System and Method for Providing a Mediated External Exception Extension for a Microprocessor
First Claim
1. A method, in a microprocessor, for handling external exceptions, comprising:
- receiving, from a device external to the microprocessor, an external interrupt corresponding to an external exception;
determining if a logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed has external interrupt handling currently enabled;
generating a mediated exception request if the logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed does not have external interrupt handling currently enabled, whereby the mediated exception request is pending; and
invoking an external interrupt handler to process the external interrupt in response to an operating system of the logical partition re-enabling external interrupt handling and the mediated exception request being pending.
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Abstract
A system and method for providing a mediated external exception extension for a microprocessor are provided. With the system and method, in response to an external exception, a hypervisor determines if the associated external interrupt is directed to a logical partition (LPAR) that has external interrupt handling enabled. If so, the hypervisor sets appropriate state restore registers (SRRs) and passes control to an external interrupt handler of the LPAR. If external interrupt handling is not currently enabled by the LPAR, the hypervisor sets a mediated exception request and returns control to the LPAR. Once the operating system of the logical partition re-enables external interrupt handling, a mediated external interrupt occurs, state information for the LPAR is set in the SRRs, and the external interrupt handler of the LPAR is invoked. In this way, external interrupts may be received by the hypervisor even when external interrupt handling is disabled.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, in a microprocessor, for handling external exceptions, comprising:
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receiving, from a device external to the microprocessor, an external interrupt corresponding to an external exception; determining if a logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed has external interrupt handling currently enabled; generating a mediated exception request if the logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed does not have external interrupt handling currently enabled, whereby the mediated exception request is pending; and invoking an external interrupt handler to process the external interrupt in response to an operating system of the logical partition re-enabling external interrupt handling and the mediated exception request being pending. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a microprocessor, causes the microprocessor to:
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receive, from a device external to the microprocessor, an external interrupt corresponding to an external exception; determine if a logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed has external interrupt handling currently enabled; generate a mediated exception request if the logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed does not have external interrupt handling currently enabled, whereby the mediated exception request is pending; and invoke an external interrupt handler to process the external interrupt in response to an operating system of the logical partition re-enabling external interrupt handling and the mediated exception request being pending. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory contains instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; receive, from a device external to the processor, an external interrupt corresponding to an external exception; determine if a logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed has external interrupt handling currently enabled; generate a mediated exception request if the logical partition to which the external interrupt is directed does not have external interrupt handling currently enabled, whereby the mediated exception request is pending; and invoke an external interrupt handler to process the external interrupt in response to an operating system of the logical partition re-enabling external interrupt handling and the mediated exception request being pending.
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Specification