Changing partition properties and capabilities

You can view and change the partition name, view general properties of the partition, and change the virtualization capabilities by using the Hardware Management Console (HMC).

Before you begin

You can view the following general properties:

Type, version, and IP address of the operating system.
Machine type and serial number of the system.
Resource configuration of a logical partition. It indicates whether all the resources that are necessary to activate the partition are available. When the Resource Configuration field displays Configured, the partition can be activated by using the current configuration. When the Resource Configuration field displays Not Configured and the partition has a last valid configuration profile, that profile is used to activate the partition. Otherwise, the partition can be activated by using a profile.

Note: When a user, who has access to the partition but does not have access to the partition profile tries to view the properties of the partition, the user is prompted to Apply Partition Configuration, before proceeding to view and manage the partition.

You can view or change the partition name and keylock position, add a description, and assign group tags. Additionally, if the managed system supports virtual serial number (VSN) and the managed system is not in the Enterprise Pool 2.0, you can view and manage the virtual serial number for the logical partition.

Virtualization capabilities of a partition include the following features:

Live partition mobility: Live Partition Mobility is a component of the PowerVM® Enterprise Edition hardware feature that enables moving AIX®, IBM® i, and Linux® partitions from one system to another. The mobility process transfers the system environment, including the processor state, memory, attached virtual devices, and connected users.; With the active partition mobility feature, you can move AIX, IBM i, and Linux partitions that are running, including the operating system and applications, from one system to another. The partition and the applications that run on that migrated partition do not need to be shut down.; With the inactive partition mobility feature, you can move a powered off AIX, IBM i, or Linux partition from one system to another. For more information on live partition mobility, see Partition Mobility.; You cannot migrate an IBM i partition that is configured with SR-IOV logical ports when the IBM i partition is in the Restricted I/O Partition mode.; You cannot migrate a logical partition that is configured with virtual Persistent Memory (PMEM) devices.

Simplified Remote Restart

When this capability is enabled, the partition state and partition configuration data is automatically stored on an HMC that manages the server. Any change to the partition configuration or profile is automatically synchronized with the data that is stored on the HMC. You can enable or disable the simplified remote restart capability only when the partition is in an inactive state.

Note: When the HMC is at Version 8.6.0, or later, and the firmware is at level FW860, or later, you can enable or disable the simplified version of the remote restart capability when the logical partition is in the Running state. The logical partition must not be in the Suspended, Resuming, Migrating, or Remote Restarting states.

This option is available only when the server is enabled with PowerVM Enterprise Edition and the level of firmware on your server supports the simplified remote restart capability. If a managed system is PowerVM Partition Simplified Remote Restart Capable, the page displays the option to manage a simplified remote restart partition only.

The partition and profile data, referred to as remote restart data, is stored on the HMC hard drive for partitions that are simplified remote restart capable. For more information on the different states of the remote restart operation, see Remote Restart State.

You cannot enable the Simplified Remote Restart (SRR) capability if the SR-IOV logical ports are already assigned to an IBM i partition that is in the Restricted I/O Partition mode.

You cannot enable the Simplified Remote Restart (SRR) capability if the logical partition is configured with virtual Persistent Memory (PMEM) devices.

Note: If the system key for encrypting the platform keystore data is not a user-defined key, then you cannot create a logical partition with both the platform keystore and simplified remote restart (SRR) capabilities enabled.

About this task

To view and change the properties and capabilities of the partition by using the HMC, complete the following steps:

Procedure

In the navigation pane, click the Resources icon .
Click All Systems. The All Systems page is displayed.
In the work pane, select the partition for which you want to view or change the properties and capabilities and click Actions > View Partition Properties. The Properties page is displayed. You can view and change the properties that are listed under the Properties area.
In the Properties area, click Properties > General Properties to view and change the properties of the selected partition.
Enter a name in the Partition Name field to change the name of the partition.
Select the Key Lock Position to be either Manual or Normal.
Enter an optional description in the Description field to further identify the logical partition.
In the Group Tags field, select from the list of available tag assignments for the groups to which the partition belongs. If the partition does not belong to any group, the group tags list is empty.
If the managed system supports virtual serial number (VSN) and the managed system is not in the Enterprise Pool 2.0, you can view and manage the virtual serial number for the logical partition in the Virtual Serial Number field as described in the following sections:
1. When the logical partition is in Running state, you can only view the virtual serial number. If the virtual serial number is assigned to the logical partition, the Virtual Serial Number field displays the virtual serial number. No VSN is displayed in the Virtual Serial Number field if the virtual serial number is not assigned to the logical partition.
2. When the logical partition is in Not activated state, you can view and modify the virtual serial number.
  - If the virtual serial number is assigned to the logical partition, the Virtual Serial Number field displays the virtual serial number. Click and enable the No VSN check box if you do not want to assign the virtual serial number to the logical partition.
  - If the virtual serial number is not assigned to the logical partition, the Virtual Serial Number field displays the following options:
    - No VSN: Select No VSN option if you do not want to assign the virtual serial number to the logical partition.
    - Auto-assign: Select Auto-assign option if you want the system to automatically assign a virtual serial number to the logical partition.
    - Select from pool: Choose the Select from pool option if you want to manually assign a virtual serial number to the logical partition. Click Select VSN to open the Virtual Serial Numbers window. The window lists the virtual serial number groups and the available virtual serial number that can be assigned to the logical partition. Select a virtual serial number from the list. Click OK to apply the changes. Alternatively, click Cancel to reject the changes and to close the window.
Note: When the Power® firmware is at level FW950 and if the managed system already have logical partitions to which the virtual serial number is assigned, the logical partition cannot be added to the Enterprise Pool 2.0. Alternatively, if the managed system is already in the Enterprise Pool 2.0, then the managed system cannot assign a virtual serial number to the logical partition.
Click Save to apply the changes. Alternatively, click Cancel to reject the changes and to close the page.