Introduction; Npartitions Background; Dynamic Npartitions Operations; Cell Online Activation - HP Integrity rx7620 Configuration

Introduction

This white paper introduces the Dynamic nPartitions feature that will debut with HP-UX 11i v3 Update
1. The

nPartitions Background

the update. The

Dynamic nPartitions operations

dynamic. The
Dynamic nPartitions commands
nPartitions commands. Finally, this paper concludes with
Configuration recommendations for Dynamic nPartitions
show how to configure server complexes to realize the best value. Appendices cover an illustrated
example of cell online migration, command sequences for Dynamic nPartitions scenarios, a transcript
of a cell migration operation, troubleshooting hints, a glossary, and a table showing the servers that
support Dynamic nPartitions.
nPartitions Background
Dynamic nPartitions functionality is an important extension of static nPartitions. Cell-based HP servers
can be configured into multiple nPartitions of various sizes. The great value of cell-based servers is
that they enable you to have incredible flexibility in configuration options. A server complex
containing eight cells can be configured as a single nPartition containing all eight cells, eight
independent single-cell nPartitions, or in any combination to suit the application workload. When the
workload changes, the server complex can be repartitioned to contain a different number of
independent nPartitions—each containing the optimal number of cells for its application. Before the
introduction of Dynamic nPartitions operations, it was necessary to reboot a partition to change the
cells contained in it. Dynamic nPartitions allows the composition of partitions to change online, while
the nPartition continues to run its application workload, with no reboot or planned downtime needed.
For more information on nPartitions, refer to the
based HP servers and Dynamic nPartitions
Dynamic nPartitions operations
There are two basic Dynamic nPartitions operations:

Cell online activation

Cell online deactivation

Cell online activation
The cell online activation operation is used to activate an
continues to run. For this operation to be possible, an nPartition must be running HP-UX 11i Update 1
and its supporting firmware, and that nPartition must contain a cell in the inactive state. Upon
completion of the cell online activation operation, the processor and memory resources on the
activated cell are available for use by the operating system and applications, and any I/O resources
will be ready to be activated.
Cell online deactivation
The cell online deactivation operation is used to deactivate an
containing it continues to run. For this operation to be possible, an nPartition must be running HP-UX
11i v3 Update 1 and its
deactivation, and any I/O resources on that cell must be inactive. Upon completion of the cell online
deactivation operation, the processor and memory resources on the deactivated cell will no longer be
used by the operating system or applications.
section summarizes the properties of nPartitions on HP-UX 11i before
section explains the operations that make nPartitions
section illustrates the invocation of the new Dynamic
nPartition Administrator's
lists the HP servers that can be configured for nPartitions.
supporting firmware, that nPartition must contain a cell that is eligible for
Scenarios for Dynamic nPartitions
to illustrate the value of Dynamic nPartitions and to
Guide. The appendix
while the nPartition containing it
inactive cell
while the nPartition
active cell
and
Cell-
3