Subscribe to this informationTagged resources for IBM i logical partitions
When you create an IBM® i logical partition using the Hardware Management Console (HMC), you must tag I/O adapters (IOAs) to perform specific functions for the IBM i logical partition.
A tagged resource is an IOA that is selected because it controls a device that performs a specific function for a logical partition. The HMC and the IBM i operating system use this tagging to locate and use the correct I/O device for each I/O function. For example, when you create an IBM i partition profile, you must tag the I/O device that you want the IBM i logical partition to use as its load source. The tag allows the HMC to locate the load source when you activate the logical partition using the partition profile.
You can tag the IOA that controls the I/O device that you want to use. Tagging the IOA allows you to specify the exact I/O device that you want to use.
The following table lists and describes the device types that are tagged and indicates whether you must tag the device type for IBM i logical partitions.
| Device | Description | Tagging required for IBM i logical partitions? |
|---|---|---|
| Alternate restart device | This device can be a tape drive or an optical device. The media in the alternate restart device is what the system uses to start from when you perform a D-mode initial program load (IPL). The alternate restart device loads the Licensed Internal Code that is contained on the removable media instead of the code on the load source disk unit. | Yes |
| Logical partition console | The first workstation that the system activates in the logical partition and the only device it activates on a manual IPL. The logical partition assumes that a console is always available for use. | Yes (if you are using a console device other than the HMC) |
| Load source disk unit | Each IBM i logical partition must have 1 disk unit designated as the load source. The system uses the load source to start the logical partition. The system always identifies this disk unit as unit number 1. | Yes |
If you use the Virtual Partition Manager to create logical partition on your managed system, you do not have to tag I/O devices for these I/O functions. The IBM i logical partition automatically owns all physical I/O resources on the managed system, and the Virtual Partition Manager automatically tags the I/O device to use for each I/O function. The Virtual Partition Manager tags I/O devices for I/O functions based upon server model and location within the server. If you are partitioning a new server using the Virtual Partition Manager and have ordered the server with preinstalled IBM i, then you do not have to verify the placement of I/O devices within your new server. Otherwise, use the System Planning Tool (SPT) to verify the placement of I/O devices within your server before using the Virtual Partition Manager to create logical partitions on the server.
