System and method of SCSI and SAS hardware validation

• US 20050289263A1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Douglas, Mamo, Michael, Ramsey, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,228,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A system and method of SCSI and SAS hardware validation is disclosed. In one aspect, the present disclosure teaches a method of hardware validation in an information handling system including scanning an interconnection for hardware devices attached to the interconnection in an information handling system. The method further including determining compatibility of each hardware device place on the interconnection based on a supported device information matrix and a location of the hardware device in the information handling system. The method further including displaying a validation notification to a user for possible compatibility issues based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method of hardware validation in an information handling system, comprising:

scanning an interconnection for hardware devices attached to the interconnection in an information handling system;

determining interconnection compatibility of each hardware device placed on the interconnection based on a supported device information matrix and a location of the hardware device in the information handling system; and

based on the determination, displaying a validation notification to a user for possible compatibility issues.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning of the interconnection further comprises performing the scan during a power on self test (POST) or boot-up sequence of the information handling system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning of the interconnection further comprises performing the scan based on a change in configuration of the information handling system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the change in the configuration comprises the addition or removal of at least one of the hardware devices in the information handling system.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the change in the configuration comprises the relocation of at least one of the hardware devices within the information handling system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the compatibility further comprises performing a target firmware check.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a data field of toggle bits in a supported device information matrix associated with each hardware device, each toggle bit operable to indicate compatibility of the associated hardware device based on a configuration of the information handling system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating the scan using a mode select command.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the compatibility of the hardware device based on system configuration of the information handling system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining compatibility issues based on configuration of a controller, a hardware device and an input/output expander in the information handling system.

11. A system for small computer system interface (SCSI) and SAS hardware validation in an information handling system comprising:

an input/output (I/O) expander operable to receive one or more hardware devices such that the one or more hardware devices communicatively couples to a SCSI interconnection in the information handling system;

a supported device information matrix stored in each of the one or more hardware devices, the supported device information matrix operable to indicate compatibility of the respective hardware device placed within the information handling system; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the SCSI interconnection, the controller operable to scan the SCSI interconnection for the one or more hardware devices and to determine compatibility of the one or more hardware devices as configured in the information handling system based on the supported device information matrix.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising the I/O expander selected from a group consisting of an internal backplane, an enclosure and a SCSI expander.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising the SCSI interconnection selected from a group consisting of a point to point link and a bus.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising the one or more hardware devices selected from a group consisting of hard disk drives, tape drives and compact disk drives.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a validation notification operable to indicate compatibility issues with each hardware device as configured in the information handling system.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the supported device information matrix further comprises a data field of toggle bits, each toggle bit operable to indicate compatibility of the associated hardware device with one configuration of the information handling system.

17. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory and processor operably coupled to a bus;

an input/output (I/O) expander operable to receive one or more hardware devices such that the one or more hardware devices communicatively couple to the bus via the I/O expander;

a supported device information matrix stored in each of the one or more hardware devices, the supported device information matrix operable to indicate compatibility between a location of the respective hardware device and a configuration of the information handling system; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the bus, the controller operable to scan the bus for the one or more hardware devices and to determine compatibility of the one or more hardware devices as configured in the information handling system based on the supported device information matrix.

18. The information handling system of claim 17, wherein the one or more hardware devices are selected from a group consisting of hard disk drives, tape drives and compact disk drives.

19. The information handling system of claim 17, wherein the I/O expander is selected from a group consisting of an internal server backplane, an enclosure and a small computer system interface expander.

20. The information handling system of claim 17, wherein the supported device information matrix further comprises a data field of toggle bits, each toggle bit operably indicates compatibility of the associated hardware device.