Reset facility for redundant processor using a fibre channel loop

• US 20020129232A1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanmina-SCI Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanmina Sci-Usa, Inc.
• Inventors: Coffey, Aedan Diarmuid Cailean
• Granted Patent: US 6,983,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/42 Loop networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A processor resetting apparatus comprises a fibre channel arbitrated loop (FC-AL) interface arranged to receive a frame over the FC-AL containing an indicator of a reset command for a server comprising one of a redundant pair of servers and including a processor associated with the resetting apparatus. The apparatus further comprises a reset component, responsive to the reset command, to issue a reset command for resetting the processor. The apparatus therefore provides the ability for a server to reset another server if it detects that the server is faulty.

Claims

1. A processor resetting apparatus comprising:

a fibre channel arbitrated loop (FC-AL) interface arranged to receive a frame containing an indicator of a reset command for a server including a processor associated with said resetting apparatus; and

reset means, responsive to said reset command, to issue a reset command for resetting said processor.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the server is one of a redundant pair of servers.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises one of a separate component of a server motherboard or an integral element of a server motherboard.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said FC-AL interface is arranged to receive a frame indicative of a lock request for a resource and wherein said apparatus further comprises:

means for receiving from said associated processor an indicator of a resource to be locked;

means for causing a corresponding indicator to be stored;

means for causing said stored indicator to be deleted when an associated resource is unlocked;

means, responsive to receiving a lock request frame originating from another processor, for checking any stored indicators for a matching locked resource;

means, responsive to detecting a match, for transmitting a frame indicative of said resource being locked by said processor to the originator of said lock request; and

means, responsive to not detecting a match, for transmitting said lock request frame to the originator of said lock request.