Obtaining additional WWPNs for the server using the HMC

When all of the worldwide port names (WWPNs) on the server are used, you can add more WWPNs to the server using the Hardware Management Console (HMC). Adding WWPNs allows you to create additional virtual fibre channel adapters on client logical partitions that use virtual resources provided by the Virtual I/O Server.

The server contains 32 000 pairs of WWPNs that all contain the same 6–digit prefix. Each virtual fibre channel adapter that you create on a client logical partition requires one pair of WWPNs. When all of the WWPNs on the server are used, you cannot create additional virtual fibre channel adapters on any client logical partitions until you add more WWPNs to the server. You add more WWPNs to the server by generating an activation code that contains a new WWPN prefix that contains 32 000 new pairs of WWPNs.

To obtain additional WWPNs for the server, complete the following steps from the HMC:

Retrieve information about the server:
1. In the navigation pane, expand Systems Management and click Servers.
2. In the work pane, select the server to which you want to add WWPNs.
3. From the Tasks menu, click Capacity On Demand (CoD) > Other Advanced Functions > View Code Information. The CoD Advanced Functions Code Information window is displayed.
4. Click Save to save the information to a file on a remote system or to media, and click OK.
Go to the Capacity on Demand Web site and enter the information that you retrieved in step 1 to generate an activation code.
Apply the activation code that you obtained in step 2 to the server:
1. In the navigation pane, expand Systems Management and click Servers.
2. In the work pane, select the server to which you want to add WWPNs.
3. From the Tasks menu, click Capacity On Demand (CoD) > Other Advanced Functions > Enter Activation Code. The Enter Activation Code window is displayed.
4. Enter the activation code that obtained in step 2 and click OK.
Verify that the activation code that you entered in step 3 was applied to the server:
1. In the navigation pane, expand Systems Management and click Servers.
2. In the work pane, select the server to which you want to add WWPNs.
3. From the Tasks menu, click Capacity On Demand (CoD) > Other Advanced Functions > View History Log. The CoD Advanced Functions Activation History Log window is displayed.
4. Verify that there is a log entry for entering the CoD advanced functions activation code and click Close.

After you finish, you can create virtual fibre channel adapters on client logical partitions and dynamically add virtual fibre channel adapters to client logical partitions.