Control method for information processing apparatus, information processing apparatus, control program for information processing system and redundant comprisal control apparatus

• US 20060212753A1
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,802,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1641 where the comparison is not performed by the redundant processing components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/165 with continued operation after detection of the error

Abstract

The present invention provides a control method for an information processing system, which includes a plurality of processing apparatuses performing a mutually equivalent operation, comprising the step of isolating the processing apparatus for which a fluctuation of power source voltage is relatively large, from the information processing system, if an error is not detected in each of the processing apparatuses and respective items of output information from the plurality of processing apparatuses raise a nonidentity.

Claims

1. A control method for an information processing system, which includes a plurality of processing apparatuses performing a mutually equivalent operation, comprising the step of

isolating the processing apparatus for which a fluctuation of power source voltage is relatively large, from the information processing system, if an error is not detected in each of the processing apparatuses and yet respective items of output information from the plurality of processing apparatuses raise a nonidentity.

2. The control method for an information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

said error includes an internal error of each of said processing apparatuses, and an ECC check error or parity check error relating to input/output data corresponding to each of the processing apparatuses.

3. The control method for an information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

a threshold value is set between a rated value of said power source voltage and an operable voltage for said processing apparatuses operating normally and a magnitude of said power source voltage fluctuation is judged using said threshold value as reference.

4. A control method for an information processing system, which furnishes a power source monitor unit with a plurality of processing apparatuses performing a mutually equivalent operation, comprising the step of

interpreting that a fault has occurred in a processing apparatus for which a fluctuation of power source voltage is relatively large if respective items of output data from the plurality of processing apparatuses raise a nonidentity whereas an error has not been detected in each of the processing apparatuses.

5. A control method for an information processing system, which furnishes a voltage monitor unit for detecting a fluctuation of power source voltage by a threshold value for each of a plurality of first and second processing apparatuses and outputting it as a voltage monitor signal in the information processing system comprising the plurality of the first and second processing apparatuses performing mutually equivalent processing, comprising the step of

referring to the voltage monitor signal for each of the first and second processing apparatuses output from the voltage monitor unit and isolating the first or second processing apparatuses for which a power source voltage indicates an abnormality, if respective items of output data from the first and second processing apparatuses raise a nonidentity whereas an error has not been detected in either of the first or second processing apparatuses.

6. A control method for an information processing system, which makes a plurality of first and second processing apparatuses perform the same information processing to use either the first or second processing apparatuses with a non-failing operating state, comprising:

the first step for judging whether or not error check items relating to the first and second processing apparatuses other than power source voltages are normal;

the second step for judging whether or not respective outputs from the first and second processing apparatuses raise an identity if the error check items indicate normality; and

the third step for using either the first or second processing apparatuses indicating a result of “

no abnormality”

based on an error judgment according to a fluctuation value of power source voltage for each of the first and second processing apparatuses if the respective outputs therefrom raise a nonidentity in the second step.

7. The control method for an information processing system according to claim 7, wherein

said error check items used in said first step includes an internal error of each of said first and second processing apparatuses, and an ECC check error or parity check error relating to input/output data corresponding to each of the first and second processing apparatuses.

8. The control method for an information processing system according to claim 7, wherein,

in judging an error based on said power source voltage fluctuation in said third process,

said power source voltage is judged to be abnormal if the power source voltage goes under a threshold value which is set between a rated value of the power source voltage and an operable voltage at which said first and second processing apparatuses can operate normally.

9. An information processing system, comprising:

a plurality of first and second processing apparatuses;

a voltage monitor unit for monitoring a fluctuation of power source voltage for each of the first and second processing apparatuses; and

a selection unit for switching between the first and second processing apparatuses to use, wherein

the selection unit comprises

a first judgment unit for judging whether or not error check items relating to the first and second processing apparatuses other than power source voltages are normal;

a second judgment unit for judging whether or not respective outputs from the first and second processing apparatuses raise an identity if the error check items indicate normality; and

a third judgment unit for selecting either the first or second processing apparatuses indicating a result of “

no abnormality”

based on an error judgment according to a fluctuation value of power source voltage for each of the first and second processing apparatus if the second judgment unit judges that the respective outputs have raised a nonidentity.

10. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein

said voltage monitor unit judges said power source voltage to be abnormal if the power source voltage goes under a threshold value which is set between a rated value of the power source voltage and an operable voltage at which said first and second processing apparatuses can operate normally.

11. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein

said error check items used by said first judgment unit includes an internal error of each of said first and second processing apparatuses, and an ECC check error or parity check error relating to input/output data corresponding to each of the first and second processing apparatuses.

12. A signal for carrying a control program for an information processing system comprising a plurality of first and second processing apparatuses and a selection unit for switching between the first and second processing apparatuses to use, wherein

the control program makes the selection unit execute

the first step for judging whether or not error check items relating to the first and second processing apparatuses other than power source voltages are normal;

the second step for judging whether or not respective outputs from the first and second processing apparatuses raise an identity if the error check items indicate normality; and

the third step for using either the first or second processing apparatuses indicating a result of “

no abnormality”

based on an error judgment according to a fluctuation value of power source voltage for each of the first and second processing apparatuses if the respective outputs have raised a nonidentity in the second step.

13. The signal for carrying a control program for an information processing system according to claim 12, wherein

said error check items used in said first step includes an internal error of each of said first and second processing apparatuses, and an ECC check error or parity check error relating to input/output data corresponding to each of the first and second processing apparatuses.

14. The signal for carrying a control program for an information processing system according to claim 12, wherein,

in judging an error based on said fluctuation of power source voltage in said third process,

said power source voltage is judged to be abnormal if the power source voltage goes under a threshold value which is set between a rated value of the power source voltage and an operable voltage at which said first and second processing apparatuses can operate normally.

15. A redundant comprisal control apparatus, for monitoring a plurality of processing apparatuses equipped redundantly within an information processing system and performing an operation for isolating the faulty processing apparatus therefrom, comprising:

a control logic for judging that a fault has occurred in a processing apparatus for which a power source voltage fluctuation is relatively large if respective items of output data from the plurality of processing apparatuses raise a nonidentity whereas an error has not been detected in each of the processing apparatuses.