Controlling an operational mode for a logical partition on a computing system

1. A method of controlling an operational mode for a logical partition on a computing system, the method comprising:

receiving, in a hypervisor installed on the computing system, a processor compatibility mode for the logical partition and a firmware compatibility mode for the logical partition, the processor compatibility mode specifying a processor architecture version configured for the logical partition, and the firmware compatibility mode specifying a firmware architecture version configured for the logical partition;

providing, by the hypervisor for the logical partition, a firmware interface in dependence upon the firmware compatibility mode; and

providing, by the hypervisor for the logical partition, a processor interface in dependence upon the processor compatibility mode.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring for the logical partition the processor compatibility mode and the firmware compatibility mode.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of processor compatibility modes supported by the operating system;

determining, by the hypervisor, an effective processor compatibility mode in dependence upon the processor compatibility mode for the logical partition and the set of processor compatibility modes supported by the operating system; and

adjusting, by the hypervisor, the processor interface provided to the logical partition in dependence upon the effective processor compatibility mode.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising migrating, by the hypervisor, the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system, the target computing system having a processor that supports the effective processor compatibility mode.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of firmware compatibility modes supported by the operating system;

determining, by the hypervisor, an effective firmware compatibility mode in dependence upon the firmware compatibility mode for the logical partition and the set of firmware compatibility modes supported by the operating system; and

adjusting, by the hypervisor, the firmware interface provided to the logical partition in dependence upon the effective firmware compatibility mode.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising migrating, by the hypervisor, the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system, the target computing system having firmware that supports the effective firmware compatibility mode.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a migration condition by the hypervisor, the migration condition specifying a condition for migrating the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor architecture version for the target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a firmware architecture version for the target computing system;

determining, by the hypervisor, whether to migrate the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the migration condition, the processor compatibility mode, the firmware compatibility mode, the processor architecture version for the target computing system, and the firmware architecture version for the target computing system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, migration of the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the determination.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system;

identifying a migration condition by the hypervisor, the migration condition specifying a condition for migrating the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor of the target computing system;

determining, by the hypervisor, whether to migrate the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the migration condition, the identified processor for the target computing system, and the set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, the migration of the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the determination.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, during a boot sequence in the hypervisor from an operating system in the logical partition, a set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system running in the logical partition;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor performing the boot sequence for the operating system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, the boot sequence in dependence upon the set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system and the processor performing the boot sequence for the operating system.

10. Apparatus for controlling an operational mode for a logical partition on a computing system, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in a hypervisor installed on the computing system, a processor compatibility mode for the logical partition and a firmware compatibility mode for the logical partition, the processor compatibility mode specifying a processor architecture version configured for the logical partition, and the firmware compatibility mode specifying a firmware architecture version configured for the logical partition;

providing, by the hypervisor for the logical partition, a firmware interface in dependence upon the firmware compatibility mode; and

providing, by the hypervisor for the logical partition, a processor interface in dependence upon the processor compatibility mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of processor compatibility modes supported by the operating system;

determining, by the hypervisor, an effective processor compatibility mode in dependence upon the processor compatibility mode for the logical partition and the set of processor compatibility modes supported by the operating system; and

adjusting, by the hypervisor, the processor interface provided to the logical partition in dependence upon the effective processor compatibility mode.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of firmware compatibility modes supported by the operating system;

determining, by the hypervisor, an effective firmware compatibility mode in dependence upon the firmware compatibility mode for the logical partition and the set of firmware compatibility modes supported by the operating system; and

adjusting, by the hypervisor, the firmware interface provided to the logical partition in dependence upon the effective firmware compatibility mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

identifying a migration condition by the hypervisor, the migration condition specifying a condition for migrating the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor architecture version for the target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a firmware architecture version for the target computing system;

determining, by the hypervisor, whether to migrate the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the migration condition, the processor compatibility mode, the firmware compatibility mode, the processor architecture version for the target computing system, and the firmware architecture version for the target computing system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, migration of the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the determination.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system;

identifying a migration condition by the hypervisor, the migration condition specifying a condition for migrating the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor of the target computing system;

determining, by the hypervisor, whether to migrate the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the migration condition, the identified processor for the target computing system, and the set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, the migration of the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the determination.

15. A computer program product for controlling an operational mode for a logical partition on a computing system, the computer program product disposed in a computer-readable, recordable storage medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in a hypervisor installed on the computing system, a processor compatibility mode for the logical partition and a firmware compatibility mode for the logical partition, the processor compatibility mode specifying a processor architecture version configured for the logical partition, and the firmware compatibility mode specifying a firmware architecture version configured for the logical partition;

providing, by the hypervisor for the logical partition, a firmware interface in dependence upon the firmware compatibility mode; and

providing, by the hypervisor for the logical partition, a processor interface in dependence upon the processor compatibility mode.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of processor compatibility modes supported by the operating system;

determining, by the hypervisor, an effective processor compatibility mode in dependence upon the processor compatibility mode for the logical partition and the set of processor compatibility modes supported by the operating system; and

adjusting, by the hypervisor, the processor interface provided to the logical partition in dependence upon the effective processor compatibility mode.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising computer program instructions capable of migrating, by the hypervisor, the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system, the target computing system having a processor that supports the effective processor compatibility mode.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of firmware compatibility modes supported by the operating system;

determining, by the hypervisor, an effective firmware compatibility mode in dependence upon the firmware compatibility mode for the logical partition and the set of firmware compatibility modes supported by the operating system; and

adjusting, by the hypervisor, the firmware interface provided to the logical partition in dependence upon the effective firmware compatibility mode.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising computer program instructions capable of migrating, by the hypervisor, the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system, the target computing system having firmware that supports the effective firmware compatibility mode.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

identifying a migration condition by the hypervisor, the migration condition specifying a condition for migrating the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor architecture version for the target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a firmware architecture version for the target computing system;

determining, by the hypervisor, whether to migrate the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the migration condition, the processor compatibility mode, the firmware compatibility mode, the processor architecture version for the target computing system, and the firmware architecture version for the target computing system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, migration of the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the determination.

21. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, in the hypervisor from an operating system running in the logical partition, a set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system;

identifying a migration condition by the hypervisor, the migration condition specifying a condition for migrating the logical partition from the computing system to a target computing system;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor of the target computing system;

determining, by the hypervisor, whether to migrate the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the migration condition, the identified processor for the target computing system, and the set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, the migration of the logical partition from the computing system to the target computer system in dependence upon the determination.

22. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, during a boot sequence in the hypervisor from an operating system in the logical partition, a set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system running in the logical partition;

identifying, by the hypervisor, a processor performing the boot sequence for the operating system; and

administering, by the hypervisor, the boot sequence in dependence upon the set of processor identifiers for computer processors supported by the operating system and the processor performing the boot sequence for the operating system.