To provide an improved system for controlling I/O devices in a multi-partition computer system.

This I/O control system controls virtualized I/O devices in the multi-partition computer system. The I/O control system includes an IOP partition containing an I/O processor cell executing a control program, and a plurality of standard partitions, each including a cell for executing a control program, which is coupled, via shared memory, to the I/O processor cell. In response to a request to connect to the IOP cell, I/O requests directed to the I/O devices from the enrolled partition in communication with the I/O processor cell, are distributed over shared I/O resources controlled by the I/O processor cell.

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