Creating logical partitions

You can use the System i® Navigator wizard to create logical partitions on your server.

Before you start to create logical partitions on your system, see the logical partition planning information for assistance. For instructions on performing a full system backup, see Backing up your system,

Note: If you plan on partitioning a System i model with a Hardware Management Console (HMC), see the Partitioning the server information in the IBM® Systems Hardware Information Center.

To access logical partition functions in System i Navigator, you must first configure the service tools server. You need a service tools user ID with LPAR administrator authority.

Depending on the number of secondary partitions you plan to create, the primary partition's memory requirements might increase. If you have allocated minimum memory resources to your primary partition for its maximum memory configuration, you must add 8MB of memory to the minimum memory size of the primary partition before you create secondary partitions on your server. This increase is due to internal processing required to support the new partition.

If you do not have enough minimum memory to start the Primary partition, you might receive system reference code (SRC) 1 B600 5390. To increase the minimum memory for the Primary partition, you must reconfigure the Primary partition's memory. In the character-based interface, the system will provide suggested memory minimums in the partition configuration display screen. When you create a partition using System i Navigator, the System i Navigator checks the memory requirements and prompts you to fix them before restarting the system.

Attention: It is strongly recommended that you print the system configuration for all of your I/O resources that are allocated to all of the logical partitions, when your setup is complete.

If you have already added your server to the Systems with Partitions folder and you want to create a new logical partition on your system, follow these step:

To create a new logical partition using My Connections, follow these steps:

In System i Navigator, expand My Connections or your active environment.
Select the primary partition of the system.
Expand Configuration and Service and select Logical Partitions.
Right-click the physical system and select Configure Partitions. You are now working in the Configure Logical Partitions window.
Right-click the Physical System and select New Logical Partitions to start the wizard.

To create a new logical partition using the service tools window, follow these steps:

In System i Navigator, select My Connections or your active environment.
Select Open System i Navigator service tools window in the Taskpad window. If the Taskpad window is not displayed, select View and select Taskpad.
Enter the IP address of the service tool network interface to which you want to connect. Click OK.
You will be prompted for your Service Tools User ID and password.
Right-click Logical Partitions and select Configure Partitions. You are now working in the Configure Logical Partitions window.
Right-click the Physical System and select New Logical Partitions to start the wizard.

If this is the first time you are using System i Navigator to create a logical partition on this system, you first need to add your system to the Systems with Partitions folder using the following steps:

In System i Navigator, expand Management Central.
Right-click Systems with Partitions and select Add System. You must provide an IP address or system name of the system's primary partition you want to add.
The Service Device Sign-on window will ask for a service tool user ID and password.
Click Finish on the Add System panel.

When the system is added, follow these steps to use Management Central:

In System i Navigator, expand Management Central.
Expand Systems with Partitions.
Select the physical system where you want to create a new logical partition.
Right-click the physical system and select Configure Partitions. You are now working in the Configure Logical Partitions window.
Right-click the Physical System and select New Logical Partitions to start the wizard.

You will find detailed instructions and explanations in System i Navigator help topics.