Patent ID: 7398328

Claim:
A method of identification of an input/output transaction source in a data processing system that includes a plurality of different system images, each one of the plurality of system images independently executing an operating system, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: assigning a different first unique identifier to each one of the plurality of system images, wherein each first unique identifier identifies only one system image; creating a plurality of different virtual adapters that each contain a different set of resources of a physical adapter; associating each one of the plurality of virtual adapters with one of the plurality of system images; for each one of the plurality of virtual adapters: assigning a second unique identifier to the virtual adapter, wherein the set of resources contained by the virtual adapter is identified using the second unique identifier; and collectively manipulating the set of resources contained by the virtual adapter using the second unique identifier that identifies the virtual adapter; originating, from particular of the plurality of system images, an input/output transaction that is directed to a particular one of the plurality of virtual adapters that is associated with the particular one of the plurality of system images; adding, by an entity of a host data processing system to the input/output transaction, a particular first unique identifier that is assigned to the particular one of the plurality of system images; adding, by the entity to the input/output transaction, a memory address to which the input/output transaction is targeted; and conveying the input/output transaction to the physical adapter for processing, wherein the particular first unique identifier that is included in the input/output transaction is used by the physical adapter to identify the particular one of the plurality of system images.