Service partition

If you are using the Hardware Management Console (HMC) to manage systems and the HMC becomes unavailable, then you can use the service partition to perform service-related tasks on systems.

The service partition is the i5/OS® logical partition on an IBM® eServer™ i5 server that you can configure to apply server firmware updates to the service processor or to the POWER Hypervisor™ and to communicate server common hardware errors to IBM. These abilities are useful if the HMC is undergoing maintenance or is otherwise unable to perform these functions. The preferred method for applying server firmware updates and communicating server common hardware errors to IBM is by using the HMC.

Server common hardware errors include errors in processors, memory, power subsystems, the service processor, the system unit vital product data (VPD), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), I/O unit bus transport (RIO and PCI), clustering hardware, and switch hardware. Server common hardware errors do not include errors in I/O processors (IOPs), I/O adapters (IOAs), or I/O device hardware. These I/O hardware errors are handled by i5/OS on the logical partition to which the I/O hardware belongs.

IBM System p5®, eServer p5, and IBM eServer OpenPower® servers do not have a service partition. If an IBM System p5, eServer p5, and IBM eServer OpenPower server is managed by an HMC, then you must use the HMC to update the server firmware, and the server can contact service and support only through the HMC. If you use an HMC to manage IBM System p5, eServer p5, and IBM eServer OpenPower servers, then use a backup HMC to ensure that the servers have redundant methods for contacting service and support and for applying fixes.

Servers that are managed using the Integrated Virtualization Manager do not have a service partition designation. The Virtual I/O Server logical partition automatically has service authority on servers that are managed using the Integrated Virtualization Manager.

Servers that are managed using the Virtual Partition Manager do not have a service partition designation. The i5/OS logical partition automatically has service authority on servers that are managed using the Virtual Partition Manager.

You can designate only one logical partition at a time as the service partition for your managed system. The service partition for your IBM eServer i5 server must be an i5/OS logical partition.

You must designate a service partition on a server only after you use the HMC to create, change, delete, copy, or activate any logical partitions on the managed system. You can set up the operating system on an unpartitioned server to contact service and support, and you can use the operating system on an unpartitioned server to apply server firmware updates.

If you want to configure your service partition to communicate errors to IBM, then the service partition should have a physical network connection that can reach IBM if the HMC is unavailable. Otherwise, there are no special hardware requirements for your service partition (apart from the hardware requirements for the operating system and for the normal workload of the service partition). The performance of the service partition is not affected when the service partition reports errors or performs service-related functions on the managed system.

The best candidate for a service partition is a logical partition that is running a set of applications that are not likely to cause the logical partition to fail. This increases the chances that the service partition will be available if there is a problem.

For more information about how to designate a logical partition as the service partition, see Designating the service partition for your managed system.

For more information about how your server helps you and service and support to quickly and accurately manage problems, see Overview of service and support.