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Logical Partitioning (LPAR) is a system architecture approach that promises to revolutionize corporate IT infrastructures and have a huge impact on business operations and equipment purchase decisions. Originally developed for mainframe computers, LPAR allows the division of a single server into several completely independent "virtual" servers or partitions. LPAR on IBM eServer™ pSeries™ POWER4™-based servers is supported by AIX® 5L™, IBM's UNIX® operating system, and by the Linux® operating system available from one or more Linux Distributors.
Each partition is independent of the operations occurring within other partitions, can run its own version of the operating system, and have processor, memory, and I/O resources dedicated to its exclusive use. Dynamic LPAR allows these resources to be increased or decreased, with no interruption on operations. IBM has taken the flexibility offered by this technology out of the mainframe computer center and put it into the low cost POWER4-based pSeries servers running AIX 5L Version 5.2.
This paper is a non-technical introduction to the concepts and advantages of LPAR. It discusses the business benefits that might result from the inclusion of LPAR-capable servers in an overall IT infrastructure. It points out particular business scenarios and applications where LPAR might be used to good advantage, Lastly, it compares and contrasts the implementations offered by different vendors. The goal of this paper is to help non-IT managers and executives better understand LPAR and how it can improve business results.
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