Setting the maximum number of virtual resources

You can use the Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM) to set the maximum number of virtual resources that are available on the managed system for use by the Virtual I/O Server. This value determines the maximum number of partitions that you can create on the managed system.

Before you start, ensure that your user role is not view only.

You can set the maximum number of virtual resources that are available on the managed system for use by the Virtual I/O Server, which determines the maximum number of partitions that you can create on the managed system. The managed system reserves a small amount of system memory to accommodate the maximum number of partitions that you specify.

The value for Configured maximum virtual resources is initially set by the firmware level of your managed system. This field displays the maximum number of virtual resources that the firmware currently supports and the corresponding maximum number of partitions that you can currently create based on this value. This number is an estimate that is based on the assumption that each client partition needs many virtual resources, for example, one virtual Serial adapter, two virtual SCSI adapters, and two virtual Fibre Channel adapters. However, if your client logical partitions use the minimum number of virtual resources (for example, one virtual Serial adapter and one virtual SCSI adapter), you can create more partitions than this number indicates.

The default maximum number of virtual resources for the system is determined by the firmware version of the managed system and the installed version of the Virtual I/O Server. This number is the same as the max_virtual_slots command attribute for the Virtual I/O Server partition. You can change this value by changing the value of the Maximum virtual resources after restart field. This setting takes effect after you restart the entire managed system. You might need to change this value if you are upgrading to the newest firmware version or the newest version of the Virtual I/O Server (2.1). If so, you might need to increase this value to ensure that you have enough virtual slots available for the Virtual I/O Server for assigning new device types, such as physical tape devices or virtual Fibre Channel adapters. For example, you might need to increase this value to configure more virtual Ethernet adapters for the Virtual I/O Server beyond the four that are provided for you by default. If you want to configure the partitions to use shared memory on a system that supports the PowerVM® Active Memory™ Sharing technology, you also might have to increase this value.

To set the maximum number of virtual resources, complete the following steps in the IVM web user interface:

  1. From the Partition Management menu, click View/Modify System Properties. The View/Modify System Properties page is displayed.
  2. In the Configured maximum virtual resources field, verify whether this value is the maximum number of virtual resources that you want to allow on this managed system. If it is not, change it as follows:
    1. Specify the maximum number of virtual resources that you want the server to have available in the Maximum virtual resources after restart field, and click OK.
    2. Open a virtual terminal session to the management partition.
    3. Restart the system. It can take a few minutes for the managed system to restart. Be sure to complete all of the setup steps before you restart the system. Otherwise, it may be necessary to restart the system again.
Parent topic: Configuring the management partition and client partitions
Previous topic: Changing memory and processor resources on the management partition
Next topic: Mirroring the Integrated Virtualization Manager management partition
Related information:
Opening a virtual terminal session for a partition
Shutting down partitions


Last updated: Thu, May 07, 2020