Reliable Redundant Data Communication Through Alternating Current Power Distribution System

• US 20090072953A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cagno, Brian James, Elliott, John Charles, Smith, Donald Scott, Qiu, Kenny Nian Gan
• Granted Patent: US 8,421,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/310.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/74 for increasing reliability, e.g. using redundant or spare channels or apparatus replacing by standby devices for amplifiers H03F1/52, H03F1/542
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/544 Setting up communications; Call and signalling arrangements

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product are provided for providing reliable redundant data communications. A programming unit issues a request for data to a set of powered elements using a set of secondary communication channels in response to a reduction in a level of communications being detected. The set of secondary communication channels comprises one or more alternating current power lines and the request is sent as data injected onto the alternating current power lines to the set of powered elements. The programming unit receives the data using the set of secondary communication channels from the set of powered elements, analyzes the data to determine a set of recovery actions to restore the level of communications, and issues the set of recovery actions to the set of powered elements using the set of secondary communication channels.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed in a data processing system in a programming device, causes the data processing system to:

detect a reduction in a level of communications over a set of primary communication channels to a set of powered elements;

issue a request for data to the set of powered elements using a set of secondary communication channels in response to a reduction in the level of communications being detected, wherein the set of secondary communication channels comprises one or more alternating current power lines and wherein the request is sent as data injected onto the alternating current power lines to the set of powered elements;

receive the data using the set of secondary communication channels from the set of powered elements;

analyze the data to determine a set of recovery actions to restore the level of communications; and

issue the set of recovery actions to the set of powered elements using the set of secondary communication channels.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program further includes computer readable program that causes the data processing system to:

detect restoration of the set of primary communication channels to the set of powered elements.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program to receive the data from the set of powered elements further includes a computer readable program that causes the data processing system to:

receive the alternating current power lines with the data; and

extract the data from the alternating current power lines.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the request for data is a data capture command and wherein the data capture command is at least one of error logging, event tracing, or register dumping.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the set of recovery actions include at least one of an isolation command or a reset command.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein a powered element in the set of powered elements is a field replaceable unit and wherein the field replaceable unit is at least one of a computer, router, switch, modular storage element, controller, printer, disk drive module, or serial attached SCSI hard disk drive.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the set of powered elements reside within a set of equipment racks in a rack system.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

detect a reduction in a level of communications over a set of primary communication channels to a set of powered elements;

issue a request for data to the set of powered elements using a set of secondary communication channels in response to a reduction in the level of communications being detected, wherein the set of secondary communication channels comprises one or more alternating current power lines and wherein the request is sent as data injected onto the alternating current power lines to the set of powered elements;

receive the data using the set of secondary communication channels from the set of powered elements;

analyze the data to determine a set of recovery actions to restore the level of communications; and

issue the set of recovery actions to the set of powered elements using the set of secondary communication channels.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

detect restoration of the set of primary communication channels to the set of powered elements.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions to receive the data from the set of powered elements further cause the processor to:

receive the alternating current power lines with the data; and

extract the data from the alternating current power lines.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the request for data is a data capture command and wherein the data capture command is at least one of error logging, event tracing, or register dumping.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the set of recovery actions include at least one of an isolation command or a reset command.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein a powered element in the set of powered elements is a field replaceable unit and wherein the field replaceable unit is at least one of a computer, router, switch, modular storage element, controller, printer, disk drive module, or serial attached SCSI hard disk drive.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the set of powered elements reside within a set of equipment racks in a rack system.

15. A method, in a data processing system, for providing reliable redundant data communications, the method comprising:

detecting a reduction in a level of communications over a set of primary communication channels to a set of powered elements;

issuing a request for data to the set of powered elements using a set of secondary communication channels in response to a reduction in the level of communications being detected, wherein the set of secondary communication channels comprises one or more alternating current power lines and wherein the request is sent as data injected onto the alternating current power lines to the set of powered elements;

receiving the data using the set of secondary communication channels from the set of powered elements;

analyzing the data to determine a set of recovery actions to restore the level of communications; and

issuing the set of recovery actions to the set of powered elements using the set of secondary communication channels.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting restoration of the set of primary communication channels to the set of powered elements.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the data from the set of powered elements further comprises:

receiving the alternating current power lines with the data; and

extracting the data from the alternating current power lines.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the request for data is a data capture command and wherein the data capture command is at least one of error logging, event tracing, or register dumping.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the set of recovery actions include at least one of an isolation command or a reset command.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a powered element in the set of powered elements is a field replaceable unit and wherein the field replaceable unit is at least one of a computer, router, switch, modular storage element, controller, printer, disk drive module, or serial attached SCSI hard disk drive.