Apparatus and method for parallel installation of logical partitions

Abstract

An apparatus and method provide parallel installation of logical partitions on a computer system. The function of a hardware maintenance console is built into a logical partition configuration mechanism that resides in the system firmware. A virtual local area network (VLAN) is used by the logical partition configuration mechanism to define an I/O bridge that allows installing multiple logical partitions in parallel. Because multiple logical partitions may be installed in parallel, the time required to install logical partitions is greatly reduced.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 at least one processor;    a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and    a logical partition configuration mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the logical partition configuration mechanism installing in parallel a plurality of logical partitions on the apparatus.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism resides in system firmware in the memory.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism comprises a virtual local area network (VLAN) mechanism.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the VLAN mechanism comprises an I/O bridge that is used to route a plurality of network packets to corresponding installable bootable resources within the plurality of logical partitions.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism comprises a user interface that allows a user to define the plurality of logical partitions.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the user interface allows a user to define a map between a plurality of installable bootable resources in each logical partition and corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism begins installation in parallel of the plurality of logical partitions on the apparatus before installing any operating system on the apparatus.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the memory comprises Read-Only Memory (ROM).  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the installing in parallel a plurality of logical partitions on the apparatus comprises the steps of defining each logical partition and installing an operating system in each logical partition.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus comprising: 
 at least one processor;    a read-only memory coupled to the at least one processor;    system firmware residing in the read-only memory, the system firmware including a logical partition configuration mechanism that installs in parallel a plurality of logical partitions on the apparatus, wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism begins installation in parallel of the plurality of logical partitions on the apparatus before any operating system is installed on the apparatus, wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism comprises: 
 a virtual local area network (VLAN) mechanism that comprises an I/O bridge that is used to route a plurality of network packets to corresponding installable bootable resources within the plurality of logical partitions; and  
 a user interface that allows a user to define the plurality of logical partitions and to define a mapping between the installable bootable resources in each logical partition and corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in the VLAN.  
   
   
   
       11 . A computer-implemented method for installing a plurality of logical partitions on a computer apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (A) invoking a logical partition configuration mechanism to define the plurality of logical partitions; and    (B) installing in parallel the plurality of logical partitions.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein steps (A) and (B) are performed before installing any operating system on the computer apparatus.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of: 
 defining a virtual local area network (VLAN);    defining a map between a plurality of installable bootable resources in each logical partition and corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in the VLAN; and    the VLAN routing a plurality of network packets to corresponding installable bootable resources within the plurality of logical partitions.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein steps (A) and (B) are performed by code that resides in system firmware in the computer apparatus.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the defining of the plurality of logical partitions in step (A) comprises the steps of: 
 a user defining the plurality of logical partitions; and    the user defining a map between a plurality of installable bootable resources in each logical partition and corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for each of the plurality of installable bootable resources.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the installing in parallel the plurality of logical partitions comprises the steps of defining each logical partition and installing an operating system in each logical partition.  
   
   
       17 . A computer-implemented method for installing a plurality of logical partitions on a computer apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (A) a user invoking a firmware-based logical partition configuration mechanism to define the plurality of logical partitions before installation of any operating system on the computer apparatus, wherein the defining of the plurality of logical partitions comprises the steps of: 
 (A1) a user defining the plurality of logical partitions by selecting at least one installable bootable resource for each logical partition from a list of installable bootable resources on the computer apparatus; and  
 (A2) the user defining a map between installable bootable resources in each logical partition and corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses;  
   (B) defining a virtual local area network (VLAN); and    (C) the VLAN routing a plurality of network packets to corresponding installable bootable resources within the plurality of logical partitions.    
   
   
       18 . A program product comprising: 
 a logical partition configuration mechanism that installs in parallel a plurality of logical partitions on a computer apparatus; and    computer readable signal bearing media bearing the logical partition configuration mechanism.    
   
   
       19 . The program product of  claim 18  wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.  
   
   
       20 . The program product of  claim 18  wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.  
   
   
       21 . The program product of  claim 18  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism resides in system firmware.  
   
   
       22 . The program product of  claim 18  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism comprises a virtual local area network (VLAN) mechanism.  
   
   
       23 . The program product of  claim 22  wherein the VLAN mechanism comprises an I/O bridge that is used to route a plurality of network packets to corresponding installable bootable resources within the plurality of logical partitions.  
   
   
       24 . The program product of  claim 18  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism comprises a user interface that allows a user to define the plurality of logical partitions.  
   
   
       25 . The program product of  claim 24  wherein the user interface allows a user to define a map between a plurality of installable bootable resources in each logical partition and corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.  
   
   
       26 . The program product of  claim 18  wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism begins installation in parallel of the plurality of logical partitions on the apparatus before installing any operating system on the apparatus.  
   
   
       27 . The program product of  claim 18  wherein the installing in parallel the plurality of logical partitions on the apparatus comprises the steps of defining each logical partition and installing an operating system in each logical partition.  
   
   
       28 . A program product comprising: 
 (A) system firmware that includes a logical partition configuration mechanism that installs in parallel a plurality of logical partitions on a computer apparatus, wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism begins installation in parallel of the plurality of logical partitions on the computer apparatus before any operating system is installed on the computer apparatus, wherein the logical partition configuration mechanism comprises: 
 a virtual local area network (VLAN) mechanism that comprises an I/O bridge that is used to route a plurality of network packets to corresponding installable bootable resources within the plurality of logical partitions; and  
 a user interface that allows a user to define the plurality of logical partitions and to define a mapping between the installable bootable resources in each logical partition and corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in the VLAN; and  
   (B) computer readable signal bearing media bearing the system firmware.    
   
   
       29 . The program product of  claim 28  wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.  
   
   
       30 . The program product of  claim 28  wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.  
   
   
       31 . A method for deploying computing infrastructure, comprising: 
 invoking a logical partition configuration mechanism to define a plurality of logical partitions on a computer apparatus; and    installing in parallel the plurality of logical partitions.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 receiving a purchase request for the computer apparatus, the purchase request comprising specifications for the plurality of logical partitions; and    configuring the logical partitions responsive to the purchase request.