allocation to said particular one of said plurality of defined logical partitions.