Method and apparatus for integrating server management and parts supply tools

• US 20040024659A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Mathew, Tisson, Hiremath, Chetan
• Application Number:
  US10/207,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0727 in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A method and apparatus for performing an administrative and maintenance task, in a multi-component system, is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of components performing different operations. One of the plurality of components monitors the operations of the other components and determines if there is a component operating improperly. When a malfunctioning component is detected, the apparatus locates information associated with the malfunctioning component and automatically generates an order at a supplier and maintenance service.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of hardware components;

a memory to store ordering information of the hardware components, a processor to identify a malfunctioning component among the plurality of components and, responsive to such identification, to retrieve from the database the ordering information associated with the malfunctioning component and to generate a product order;

a communication apparatus to transmit the product order to a supply and maintenance service.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor to monitor the plurality of components for determining whether each component is operating properly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a sensor data record to maintain a log of each component monitored by a manager.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ordering information comprises a manufacturer identification number, a product identification number, a serial number, a part number and a model number.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor core sends, along with the product order, the ordering information associated with the malfunctioning component to the supplier.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor core and the plurality of components reside within multiple chassis of a network system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor core and the plurality of components reside within a single chassis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supplier sends a response to the processor core via the server after receiving the order from the processor core.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the response comprises a manufacturer name, a manufacturer identification number, a product name, a product identification number, a part number, a model number, and instructions and diagrams for replacing the ordered part.

10. A method of performing an administrative and maintenance task, comprising:

providing a plurality of components;

detecting a malfunctioning component among the plurality of components;

locating ordering information associated with the malfunctioning component; and

generating a product order to replace the malfunctioning component with a supplier via a server, wherein the product order further includes the ordering information associated with the malfunctioning component.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting a malfunctioning component further comprises monitoring each of the plurality of components further and measuring a sensor value associated with the component using a sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting a malfunctioning component further comprises determining whether the sensor value associated with one of the component violates a set of predetermined threshold values.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of components reside within multiple chassis in a network system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the product order is a replacement hardware supply request.

15. A multi-component system, comprising:

a plurality of components interconnected via a common bus;

at least one component comprising a processor core, monitoring the plurality of components, identifying a malfunctioning component and communicating with a server to generate a parts order for a replacement of the malfunctioning component; and

at least one component comprising a server, communicating with a service to place the order when the error condition is detected, the service being devoid of direct connection to the multi-component system and sending a response in reply to the parts order placed.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising at least one other component comprising a system memory, maintaining manufacturer and production information associated with each of the plurality of components.

17. A network comprising:

a plurality of components performing different operations, each of the plurality of components having a predetermined threshold range;

a host computer to monitor the plurality of components, to determine whether any component is violating the predetermined threshold range, and to identify a malfunctioning component among the plurality of components; and

a network server, providing communication between the host computer and a service to generate a product order for replacement of the malfunctioning component, the service sending a response in reply to the product order generated.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein each of the malfunctioning component is a hardware.

19. A computer readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

diagnose event data related to a component to determine if the component is failing,

if the component is determined to be failing, retrieve ordering information and an address from a memory, and

transmit an order request to a network location identified by the address, the order request identifying information of a replacement component.

20. The computer of claim 19, wherein the ordering information further comprises product information and manufacturer information.