HP-UX vPars and Integrity VM V6.3 Administrator Guide

Some devices must be restricted to use by the VSP and to each guest (for example, boot devices
and swap devices). Devices can be restricted using the hpvmdevmgmt command. For more
information about sharing and restricting devices, see Section 13.19.2.4 (page 251).
Any alternate boot device for a vPar or VM guest must be set with the same care that you would
use on a physical system. If the primary boot device fails for any reason, a vPar or VM set to
autoboot attempts to boot from devices in the specified boot order until either an option succeeds
or it reaches the EFI Shell. You must make sure that any specified boot options and the boot order,
are appropriate for the guest. For more information about the autoboot setting, see Table 20 (page
139).
6.4.1.5 Storage changes
Depending on how you set up storage for a vPar or VM guest, the resulting configuration can be
more or less difficult to change.
The ability to change virtual media depends on the type of virtual media used. Whole disks are
not normally adjustable in terms of size, but some storage enclosures might permit the adjustment
of a LUN without losing the data of that LUN. Logical volumes are adjustable without losing any
data. Finally, files can be changed easily with VSP file system commands.
Changes to virtual media can take place on the VSP only after the virtual device that uses the media
is removed from the active vPar or VM. The hpvmmodify command denies the attempts to change
virtual devices that have I/O active on them. After an active vPar or VM guest is allocated virtual
media for a virtual device, that vPar or VM guest owns that media and can access it any time. VSP
administrators must coordinate with guest administrators about active VM changes, if the two roles
are served by different individuals.
This coordination might also be necessary for attached I/O devices. After a VSP device is attached
to the vPar or VM guest, it is controlled and owned by that vPar or VM guest. Modifications to the
attached device, such as changing a tape, can be done physically without detaching the device
from the vPar or VM guest. However, such changes must be coordinated with the VSP administrator,
especially if the guest administrator has no physical access to the device attached to the vPar or
VM guest.
All types of virtual storage devices can be added and removed dynamically from vPars or VMs.
That is, virtual disks, virtual DVDs, tapes, media changers, and CD or DVD burners are all
hot-swappable.
Starting with vPars and Integrity VM V6.3, virtual storage adapters can be added dynamically to
a vPar or VM guest. Dynamic deletion of a virtual adapter is not supported and still requires a
reboot of the vPar or VM guest.
6.4.1.6 PCI OLRAD operations on Storage IO card with active vPars or VM guests
Starting with vPars and Integrity VM V6.3, a PCI Online Replacement of an I/O card on the VSP
is supported without bringing down active vPars or VM guests that may be using resources backed
by the card being considered for replacement. This is done as long as no critical resources in the
vPar or VM guest are impacted.
PCI Online Deletion of IO cards on the VSP is not supported if there are active guests using resources
backed by the card being considered for deletion.
For more information about PCI OLR and the associated restrictions, see Chapter 11 (page 163).
PCI Online Addition of IO cards on the VSP is supported if there are active vPars or VM guests on
the VSP. After the device is added online, backing stores seen through the new I/O card or NPIV
HBAs backed by the new IO card can be added online to the vPars and VM guests. For more
information about PCI Online addition, see Section 6.4.1.7 (page 74).
6.4 Configuring vPar and VM guest storage 73