Partition Adjunct Service Scheduling via Donated Processor Quanta

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data processing systems require high overhead to provide services to logical partitions, often necessitating a full logical partition or embedding services in the hypervisor, which complicates the system and increases resource usage.

Innovation Solution

A partition adjunct is introduced as a new execution environment that allows services to be provided to logical partitions without requiring another full logical partition or embedding in the hypervisor, utilizing a processor quantum donated by the logical partition to process service requests efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a full logical partition is used to provide services to other logical partitions, then service functionality is improved, but system overhead and resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice functionalityVSAvoidsystem overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the logical partition into two distinct components: a client partition that donates processor resources and a service partition that consumes them. This segmentation allows service functionality to be provided without requiring a full logical partition, as the service partition can operate with donated resources rather than requiring its own dedicated processor quantum allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the processor quantum donation system) that enables resource transfer from client partition to service partition. This intermediary allows services to be provided without the traditional requirement of a full logical partition, as the service partition can obtain necessary processing resources through donation rather than requiring independent resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If services are embedded in the hypervisor, then service availability is improved, but hypervisor complexity and security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidhypervisor complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts service functionality from the hypervisor and places it in separate service partitions. This extraction maintains service availability while reducing hypervisor complexity, as the hypervisor no longer needs to contain service code but can instead facilitate service partition execution through the processor quantum donation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a full logical partition is created to provide services, then service capabilities are improved, but processor resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice capabilitiesVSAvoidprocessor resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where processor quanta are donated from client partitions to service partitions based on actual service needs. This dynamic approach allows service capabilities to be provided without the static overhead of a full logical partition, as resources are allocated on-demand rather than being permanently reserved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables client partitions to discard unused processor quanta and recover them by donating to service partitions. This mechanism reduces overall processor resource consumption while maintaining service capabilities, as resources are reused rather than remaining idle in underutilized logical partitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS9317453B2Client partition scheduling and prioritization of service partition work

Publication Date: 2016.04.19 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A method in a data processing system is provided for processing a service request of a client partition. The method includes: obtaining by a service partition of the data processing system the service request from the client partition, wherein both the client and service partitions execute above a hypervisor of the data processing system; and processing the service request by the service partition utilizing a processor quantum assigned to the client partition and donated by the client partition to the service partition. The client partition controls scheduling of the service partition by queuing the service request at the client partition until the client partition decides to proceed with execution of the service request by the service partition. In one implementation, the service partition is a partition adjunct of the data processing system, which utilizes donated virtual address space of the client partition.