Patent ID: 7379983

Claim:
A method for controlling a merge process of a plurality of nodes into a single-partition merged system comprising: communicating by a user with a service processor of a predetermined boot node of the plurality of nodes to enter partition configuration information for the single-partition merged system, the partition configuration information specifying at least which of the plurality of nodes is to be a primary node of the single-partition merged system to be constructed and which of the plurality of nodes are to be secondary nodes of the single-partition merged system to be constructed; storing the partition configuration information by the service processor of the boot node; transmitting the partition configuration information for the single-partition merged system from the service processor of the boot node to service processors of predetermined secondary nodes of the plurality of nodes; and, storing the partition configuration information by the service processor of each of the secondary nodes, wherein the plurality of nodes are merged into the single-partition merged system that is configured based on the partition configuration information, each node having at least a primary processor other than the service processor of the node.