Snapshot interface operations
First Claim
1. A method for operating a communications adapter having microcode control, said method comprising the steps of:
- upon starting microcode tasks in said adapter, setting a bit corresponding to said task in an adapter state register;
upon issuance of a disruptive command to said adapter, copying said state register to a snapshot register;
upon completing microcode tasks in said adapter, clearing said bit corresponding to said task in said adapter state register and in said snapshot register; and
querying said snapshot register.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a multinode data processing system in which the nodes communicate with one another via communication adapters over a network or switch, the adapters are provided with a dual register mechanism for tracking microcode task status. Upon the issuance of a disruptive command that requires attention from one of the nodes, the task status maintained in one register is copied to the snapshot register. As tasks within the adapter are completed, both registers are updated, thus providing a mechanism for the nodes to determine that all tasks active at the time of the disruptive command have completed. This means that the nodes now have a mechanism for determining, as soon as possible, that all tasks that are active when a disruptive command occurs have completed, thus allowing the data processing node to perform such operations as releasing system memory that is associated with the disruptive command, thus eliminating temporal overhead that can affect performance.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for operating a communications adapter having microcode control, said method comprising the steps of:
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upon starting microcode tasks in said adapter, setting a bit corresponding to said task in an adapter state register;
upon issuance of a disruptive command to said adapter, copying said state register to a snapshot register;
upon completing microcode tasks in said adapter, clearing said bit corresponding to said task in said adapter state register and in said snapshot register; and
querying said snapshot register. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for operating a communications adapter, said method comprising the steps of:
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tracking active tasks in a first register and in a second register;
transferring said first register to said second register upon issuance of a disruptive command to said adapter; and
updating said second register to indicate tasks completed after said disruptive command. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A multinode data processing system comprising:
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a plurality of data processing nodes together with a respective plurality of communications adapters coupled thereto which enable said nodes to communicate through a switch or network to which said adapters are coupled; and
programming within said adapter that, upon starting microcode tasks in said adapter, sets a bit corresponding to said task in an adapter state register, and upon issuance of a disruptive command to said adapter, copying said state register to a snapshot register and, upon completing microcode tasks in said adapter, clearing said bit corresponding to said task in said adapter state register and in said snapshot register. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification