Patent ID: 7581046

Claim:
A multi-image hardware access device, comprising: at least one data processing server configured to operate a first virtual server including a first image and a second virtual server including a second image, each of the first and second images generating a device request message, each device request message including a device request and a requesting image identification; a first communication adapter connected to the at least one data processing server, the first communication adapter communicating with the first and second images; and a support system including a second communication adapter connected to the first communication adapter, said second communication adapter including an adapter access register, a queue and a master lock register, the second communication adapter receiving the device request messages generated by said first and second images, placing the requesting image identifications in the adapter access register, placing the device requests in the queue, and placing a master lock identification in the master lock register, the master lock identification identifying the image that generated the first received device request message; wherein the support system is managed by only the image identified by the master lock identification.