This field displays the processor mode for this logical partition profile. The processor mode determines which processor features are available to the logical partition.
Valid values are:
- POWER6 or default
- The logical partition is set to use POWER6 architected processor mode, or the operating system version installed on the logical partition does not support POWER6 enhanced processor mode.
- POWER6_Enhanced
- The logical partition is set to use POWER6 enhanced processor mode. POWER6 enhanced processor mode provides additional floating point instructions to applications running on the logical partition.
- POWER5
- The operating system version installed on the logical partition supports POWER5 processor modes but does not support POWER6 processor modes.
The processor compatibility mode used by a logical partition depends upon the following:
When you activate a logical partition, the managed system checks the partition compatibility mode setting on the partition profile, and determines whether the installed operating system or system software supports the specified mode. If so, the logical partition uses the partition compatibility mode from the partition profile. If not, the logical partition uses the most fully featured mode that is supported by the installed operating system or system software.
You cannot dynamically change the partition compatibility mode used on a logical partition. To change the partition compatibility mode, you must shut down the logical partition and restart the logical partition with a partition profile that is set to the desired partition compatibility mode.
A POWER6 processor cannot emulate all features of a POWER5 processor. For example, certain types of performance monitoring might not be available for a logical partition if the logical partition is set to the POWER5 compatibility mode.