Specifications

Chapter 3. Virtualization 135
Figure 3-9 shows the levels of unused capacity redistribution implemented by the POWER
Hypervisor.
Figure 3-9 The levels of unused capacity redistribution
Capacity allocation above the entitled pool capacity (Level
1
)
The POWER Hypervisor initially manages the entitled pool capacity at the Shared Processor
Pool level. This is where unused processor capacity within a Shared Processor Pool is
harvested and then redistributed to uncapped micro-partitions within the same Shared
Processor Pool. This level of processor capacity management is sometimes referred to as
Level
0
capacity resolution.
At a higher level, the POWER Hypervisor harvests unused processor capacity from the
Multiple Shared Processor Pools that do not consume all of their entitled pool capacity. If a
particular Shared Processor Pool is heavily loaded and several of the uncapped
micro-partitions within it require additional processor capacity (above the entitled pool
capacity), then the POWER Hypervisor redistributes some of the extra capacity to the
uncapped micro-partitions. This level of processor capacity management is sometimes
referred to as Level
1
capacity resolution.
To redistribute unused processor capacity to uncapped micro-partitions in Multiple Shared
Processor Pools above the entitled pool capacity, the POWER Hypervisor uses a higher level
of redistribution, Level
1
.
POWER Hypervisor
SPP
n
SPP
2
SPP
1
SPP
0
Micro-partition
n
SPP
2
capacity
resolution
SPP
n
capacity
resolution
SPP
1
capacity
resolution
SPP
0
capacity
resolution
Physical Shared Processor Pool
p0 p1 p2 p3 p4 p5
Level
1
capacity
resolution
Level
1
capacity resolution
POWER Hypervisor harvests unused
processor capacity from Shared-Processor
Pools and redistributes it across all
uncapped micro-partitions regardless of the
Shared-Processor Pool structure
Level
0
capacity resolution
Resolution of the Entitled Pool Capacity
within the same Shared-Processor Pool
Level
0
capacity
resolution
Micro-partition
0
Micro-partition
1
Micro-partition
2
Micro-partition
3
Micro-partition
n