topic NPAR and VPAR in Operating System - HP-UX

NPAR and VPAR

gany59 — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:55:34 GMT

Can any body tell me what is NPAR and VPAR ?
and also the genysis partition. I know that VPAR is a package, by that we can create the indvidual server. NPAR is hard partition.But i need to know in detail. How can we configure the NPAR and VPAR.

Say for an example, if i have rx6600 server, with the OS of 11.23 running on it. So with that i have to create the NPAR and 2 VPAR. What could be the procedure.

Please explain the steps, 10 points for all valuable replies.

Thanks in advance folks!

Re: NPAR and VPAR

Kenan Erdey — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:48:09 GMT

Hi,

you asked for a procedure that is written in a 300 page document :)

briefly,

1. first install os on npar with vpar software.
2. then analyze and devide resources into 2 vpar on sheet.
3. create vpar monitor.
4. create another boot disk with drd clone(clone from npar disk) or clone with dd.
5. create vpars with vparcreate command.assign resources(boot disk, hba,ethernet,scsi etc)
6. change mode to vpars mode with vparenv. and do a hard reset.
7. After rebooting one vpar should boot. if you didn't create boot disk of the other vpar in 4. step. install hp-ux from dvd or ignite server

Re: NPAR and VPAR

Kenan Erdey — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:06:14 GMT

npar is partitioning technology based on cell. i mean the least unit you can divide the box is cell. with 11.31 you can add and migrate cells online. with npar you can isolate hw resources, so for a hw operation in a npar, the other npar in the same box does not need to be shut.

vpar supplies a kernel based isolation. you can divide resources to to one core as cpu and one I/O card(LBA). vpars runs on a hypervisor. cpu and memory resources can migrate online with some restrictions.

Re: NPAR and VPAR

melvyn burnard — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:17:26 GMT

If you have an rx6600, this does not support nPars or vPars

Re: NPAR and VPAR

nijokj — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:20:19 GMT

npar is the physical partitioning of system.for creating npar you need cell-based partitionable server.Unfortunately rx6600 is not a cell based partitionable server.

Vpar is the software partioning of a physical system,or a npar in which we can run fully isolated operating system.
rx6600 will not support Vpar also.
Dont worry let me explaint how u can create npar and vpar later.

Re: NPAR and VPAR

Torsten. — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:40:43 GMT

In easy words: A nPar is just like one or more single isolated servers created by firmware on a single physical server. A vPar is the same more or less, but finer granularity and created mainly by software.

You need a cell based server in order to use nPar/vPar or the blade based superdome 2.

Re: NPAR and VPAR

Steven E. Protter — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:42:40 GMT

Shalom,

Short and sweet.

npar is an electrically isolated hardware partition. It shares power with no other npars, there can be more than one npar in a server complex.

vpar is a virtual software partition, runs an OS can there can be more than one virtual partition on an npar.

The two require a cell based system to run, such as a superdome rx7640 or rx8640. There is other hardware that supports this I'm not up on every single configuration that supports it.

Blade enclosures are not cell based and can't run this.

SEP

Re: NPAR and VPAR

Torsten. — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:45:36 GMT

I forgot to says there is an exception. With 11.11 even 2 non cell based servers are supported: N4000 and L3000, but both are quit old now.

Your rx6600 is a nice system, but cannot do n/vPars, but HPVM (virtual machines) and IIRC even HP9000 containers.

Re: NPAR and VPAR

gany59 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:48:21 GMT

Oh thanks for reply folks,

So can i configure the same on rx8640. Please update me the procedure like how to create the NPAR and the VPAR.

Re: NPAR and VPAR

Torsten. — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:43:46 GMT

Refer to the manual:

http://www.hp.com/go/hpux-vpars-docs