Assign I/O adapters (IOAs) to a logical partition

Learn how to assign your I/O adapters to logical partitions.

Before changing your hardware configuration, use the LPAR Validation Tool (LVT). This tool allows you to test the placement of i5/OS^® and logical partition hardware within the server to ensure that the placement is valid. The output generated from the LVT will validate the placement of hardware and ensure that your logical partition is configured properly. Refer to Logical Partition Link outside Information Center

for information on the LPAR Validation Tool (LVT).

Note: Incorrect placement of adapters for logical partitions could result in unpredictable behavior in the logical partition.

If you want to use real hardware devices like communication lines, disk units, internal tape and CD devices in a logical partition, you must assign the controlling IOAs explicitly to the logical partition. These instructions do not apply to virtual devices like virtual Ethernet, virtual disk, virtual CD, or virtual tape provided by a hosting i5/OS partition.

The logic to identifying IOAs is contained in the IOPs to which they are attached. For logical partitions, IOAs are not connected to IOPs so their identity may not be determined. In fact, card positions used by logical partitions will have one of these descriptions:

Empty position: IOA not yet installed.
Occupied position: IOA installed, but not yet assigned to a logical partition or not supported by the logical partition to which it is assigned.
Communication IOA: resource is a communication adapter and supported by the logical partition to which it is assigned.
Multiple Function IOA: resource is a multiple function adapter and supported by the logical partition to which it is assigned.
Disk Controller: resource is a disk controller and supported by the logical partition to which it is assigned.
Generic adapter: IOA installed and may be supported by the logical partition to which it is assigned.
Storage IOA: resource is a storage adapter and supported by the logical partition to which it is assigned.

Due to this non-specific identification, it is very important to note the logical and physical address of the card positions to be used by a logical partition.A logical partition must have access to the bus on which its IOAs reside. The only restriction is that if the bus is shared with an i5/OS partition, the i5/OS partition must own it, shared (own shared) and the logical partition must use it shared (use shared).

A logical partition must have access to the bus on which its IOAs reside. The only restriction is that if the bus is shared with an i5/OS partition, the i5/OS partition must own it, shared (own shared) and the logical partition must use it shared (use shared).

Change bus ownership type (for shared bus ownership)

To change the ownership for a bus, follow these steps:

In iSeries™ Navigator, expand My Connections or your active environment.
Select the primary partition of the server.
Expand Configuration and Service and select Logical Partitions.
Right-click the Logical Partition and select Configure Partitions. You are now working in the Configure Logical Partitions window.
Right-click the bus for which you want to change ownership and select Properties.
Select the Partitions page.
Select the partition that owns the bus in Owning logical partition, and then select the ownership type in Sharing. If the ownership type is shared, the partitions that share the bus appear in the list. Click Help if you need more information on these options.
Click OK.

Move an unassigned IOA to a logical partition

To move an unassigned IOA to a logical partition, follow these steps:

In iSeries Navigator, expand My Connections or your active environment.
Select the primary partition of the server.
Expand Configuration and Service and select Logical Partitions.
Right-click the Logical Partition and select Configure Partitions. You are now working in the Configure Logical Partitions window.
Right-click the IOA you want move and select Move.
Select the logical partition to receive the IOA in Move to -- Logical partition.
Click OK. The IOA you specified is now moved.

Move an unassigned IOA to an i5/OS partition

This requires the use of the Hardware Service Manager. If you are not familiar with this tool, contact your hardware service representative for assistance. This method should only be used by users who are familiar with the use of concurrent maintenance. Improper use of this method could cause the incorrect configuration of devices.

Note: This procedure should not run if any hardware is marked as failed. It should only be run when all server hardware is completely operational.

To move an unassigned IOA to an i5/OS partition, follow these steps:

In iSeries Navigator, expand My Connections or your active environment.
Select the primary partition of the server.
Expand Configuration and Service and select Logical Partitions.
Right-click the Logical Partition and select Configure Partitions. You are now working in the Configure Logical Partitions window.
Right-click the IOA you want move and select Move.
Select the logical partition to receive the IOA in Move to -- Logical partition.
Click OK to move the IOA you specified.
Verify the IOP belongs to the desired partition. If the IOP does not belong to the desired partition, move the IOP.
At the i5/OS command line type STRSST and press Enter.
From the Start Service Tools (STRSST) Sign On display, key a Service Tools user ID and password and press Enter.
From the System Service Tools (SST) display, select option 1 (Start a service tool) and press Enter.
From the Start a Service Tool display, select option 7 (Hardware service manager) and press Enter.
From the Packaging Hardware Resources display, select option 9 (Hardware contained within package) next to the System Unit or System Expansion Unit that contains the IOA and press Enter.
Select option 5 (Display Detail) next to the desired IOA and press Enter. Note the Resource name, Frame ID, and Card position.
Return to the Packaging Hardware Resource display, select option 3 (Concurrent maintenance) next to the IOA that you want to make available and press Enter.
From the Hardware Resource Concurrent Maintenance display, select option 9 (Work with controlling resource) next to the IOA selected and press Enter.
From the Controlling resource display, select option 7 (Assign to) next to the IOA and press Enter. Verify type/model, serial number and part number of the IOA.
From the Confirm Add I/O resources display, verify the desired IOA has been added by verifying the logical address and press Enter.
Select View to refresh the iSeries Navigator interface.
Right-click Physical System and select Recovery and Clear non-reporting partitioning resources.

Move an IOA assigned to an IOP to a logical partition

This action should be performed when the IOP can be removed from the logical partition.

To move an IOA assigned to an IOP to a logical partition, follow these steps:

Ensure that any devices attached to the I/O processor you want to move are not busy. The devices should be varied off and listed as unavailable hardware.
In iSeries Navigator, expand My Connections or your active environment.
Select the primary partition of the server.
Expand Configuration and Service and select Logical Partitions.
Right-click the Logical Partition and select Configure Partitions. You are now working in the Configure Logical Partitions window.
Select the partition that has the I/O processor you would like to move.
Right-click the I/O processor you want move and select Move.
Select the Remove hardware resource information from source partition box.
Select Unassigned Hardware in Move to -- Logical Partition to receive the IOP.
Click OK to move the IOP you specified.
Verify IOP is identified as Unassigned Hardware.
Right-click the IOA you want to move and select Move.
Select the logical partition to receive the IOA in Move to -- Logical Partition.
Click OK to move the IOA you specified.
Repeat steps 12-14 to move multiple IOAs.
Move the IOP back to the logical partition that owned it.

Assign an IOA assigned to an IOP to a logical partition

This action should be performed when the IOP cannot be removed from the logical partition.

At the i5/OS command line of the partition that owns the IOP to which the desired IOA is assigned, type STRSST and press Enter.
From the Start Service Tools (STRSST) Sign On display, key a Service Tools user ID and password and press Enter.
Note: The Service Tools user must have Administration authority.
From the System Service Tools (SST) display, select option 1 (Start a service tool) and press Enter.
From the Start a Service Tool display, select option 7 (Hardware service manager) and press Enter.
From the Hardware Service Manager display, select option 1 (Packaging hardware resources) and press Enter.
From the Packaging Hardware Resources display, select option 9 (Hardware contained within package) next to the System Unit or System Expansion Unit that contains the IOA and press Enter.
Select option 5 (Display Detail) next to the desired communication port and press Enter. Note the Resource name, Frame ID, and Card position.
Return to the Packaging Hardware Resource display, select option 3 (Concurrent maintenance) next to the communication port that you want to make available and press Enter.
Confirm the desired IOP/IOA connection is being relinquished by verifying the resource name and press Enter. The IOA is now no longer controlled by the IOP so it is identified as an "Occupied position." Subsequent steps are done using LPAR configuration screens.
At the i5/OS command line of the primary partition, type STRSST and press Enter.
From the Start Service Tools (STRSST) Sign On display, key a Service tools user ID and password and press Enter.
Note: LPAR Administration authority is needed to change the LPAR configuration.
From the System Service Tools (SST) display, select option 5 (Work with servers) and press Enter.
From the Work with System Partitions display, select option 1 (Display partition information).
From the Display Partition Information, select option 5 (Display server I/O resources).
From the Display System I/O Resources display, press F10 twice to see physical addresses (Frame ID and Card positions).
Locate the desired Occupied position using the Frame ID and card position. Press F10 twice to see ownership information and note it. The bus ownership should be shared. Press F10 three more times to see the associated logical address and note it.
Return to the Work with System Partitions display, select option 3 (Work with partition configuration) and press Enter.
From the Work with Partition Configuration display, select option 4 (Remove I/O resources) next to the partition that owns the desired Occupied position.
Note: This will be the owner of the bus on which it appears.
From the Remove I/O Resources display, select option 2 (Remove and clear hardware resources) next to the desired Occupied position and press Enter. The bus ownership should be shared.
From the Confirm Remove I/O Resources display, confirm the desired Occupied position has been removed by verifying the logical address and press Enter.
Return to the Work with Partition Configuration display, select option 3 (Add I/O resources) next to the logical partition to which you wish to add the Occupied position and press Enter.
From the Add I/O Resources display, select option 1 (Own dedicated) next to the Occupied position to be assigned to the logical partition. If the logical partition does not have access to the bus, select option 3 (Use bus shared) and a 1 next to the Occupied position.
From the Confirm Add I/O resources display, verify the desired IOA has been added by verifying the logical address and press Enter.
From the System Service Tools (SST) display, select option 5 (Work with servers) and press Enter.
From the Work with System Partitions display, select option 4 (Recover configuration data) and press Enter.
From the Recover Configuration Data display, select option 4 (Clear non-reporting logical partitioning resources) and press Enter.

Refer to Linux for iSeries Link outside Information Center

for the latest updates to Linux running on an iSeries.