Patent ID: 8185870

Claim:
A computer implemented method for managing a software partition in logical partitioned data processing system, the computer implemented method comprising the steps of: creating a virtual root process for the software partition, wherein the virtual root process functions as a root process for the software partition; and responsive to termination of a process having a set of child processes, re-parenting the set of child processes to the virtual root process by retrieving a first data structure for the virtual root process and assigning the set of child processes to the virtual root process using the first data structure, wherein the virtual root process exits after the set of child processes completes execution, the first data structure includes a process identifier and a virtual process identifier, the set of child processes includes a child process, and assigning the set of child processes to the virtual root process using the first data structure includes adding the process identifier in the first data structure as a parent identifier in a second data structure for the child process and adding the virtual process identifier in the first data structure as a virtual parent identifier in the second data structure for the child process.