HP-UX Workload Manager overview

Forming Secure Resource Partitions

The HP-UX 11i v2 (and later) Security Containment feature provides process and file isolation inside

secure compartments. The combination of WLM and Security Containment, which creates Secure

Resource Partitions, is powerful. WLM manages resource allocations for each application instance.

However, each application instance can still interact with other processes, access files, and even

system processes. When Security Containment is combined with WLM, applications can be

consolidated on a single operating system, while ensuring that any application, file, and system

interaction is carefully controlled. Using Security Containment, you can ensure that application

instances cannot access processes or files from other applications or the system unless a rule is

created to specifically allow the interaction. This functionality ensures that multiple application

instances run securely in a consolidated environment, providing the benefits of consolidation while

preserving the security of a scale-out environment (where each application runs by itself in an

operating system instance on its own server).

Using HP-UX Workload Manager for server consolidation

When consolidating servers, one of the challenges is resource allocation. How do you ensure that one

application will not steal needed resources from another?

WLM enables you to specify fixed allocations to ensure each application gets a defined resource

amount. Additionally, you can define and prioritize one or more SLOs for each application’s

associated workload. The workloads are then given the resources they need to achieve the SLOs. This

capability is significant for several reasons:

• Higher system utilization—By giving each application’s workload only what it needs when it needs

it, the excess capacity is shared more efficiently.

• SLOs are met even during peak demand—Resources are applied when needed so that even during

times of peak demand, SLOs are met.

• Prioritization of SLOs—A workload with a higher priority SLO is given what it needs to achieve its

goal first and then any remaining resources are allocated to lower priority SLOs. Each workload

has at least one SLO so that it can be prioritized against other workloads. Furthermore, a workload

can have multiple SLOs of various priorities so that it meets a minimal goal when resources are tight

but can achieve greater goals when more resources are available.

Using the defined SLOs, WLM determines the amount of CPU resources needed to achieve each SLO.

It then allocates CPU resources to each SLO’s workload based on the SLO’s priority. This is important

for:

• Server consolidation

• Higher resource utilization

• Ease of server management

• Sharing of excess capacity

• Application/workload prioritization

Using HP-UX Workload Manager for auditing and billing

WLM produces audit information when you activate a configuration using the -t option with either

the WLM daemon wlmd or the WLM global arbiter daemon wlmpard.