System for facilitating the replacement or insertion of devices in a computer system through the use of a graphical user interface

• US 20040199696A1
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Kenny L. Bright, Srikumar N. Chari
• Inventors: Bright, Kenny L., Chari, Srikumar N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,146,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1498 Resource management, Optimisation arrangements, e.g. configuration, identification, tracking, physical location thermal management H05K7/20836

Abstract

A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user'"'"'s replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a “hot” condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the system carries out the “hot swap” or “hot add” functions. The system, which consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) and associated computer software modules, allows the user to select a desired peripheral device location within a server, and then provides the modular software structure to automatically execute a series of steps in the hot swap or hot add process. Each step is prompted by the user from the GUI, to invoke commands to instruct a network server through its operating system and hardware to suspend the appropriate device adapters, if necessary, power down the desired device slot or canister, allow the user to replace or insert a new device, and finally restart the adapters and the slot power. The system requires very little detailed input from the user other than identifying the particular peripheral device slot within the server to be maintained.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more slots configured to receive at least one peripheral adapter;

a software module configured to provide a graphical user interface that indicates whether a selected slot in the electronic device is configured to support a hot input function; and

one or more hardware modules in the electronic device configured to control the power to the selected slot.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is configured to suspend and resume communication to and from the adapter location in response to a user request to perform the hot insert function.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a component for enabling and disabling power to the selected slot.

4. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in a electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device;

a user interface module; and

at least one module configured to communicate with the user interface module and inform the user interface module as to whether a selected adapter location in the electronic device is configured to support a hot input function, the module additionally configured to transmit instructions regarding the hot insert of an adapter in the electronic device.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein the user interface module comprises a graphical user interface.

6. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein the user interface module comprises a series of screen displays exhibiting the steps to hot insert the adapter in the electronic device.

7. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein one of the transmitted instructions is for the electronic device to isolate a particular adapter location.

8. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein one of the transmitted instructions is for the electronic device to confirm that a particular adapter location permits a hot insert function.

9. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein one of the instructions is for the electronic device to suspend or restart a peripheral adapter.

10. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein one of the instructions is for the electronic device to suspend or restart power to an adapter location in the electronic device.

11. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein one of the instructions is for the electronic device to initialize an adapter.

12. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in an electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device;

means for providing a graphical user interface;

means for hot inserting an adapter in the electronic device;

the graphical user interface including means for displaying the steps to hot insert an adapter; and

means in communication with the graphical user interface communicating information as to whether a selected adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and for hot inserting an adapter.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the means in communication with the graphical user interface for hot inserting an adapter comprises a plurality of software object modules.

14. A program storage device storing instructions executable by a electronic device, comprising:

executable code for providing a graphical user interface; and

executable code delivering instructions to a electronic device to confirm that a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and to hot insert a peripheral adapter.

15. The program storage device as defined in claim 14, wherein the code is capable of functioning in an object-oriented environment.

16. A electronic device for hot inserting an adapter, comprising:

an electronic device and one or more peripheral adapters;

a configuration manager capable of freezing communications between the electronic device and the peripheral adapters;

a power management module capable of issuing commands to enable and disable the power to the peripheral adapters; and

a graphical user interface delivering instructions to confirm that a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function.

17. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the one or more peripheral adapters comprise I/O devices.

18. An electronic device comprising:

an electronic device; and

a graphical user interface configured to provide one or more screen displays for communicating information to a user as to whether an selected adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and for displaying information regarding the steps for hot inserting an adapter.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the electronic device includes a device for disabling and enabling power to the selected adapter location.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the operational electronic device is configured to suspend and resume communication to and from the adapter location in response to a user request to perform the hot insert function.

21. A method comprising:

displaying on a display device a graphical user interface configured to provide one or more screen displays for communicating information to a user as to whether a selected adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function.

22. The method of claim 21, additionally comprising suspending and resuming communications to and from the adapter location in response to a user request to perform the hot insert function.

23. The method of claim 21, additionally comprising disabling and enabling power to the selected adapter location in response to a user request to perform the hot insert function.

24. A system comprising:

means for displaying a graphical user interface that provides one or more screen displays for communicating information to a user as to whether an selected adapter location in an operational computer is configured to support a hot insert function.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the operational computer is configured to suspend and resume communication to and from the adapter location in response to a user request to perform the hot insert function.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the operational electronic device includes a device for enabling and disabling power to the selected adapter location.

27. An electronic device, comprising:

a canister having a plurality of slots, each of the slots being configured to receive a respective peripheral adapter; and

a software module configured to disable and enable power to each of the slots in the canister in response to a user request to add another peripheral device to one of the slots.

28. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the software module is configured to suspend communication to each of the peripheral adapters in the canister in response to the user request to add the peripheral device in one of the slots.

29. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in an electronic device, the system comprising:

an electronic device;

a user interface module in communication with the electronic device; and

at least one communication module in communication with the user interface module, wherein the at least one communication module communicates information as to whether a selected adapter location is configured to support a hot input function.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the user interface module comprises a graphical user interface.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the user interface module comprises a series of screen displays exhibiting steps to hot input an adapter.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the hot input function comprises a hot add function.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the hot input function comprises a hot swap function.

34. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in an electronic device, the system comprising:

an electronic device;

a user interface means for communicating with the electronic device; and

means for providing information via the user interface means as to whether a selected adapter location of the electronic device is configured to support a hot input function.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for providing information comprises a plurality of software modules.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the information is provided in graphical form.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the information is provided in character-oriented form.

38. A program storage device storing instructions executable by an electronic device, the storage device comprising:

graphical user interface executable code; and

executable code that controls the delivering of instructions to an electronic device to confirm that a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot input function.

39. The program storage device of claim 38, wherein the graphical user interface executable code is capable of functioning in an object-oriented environment.

40. A system for hot inserting peripheral adapters in a server network, the system comprising:

a server network;

one or more slots within a server network for receiving at least one adapter;

a software module providing a user interface; and

one or more server modules in communication with the user interface and the server network, said one or more server modules providing information including whether a selected adapter location is configured to support a hot input function.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein each of the one or more server modules corresponds to a server on the server network.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein each of the one or more slots is individually powered.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the one or more slots are grouped as canisters.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein each canister comprises four slots.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein the at least one adapter comprises an input/output (I/O) device.

46. The system of claim 40, further comprising a slot module for each of the one or more slots.

47. An electronic system for hot inserting an adapter, the system comprising:

an electronic device having at least one adapter;

a configuration manager capable of suspending communications between the electronic device and the at least one adapter;

a power management module capable of managing power to the at least one adapter; and

a user interface in communication with the configuration module to confirm that a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot input function.

48. The electronic system of claim 47, wherein the at least one adapter comprises an input/output (I/O) device.

49. The electronic system of claim 47, wherein the hot input function comprises a hot swap function.

50. The electronic system of claim 47, wherein the hot input function comprises a hot add function.

51. An electronic device comprising a user interface having a first screen display providing a list of steps in a hot input function and having a second screen display providing information as to whether a selected adapter location is configured to support the hot input function.