APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RESOURCE TRANSFERS IN A LOGICALLY PARTITIONED COMPUTER SYSTEM

摘要

A resource and partition manager of the preferred embodiments includes a lock mechanism that operates on a plurality of locks that control access to individual hardware resources. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to obtain a lock on a hardware resource when transferring control of the hardware resource to a logical partition that is powering on and when removing the hardware resource from a logical partition that is powering off. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to remove control of a hardware resource from, or return control to, an operating logical partition in order to facilitate hardware service operations on that hardware resource or on the physical enclosure in which it is contained. The preferred embodiments also include methods for releasing system resources and address bindings allocated to a hardware resource when control the hardware resource is removed from a logical partition.