Shutting down IBM i logical partitions by using Operations Console

You can shut down IBM® i logical partitions by using Operations Console.

Before you shut down the IBM i logical partition, complete the following:

  1. If an integrated server is active on the system, shut down the integrated server by using IBM i options.
  2. Ensure that all jobs are completed and all applications are ended.
  3. Ensure that your partition profiles are updated with any dynamic partitioning resource changes that you want to keep when you restart the logical partition.

The correct way to shut down a logical partition is by using the control language (CL) command Power® Down System (PWRDWNSYS).

From an IBM i command line, type PWRDWNSYS OPTION (*CNTRLD) DELAY (600) and press Enter. The system will only shut down the IBM i logical partition you selected. The PWRDWNSYS command does not affect other IBM i logical partitions on your system.

If you enter the PWRDWNSYS command with the RESTART(*YES) option, the operating system restarts, and the resource specifications of the logical partition remain the same. If you do not use the RESTART(*YES) option, then the logical partition shuts down completely, and other logical partitions will be able to take and use the resources that were used by the logical partition. Also, when you reactivate the logical partition using a partition profile, the partition profile overlays the resource specifications of the logical partition with the resource specifications in the partition profile. Any resource changes that you made to the logical partition using dynamic partitioning are lost when you reactivate the logical partition using a partition profile. If the logical partition is set to start automatically when the managed system starts, you can preserve the resource specifications on that logical partition by restarting the entire managed system using the Partition autostart power-on mode. When the logical partitions start automatically, the logical partitions have the resource specifications that the logical partitions had when you shut down the managed system.

If the PWRDWNSYS command does not work, you can use the remote control panel through Operations Console to use control panel functions through a PC. The graphical user interface of the remote control panel looks similar to the physical control panel. The remote control panel installs through Operations Console. Using the remote control panel to shut down the IBM i logical partition can result in an abnormal IPL and loss of data.

Delayed shutdown

Use delayed shutdown only when you must shut down a logical partition, and when the PWRDWNSYS command does not work.

When you use the delayed shutdown option, the logical partition waits a predetermined amount of time to shut down. This allows the logical partition time to end jobs and write data to disks. If the logical partition is unable to shut down within the predetermined amount of time, it will end abnormally and the next restart might take a long time.

Immediate shutdown

Use immediate shutdown only when an IBM i logical partition cannot shut down using PWRDWNSYS or delayed shutdown.

When you use the immediate shutdown option, the system turns off without any preset delay.

Attention: This might cause an abnormal IPL of the IBM i logical partition and possibly cause loss of data.

Use the remote control panel to perform a delayed shutdown or an immediate shutdown. The power button will start a delayed shutdown and function 8 will start an immediate shutdown of a system.