METHOD AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RECOGNITION OF THE RESOURCES OF A DEFECTIVE HARDWARE UNIT

• US 20080276121A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Milligan, Charles H., Probst, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2289 by configuration test

Abstract

A system and method of recognizing resources of a computer comprising a system serial number and a broken hardware unit comprising a non-volatile memory unit and enablement definition data relating to functions of the broken hardware unit, wherein the method comprises starting the computer; entering a serial number in a read/write non-volatile memory field of the non-volatile memory unit; reading the read/write non-volatile memory field; and matching the serial number of the read/write non-volatile memory field with the system serial number. The method may further comprise detecting failure of the broken hardware unit after the starting of the computer. Preferably, a reading that the serial number of the read/write non-volatile memory field matches with the system serial number permits acceptance of the enablement definition data of the broken hardware unit.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a system serial number; and

a broken hardware unit comprising;

a non-volatile memory unit comprising a read/write non-volatile memory field; and

enablement definition data relating to functions of said broken hardware unit;

a power unit adapted to start said computer;

a first control mechanism adapted to enter a serial number in said read/write non-volatile memory field;

a second control mechanism adapted to read said read/write non-volatile memory field; and

a processor adapted to match said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field with said system serial number.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a diagnostic unit adapted to detect failure of said broken hardware unit after said power unit starts said computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field matches with said system serial number permits acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field does not match with said system serial number prevents acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field does not match with said system serial number discourages transferring said broken hardware unit to an alternate computer having a system serial number different from said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory unit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a transferring of said read/write non-volatile memory unit to an alternate computer having said system serial number different from said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory unit results in a non-acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

7. A system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a system serial number; and

a broken hardware unit comprising;

a non-volatile memory unit comprising a read/write non-volatile memory field; and

enablement definition data relating to functions of said broken hardware unit;

a power unit adapted to start said computer;

a first control mechanism adapted to enter a serial number in said read/write non-volatile memory field;

a second control mechanism adapted to read said read/write non-volatile memory field; and

a processor adapted to match said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field with said system serial number,

wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field does not match with said system serial number prevents acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a diagnostic unit adapted to detect failure of said broken hardware unit after said power unit starts said computer.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field matches with said system serial number permits acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field does not match with said system serial number discourages transferring said broken hardware unit to an alternate computer having a system serial number different from said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a transferring of said read/write non-volatile memory unit to an alternate computer having said system serial number different from said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory unit results in a non-acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

12. A system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a system serial number; and

a broken hardware unit comprising;

a non-volatile memory unit comprising a read/write non-volatile memory field; and

enablement definition data relating to functions of said broken hardware unit;

a power unit adapted to start said computer;

a first control mechanism adapted to enter a serial number in said read/write non-volatile memory field;

a second control mechanism adapted to read said read/write non-volatile memory field;

a processor adapted to match said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field with said system serial number; and

transmitting an error message upon obtaining a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field does not match with said system serial number.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a diagnostic unit adapted to detect failure of said broken hardware unit after said power unit starts said computer.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field matches with said system serial number permits acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field does not match with said system serial number prevents acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein a reading that said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory field does not match with said system serial number discourages transferring said broken hardware unit to an alternate computer having a system serial number different from said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory unit.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a transferring of said read/write non-volatile memory unit to an alternate computer having said system serial number different from said serial number of said read/write non-volatile memory unit results in a non-acceptance of said enablement definition data of said broken hardware unit.