Configuring a virtual Fibre Channel adapter

You can configure a virtual Fibre Channel adapter dynamically for a running logical partition using the Hardware Management Console (HMC).

A Linux logical partition supports the dynamic addition of virtual Fibre Channel adapters only if the DynamicRM tool package is installed on the Linux logical partition. To download the DynamicRM tool package, see the Service and productivity tools for Linux on POWER® systems website.

If you plan to configure a virtual Fibre Channel adapter for a logical partition that uses shared memory (hereafter referred to as a shared memory partition), you might need to adjust the amount of I/O entitled memory that is assigned to the shared memory partition before you configure the adapter:

If the I/O entitled memory mode of the shared memory partition is set to the auto mode, you do not need to take any action. When you configure the new virtual Fibre Channel adapter, the HMC automatically increases the I/O entitled memory of the shared memory partition to accommodate the new adapter.
If the I/O entitled memory mode of the shared memory partition is set to the manual mode, you must increase the I/O entitled memory that is assigned to the shared memory partition to accommodate the new adapter. For instructions, see Adding and removing I/O entitled memory dynamically to and from a shared memory partition.

When you dynamically configure a virtual Fibre Channel adapter on a client logical partition that uses Virtual I/O Server resources, the virtual Fibre Channel adapter is lost when you restart the logical partition because the partition profile does not include the virtual Fibre Channel adapter. You cannot add the virtual Fibre Channel adapter to a partition profile after you dynamically configure it on the logical partition because the virtual Fibre Channel adapter that you add to the partition profile is assigned a different pair of worldwide port names (WWPNs) than the virtual Fibre Channel adapter that you dynamically configured on the logical partition. If you want to include the virtual Fibre Channel adapter in a partition profile, then do not dynamically configure the virtual Fibre Channel adapter on the logical partition. Instead, create the virtual Fibre Channel adapter in a partition profile and then start the logical partition that uses that partition profile. For instructions, see Changing partition profile properties.

The HMC Classic interface is not supported in Hardware Management Console (HMC) Version 8.7.0, or later. The functions that were previously available in the HMC Classic interface are now available in the HMC Enhanced+ interface.

For more information about assigning virtual Fibre Channel storage to a logical partition when the HMC is at version 8.7.0, or later, see Assigning virtual Fibre Channel storage to a partition.

To configure a virtual Fibre Channel adapter dynamically for a running logical partition by using the HMC, follow these steps:

In the navigation pane, expand Systems Management > Servers.
Click the server on which the logical partition is located.
In the work pane, select the logical partition on which you want to configure the virtual Fibre Channel adapter.
From the Tasks menu, click Dynamic partitioning > Virtual Adapters. The Virtual Adapters window is displayed.
Click Actions > Create > Fibre Channel Adapter. The Create Virtual Fibre Channel Adapter window is displayed.
Enter the slot number for the virtual Fibre Channel adapter into the Adapter field.
Select the remote logical partition and enter the ID of the remote virtual Fibre Channel adapter as follows:
- If you create a virtual Fibre Channel adapter on the Virtual I/O Server logical partition, select the client logical partition that uses this server adapter to connect to a physical port on a physical Fibre Channel adapter. Then, enter the ID of the virtual Fibre Channel adapter on the client logical partition that uses this server adapter to connect to a physical port on a physical Fibre Channel adapter.
- If you create a virtual Fibre Channel adapter on a client logical partition, select the Virtual I/O Server logical partition that contains the virtual Fibre Channel adapter to which this client adapter connects. Then, enter the ID of the virtual Fibre Channel adapter on the Virtual I/O Server to which this client adapter connects.
Click OK to close the Create Virtual Fibre Channel Adapter window.
Click OK to close the Virtual Adapter window and create the virtual Fibre Channel adapter. If you create a virtual Fibre Channel adapter on a client logical partition, the HMC generates a pair of WWPNs for the virtual Fibre Channel adapter. If all of the WWPNs on the server are used, you can reset the WWPN prefix to add WWPNs to the server. For instructions, see Obtaining additional WWPNs for the server. After you reset the WWPN prefix, repeat this procedure to add a virtual Fibre Channel adapter to a client logical partition.

If you created a virtual Fibre Channel adapter on a Virtual I/O Server logical partition, complete the following tasks:

Access any existing partition profiles for the Virtual I/O Server logical partition and add the virtual Fibre Channel adapter to those partition profiles. The virtual Fibre Channel adapter is lost when you shut down the Virtual I/O Server logical partition and activate it using a partition profile that does not include the virtual Fibre Channel adapter.
Assign the virtual Fibre Channel adapter to a physical port on the physical Fibre Channel adapter that is connected to the physical storage that you want the associated client logical partition to access. For instructions, see Assigning the virtual Fibre Channel adapter to a physical Fibre Channel adapter.

Last updated: Fri, July 05, 2019