FAULT ISOLATION IN INTERCONNECT SYSTEMS

• US 20080315889A1
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Torudbakken, Ola, Bechtolsheim, Andreas, Birkeli, Inge Lars, Johnsen, Bjorn Dag
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/512
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/035 Cooling of active equipments, e.g. air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/064 horizontal management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/066 arranged on the front side
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/145 with switches arranged in a matrix configuration

Abstract

A loopback connector for a system can include a connector arrangement connectable to connector of a system component and/or a cable. The loopback connector can include loopback logic for simulating cable and/or system component functionality. In an example implementation the loopback connector can also operate to protect a system component and/or cable connector during shipping.

Claims

1. A loopback connector for a system comprising at least one system component having at least one component connector and at least one cable interconnect having at least one cable connector, the loopback connector comprising a connector arrangement configured to be connectable to at least one of a component connector and a cable connector and comprising loopback logic for simulating at least one of cable functionality and system component functionality.

2. The loopback connector of claim 1, configured to be connected to a system component connector, wherein the loopback connector comprises loopback logic for simulating cable functionality.

3. The loopback connector of claim 2, wherein the loopback logic comprises loopback logic for simulating cable response characteristics.

4. The loopback connector of claim 1, configured to be connected to a cable connector at a free end of a cable, wherein the loopback connector includes loopback logic for simulating system component functionality.

5. The loopback connector of claim 3, comprising repeater and/or signal-conditioner functionality.

6. The loopback connector of claim 4, comprising a power-supply.

7. The loopback connector of claim 4, wherein the loopback logic is powered from a power source at a remote end of the cable.

8. The loopback connector of claim 1, configured to operate as a connector protector during shipping.

9. The loopback connector of claim 8, configured to operate as a loopback connector for both a chassis connector and a cable connector as well as to provide pass-through connectivity between the cable and the chassis connectors.

10. The connector of claim 9, configured to provide programmable signal conditioner logic.

11. The connector of claim 10, configured to provide programmable signal conditioner logic via I2C.

12. A system comprising at least two subsystems interconnected via cables, the cables comprising connectors connectable to field replaceable units in the subsystems, wherein the system is operable automatically to check the mechanical connectivity formed by the cables independently of whether all system components are fully operational.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a subsystem is located in a chassis.

14. A method comprising connecting a loopback connector to at least one of a component connector of a system component and a cable connector of a cable and performing at least one loopback test, wherein the loopback connector comprises a connector arrangement configured to be connectable to at least one of said component connector and said cable connector and comprising loopback logic for simulating at least one of cable functionality and system component functionality.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising connecting a loopback connector to a component connector of a system component and performing at least one loopback test, wherein the loopback connector comprises a connector arrangement configured to be connectable to the component connector.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, prior to shipping the system component, the loopback connector is connected to the component connector and the at least one loopback test is performed.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising leaving the loopback connector connected to the component connector during shipping of the system component to protect the component connector in transit.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising, following shipping of the system component, performing the at least one loopback test prior to removing the loopback connector.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the loopback connector is configured to operate as a loopback connector for both a chassis connector and a cable connector as well as to provide pass-through connectivity between the cable and the chassis connectors, the method further comprising, following shipping of the system component, performing the at least one loopback test prior to connecting the cable connector of a cable to the cable side of the loopback connector without removing the loopback connector from the chassis.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising, performing adjustments of configuration settings for signal conditioner logic in the loopback connector when a cable is plugged in.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising, performing the adjustment of signal conditioner configuration settings for signal conditioner logic in a cable connector of the connected cable.

22. The method of claim 14, comprising connecting a loopback connector to a cable connector of a cable and performing at least one loopback test, wherein the loopback connector comprises a connector arrangement configured to be connectable to the cable connector.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein, prior to shipping the cable, the loopback connector is connected to the cable connector and the at least one loopback test is performed.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising leaving the loopback connector connected to the cable connector during shipping of the cable to protect the cable connector in transit.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising, following shipping of the cable, performing the at least one loopback test prior to removing the loopback connector.