What is difference between npar and vpar

[senthil_kumar_1]

Hi All,

I am new to HP-UX.

Could you please explain the difference between npar and vpar?

P.S. This trhead has been moved from HP-UX > System Administration to HP-UX > virtualization. - Hp Forum moderator

[Pete Randall · Accepted solution]

An npar is a physical separation of a single computer into multiple partitions, each having separate hardware components: cell boards, I/O, etc.

A vpar is a virtual separation of either a single computer or an npar into multiple virtual partitions, done with software.


Pete

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

npar is a hardware partition on a cell based system. What is in it is determined by what I/O cards are in the cell.

vpar is a virtual machine. Currently there can be up to 8 vpars in an npar. vpars live in npars.

SEP

[Suraj K Sankari]

Hi Senthil,

>>What is difference between npar and vpar
In short
npar-physical hard partition
vpar-virtual partition

for more informaion see the below thread

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447626+1279655078774+28353475&threadId=914173

>>I am new to HP-UX.
Please don't mind I don't think so you need to right this, because I think u know HP-UX now more then 60%

Suraj

[Kranti Mahmud]

Hi senthil,

nPar: nPar is hard partition/physical partition of a single computer into multiple partitions, each having separate hardware components.

vPar: vPar is virtual partition/separation of either a single computer or an nPar into multiple virtual partitions using vPar software.

For more details, check the below links:

http://docs.hp.com/en/T1335-90001/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_nPar_(Hard_Partitioning)
http://h20338.www2.hp.com/enterprise/cache/323751-0-0-0-121.html

[Broken link removed on <4/18/2017> by Mod]


Rgds-Kranti

[muruganantham raju]

Hello Senthil,

nPars are Hard partitions that offer electrical isolation and cell board granularity, allowing you to service one partition while others are online. With HP-UX 11i v3, those hard partitions actually become Dynamic nPartitions, with the ability to dynamically add or remove a cell, without requiring system reboots for the nPars involved.

Read more about npars:
http://h20331.www2.hp.com/enterprise/w1/en/os/hpux11i-partitioning-npartitions.html

vPars are Virtual partitions with separate operating system instances on the same nPartition or server, with O/S, application and resource isolation. HP-UX 11i Virtual Partitions enable you to dynamically move CPU power or memory between vPars as your workload requirements change. vPars also offers single processor core granularity.

Read more about vpars:

http://h20331.www2.hp.com/enterprise/w1/en/os/hpux11i-partitioning-virtual-partitions.html

HTH
Muru

[Basheer_2]

Hello Senthil,

for eg:

we have RX8640
RX - Itanium

this severs has 4 Cell Boards
You can create an Npar (i.e one physical server) with a minimum of 1 Cell board ( it may be more, depending on the supported confiu)

an vPar is created within an nPar. you mave 8 vPars in one nPar

nPar is hard patition
vPar is virtual or logical parition.

[Jeeshan]

Npar A hardware partitioning system that lets you subdivide a server into independent, bootable servers. You need a Network connection, some disk to boot off of and at least 1 CPU.

Npar only works on certain hardware, most of which is pretty expensive.

vPar lets you take an existing machine or nPar and subdivide it into virtual machines. You need at least 1 Network connection and 1 cpu for a vitural machine.

If your machine and OS supports this architecture and you are current on firmware, you should be able to do it. But remember, the requirements can't be bent. They require what they require and there is no way around that. You can't for example do it on an rp5450 server. You can on a rp5470 server, but you need a few network connections and at least two cpus.

This book has a few excellent and long chapters on the topic and explains it better than I can.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0131463969/qid=1119327766/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-6201214-5016035?v=glance&s=books

Firmware database:
http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/patch/mainPage.do

Docs online:
npar
http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/james/dispDoc.do?docURL=http%3A%2F%2Fdocs.hp.com%2Fen%2FB8844-90006%2Fch09s01.html&aid=SEARCH_MANUAL&pil=1&serStr=npar+configuration

vpar
http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/james/dispDoc.do?docURL=http%3A%2F%2Fdocs.hp.com%2Fen%2Fdiag%2Fstm%2Fstm_vpar.htm&aid=SEARCH_MANUAL&pil=6&serStr=vpar+configuration

Lots more at docs.hp.com

[Bhadresh]

Hi Senthil,
nPartitions provide:
Electrical hardware and security isolation
Cell granularity
No overhead
Flexibility of resources

Each nPartition hosts its own operating system instance, applications and users.

VPars is a soft partitioning technology that enables you to create multiple virtual servers or partitions within a single server or nPartition.

for more information on nPars:
http://h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/w1/en/os/hpux11i-partitioning-npartitions.html

for more information on vPars:
http://h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/w1/en/os/hpux11i-partitioning-virtual-partitions.html

Also have a look at following thread:
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?&threadId=914173


Regards,
Bhadresh

[Deepankar Panda]

Hi... one thing i can say...in a funny type logic...
nPar: A harware type(Note partition)..
vPar: A Software type(Virtual partition)...
here i have attached a pdf which may help you to get clear view on vPar & nPar..

thanks

[SalilAG]

In short npar is a physical separation of a single computer into multiple partitions where each one having separate hardware components i.e. cell boards, I/O, memory etc.

vPars are Virtual partitions with separate operating system instances on the same physical nPartition or server. In short you you may have two OS each one is catering to one partition but both the partition share the CPU power or memory and Virtual Partitions make sure to dynamically move CPU power or memory between vPars as per load requirements.

Credit: nPar vs vPar