Virtualized fibre channel adapter for a multi-processor data processing system

摘要

An enhanced fibre channel adapter with multiple queues for use by different server processors or partitions. For a non-partitioned server, the OS owns the adapter, controls the adapter queues, and updates the queue table(s). An OS operator can obtain information from the fibre channel network about the fibre channel storage data zones available to the physical fibre channel adapter port and can specify that one or more zones can be accessed by a specific processor or group of processors. The processor or group of processors is given an adapter queue to access the zone or zones of storage data. This queue is given a new World Wide Port Name or new N-Port ID Virtualization identifier, to differentiate this queue from another queue that might have access to a different storage data zone or zones. For a partitioned server, one partition owns the adapter, controls the adapter queues, and updates the queue table(s). The partition management tool can obtain information from the fibre channel network about the fibre channel storage data zones available. A system operator can assign one or more storage zones under a fibre channel storage adapter to a partition. Each partition that has access to a zone or zones under an adapter is given an adapter queue to access the zone or zones. This queue is given a new World Wide Port Name or new N-Port ID Virtualization identifier, to differentiate this queue from another queue that might have access to a different storage data zone or zones.