HP Instant Capacity Version 10.x User Guide (5900-1581, March 2011)

• Applying Right to Use (RTU) codewords
• Activating and deactivating
• Load balancing across partitions
• Configuring in virtual partitions
New Partition Creation and Instant Capacity
You can assign a cell to an existing partition even if the cell contains cores without usage rights
(Instant Capacity processors), as long as there are enough available core, cell, and memory usage
rights to cover activation of the cell, its memory, and at least one of the cores on the cell. You can
verify that the partition has valid Instant Capacity software installed, and that the partition is running
an operating system capable of activating and deactivating cores.
However, when a new partition is created, these verifications are not possible; therefore, the Instant
Capacity software does not allow the partition to be created unless it contains only components
with usage rights. That is, creation of the new partition fails if any of the cell boards contain Instant
Capacity components without usage rights.
Implications of Removing a Cell from an Instant Capacity System
The Instant Capacity software tracks the expected number of inactive components (cores, cells,
and memory) in a complex and knows the actual number of active and inactive components. The
complex is in compliance if the actual number of inactive components meets or exceeds the expected
number of inactive components.
The complex is out of compliance if the actual number of inactive components is less than the
expected number of inactive components and no temporary capacity is available.
However, a complex can also get out of compliance if a cell is removed from the complex. For
example, if a cell contains inactive cores that are contributing to compliance, and the cell is
removed, there will be fewer inactive cores in the complex. This can result in the complex being
out of compliance, and temporary capacity might begin to be debited.
For example, a complex contains 2 cells, with 2 partitions having 2 inactive and 2 active cores
each. The Instant Capacity software expects the complex to have 4 inactive cores. If one of the
cells (0) experiences a hardware problem, and you remove the cell, the complex is left with only
1 cell that contains 2 active and 2 inactive cores. The complex is now out of compliance because
4 inactive cores are expected to be in the complex, yet there are only 2 inactive cores.
Table 12 Removing a Cell and Decreasing Inactive Cores
NotesPartition (Cell) 1Partition (Cell) 0State
4 inactive cores expected (in compliance)2 active, 2 inactive2 active, 2 inactiveBefore cell 0 is
removed
4 inactive cores expected (out of compliance)2 active, 2 inactive0 active, 0 inactiveAfter cell 0 is removed
In this example, all cores in the removed cell are identified as active. This causes the complex to
be out of compliance because the complex has 2 more active cores than it has core usage rights.
This results in the complex consuming 2 hours of temporary capacity for each hour that the complex
remains in this state. Deactivating another core from cell 1 decreases the amount of temporary
capacity being consumed, but because at least 1 core must be active per active cell, this complex
cannot remain in compliance unless of temporary capacity is used.
Note that removal of a cell, followed by a reboot of the affected partition, does not affect either
the intended active number for the partition or the required number of inactive cores, which is
determined by the overall availability of core usage rights across the complex. While the cell is
absent, temporary capacity can be consumed if the number of inactive cores is less than the
expected number of inactive cores. Having additional temporary capacity allows this system to
remain in compliance even in the presence of a cell hardware failure.
160 Special Considerations