HP Integrity BL870c Server-Blade - Manual (Page 21)

Tools for configuring nPartitions – use cases
As noted in Chapters 2 and 3, the only mechanism for employing partition configuration changes
is provided on the Domain management processor (DMP) within the Blade Link Domain. This is in
contrast with the Superdome 2 system architecture which uses an interface on the OA for partition
management.
Partitioning use cases
This section discusses the following partitioning use cases:
•
Case A: Creating a new partition
•
Case B: Scaling down
•
Case C: Scaling up
•
Case E: Physical blade swap
•
Case H: Scaling up via a blade upgrade
The remaining cases (not discussed in this section) are:
•
Case D: Invoking the nPartition configuration menu without changing the partition assignment
is covered in chapter 3.
•
Case G: Blade isolation of a fault is covered in Chapter 9.
•
Case F: Restoring settings of a previously active partition is covered in Chapter 6.
In the process of moving blades from one partition to another by using the nPar configuration
menu, we use the terminology of unassign and assign:
•
Unassign: Electrically moving a blade out of an existing partition.
•
Assign: Electrically moving a blade into new or existing partition.
•
Re-assign: represents the combined actions of Unassign and Assign.
For the Blade Link Domain architecture, all blades are assigned to a partition as an end state.
Case A: Creating a new nPartition
To create a new partition the system administrator re-assigns blade resources from an existing
nPartition to create a new nPartition; for example, AA becomes AB or AAAA could be redefined
as AACC. Here, partitions B and C are newly created, and Partition A is scaled down.
System setting
Each blade assigned to a new partition will be initialized to a factory default state for system
variables, viewable at EFI.
Please see Chapter 3 for DMP settings and Chapter 6 for iLO and system settings.
VC profiles
Please see Chapter 7 for Virtual Connect (VC) behavior associated with creating a new partition.
Case B: Scaling down the nPartition size (shrinking)
This case describes decreasing the number of blades within the given nPartition. The system
administrator reduces the resources assigned to an nPartition as they are no longer needed and
can be used elsewhere.
The iLO nPartition configuration menu is used to reassign the blade resources to one or more new
partitions.
Tools for configuring nPartitions – use cases 21