Currently shipping versions:

• HP-UX 11i v1 Virtual Partitions v A.03.05
  
• HP-UX 11i v2 Virtual Partitions v A.04.05
  
• HP-UX 11i v3 Virtual Partitions v A.05.03

HP UX Virtual Partitions (vPars) software partitioning product carves up an individual hard partition or server into several smaller virtual servers, each with their own operating system, resources, and applications. Any application or operating system-related failures can only impact or bring down the vPar in which it is executing-without affecting other virtual partitions executing on the same system. Since vPars simply parses separate resources to different virtual partitions, the technology is simple, with high performance.

• Provides operating system, application and resource isolation within a server or hardware partition
  failure is isolated to that specific virtual partition (vPar); other virtual partitions are unaffected
  
• High performance software partitioning product, due to:
  
  • separate processor core, memory, and I/O hardware resources per partition
    
  • cell-local resource support
    
• Resource granularities: processor core, 64 MB memory, I/O slot
  
• Provides operating system parameter independence per virtual partition
  
• Online creation, modification, and deletion of virtual partitions without a system or nPartition reboot. Affected virtual partitions may need to be rebooted.
  • individual reconfiguration and reboot
    
• Enables application-specific OS tuning
  
• Applications run the same within a virtual partition as they do in a standalone OS
  
• Dynamic processor migration
  
• Dynamic memory migration across virtual partitions (vPars A.05.01+)
  
• Configuration of virtual partitions allowed from any virtual partition, or from designated virtual partitions, using flexible admin option (A.03.03+)
• Mixed HP-UX 11i vPars supported within an nPartition or HP server

• Visual view of virtual partition management via Virtualization Manager
  
• Configuration of virtual partitions allowed from any virtual partition, or from a dedicated virtual partition using flexible admin option.
  
• Faster deployment since Ignite/UX is vPars aware
  
• Automated re allocation of processors between partitions with WLM and gWLM
  
• Command line interface (CLI)
  
• Additional resources through iCAP
  
• Integration with Serviceguard for failover or proactive workload balancing

• Hard partitions can contain multiple virtual partitions; however, a virtual partition cannot span multiple nPartitions.
  
• There can be a maximum of 8 virtual partitions per nPartition
  
• Each virtual partition can be supported in an nPartition with a maximum of 8 cells
  
• System must have appropriate version of HP UX 11i, and the firmware for that vPars release
  
• Each virtual partition needs:
  
  • One or more processor cores
    
  • A certain amount of memory
    
  • A bootable disk device (may use a combination card)
    
  • A network connection (not absolutely required)
    
  • Independent storage (may be direct attached or SAN)
    
• Maximum number of virtual partitions varies by system
  Any HP UX 11i v3 virtual partitions that wish to use the following vPars A.05.01 features at initial HP UX 11i v3 release, require a CFW firmware upgrade:
  
  • vPars dynamic memory migration
    
  • vPars support of HyperThreading on dual-core Intel Itanium 2 processors
    
• For more detailed information, see the HP UX Virtual Partitions (vPars) Ordering and Configuration Guidelines at http://docs.hp.com/en/vse.html#Virtual%20Partitions
  
• HP-UX 11i Virtual Partitions (vPars) are supported with HP Serviceguard. For more information, please refer to:
  
• "HP Serviceguard Cluster Configuration for HP-UX 11i or Linux Partitioned Systems" White Paper at http://docs.hp.com/en/6033/HPServiceguardClusterConfig_WP.pdf.

Hardware and Operating system:

• There are separate versions of vPars for the different versions of HP-UX 11i: v1, v2, v3. All 3 of these versions run on the:
  
  • HP 9000 cell-based servers including: HP 9000 Superdome, HP 9000 Superdome with sx2000, HP rp8440, HP rp8420, HP rp8400, HP rp7440, HP rp7420, HP rp7410, HP rp7405
    
• In addition:
  
  • HP-UX 11i v2 & v3 vpars also run on the:
    
    • HP Integrity cell-based servers (based on the HP sx1000 or sx2000 chipsets) including: HP Integrity Superdome, HP Superdome with sx2000, HP rx8640, HP rx8620, HP rx7640, HP rx7620
      
  • HP-UX 11i v1 & v2 vPars also run on: HP rp7400/N4000, HP rp5470/L3000, HP rp5405

This product is currently distributed on either:

1. an independent media, or
   
2. as part of the HP-UX VSE-OE Operating Environment
   

Software licensing:

• vPars is licensed on a per core basis; for active processor cores within nPartitions or servers running vPars.
  
• HP-UX OEs or layered software products, running within a vPar, can be purchased throughout an nPartition or via Virtualization Licensing (on a per core licensing basis). Virtualization Licensing allows two choices for licensing the software:

1. Software may be licensed for all of the active physical processor cores in the nPartition or non partitioned server. (This allows you to run as many instances of the software in the vPar as you desire without requiring additional licenses. This is beneficial if you intend to run the same software across all or most vPars or if you intend to change the configuration often and don't want to worry about compliance.)
   
2. Software may be licensed for the maximum virtual processor cores that the software will be run on within the vPars. (For example, if you are running HP OnlineJFS in a vPar with one virtual processor core on a server with four physical processor cores, you could pay for just one Per Core License. This method will be most beneficial when you intend to run the software on only a small portion of the nPartition or non partitioned server. When applicable, this new licensing option can significantly reduce licensing costs for customers versus previous licensing options.)

• For more information about HP's licensing terms and policies, please either:
  see Virtualization Licensing FAQ information at: http://www.hp.com/go/virtualizationlicensing or
  see the Virtualization Licensing White Paper at http://www.hp.com/go/virtualizationlicensing.
  contact your local HP office or your HP authorized reseller

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The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

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