1. In a data processing system for managing system resources associated with a plurality of partitions each operable for executing a software component, and a physical I/O adapter configured to provide a plurality of virtual I/O adapters for use by the plurality of partitions, a method for managing certain host memory of the data processing system with the plurality of virtual I/O adapters, comprising steps of: maintaining a resource list for the plurality of virtual I/O adapters; confirming, by the physical I/O adapter upon receipt of a bus transaction for one of the plurality of virtual adapters, that a resource specified in the bus transaction is specified in the resource list as an allowable resource for the one of the plurality of virtual adapters; and performing a direct memory access operation directly between the one of the plurality of virtual adapters and the certain host memory, wherein the partitions of the data processing system are hardware partitions that are each operable for simultaneously executing the software component.