SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECOVERY OF SIDEBAND INTERFACES FOR CONTROLLERS

• US 20200133355A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bassman, Robert G., Vishwanath, Manjunath, Dumouchelle, Andre James, Gavvala, Pavan Kumar, Bisa, Rama Rao, Rahardjo, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 10,852,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1668 Details of memory controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0026 PCI express
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4403 Processor initialisation

Abstract

Periods of interoperability of sideband buses prevent effective management of managed devices by a remote access controller. Embodiments avoid periods of inoperability of sideband buses and recover the sideband bus without resetting the managed devices or the IHS (Information Handling System). The remote access controller configures timer and transmits the timer to a managed device. The managed device monitors the sideband for messages for the remote access controller. If no messages are received before expiration of the timer, the managed device resets its sideband bus endpoint, without resetting the managed device.

Claims

1. A system for managing a plurality of managed devices via a sideband bus, the system comprising:

a remote access controller configured to;

configure, for a first managed device of the plurality of managed devices, a first timer to expire after a first duration;

transmit a timer command to the first managed device via the sideband bus, wherein the timer command specifies the first timer;

the first managed device coupled to the remote access controller via the sideband bus, wherein the first managed device comprises a sideband bus monitor configured to;

start a first timer for the first duration based on receipt of the timer command from the remote access controller;

monitor the sideband bus for communications from the remote access controller;

if a communication is detected from the remote access controller prior to the expiration of the first duration, restart the first timer; and

if no communication from the remote access controller is detected prior to the expiration of the first duration, reset the sideband bus without restarting the first managed device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first duration is selected for the first timer by the remote access controller based on whether the first managed device provides temperature sensor readings.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first managed device is a host bus adapter coupled to a plurality of storage devices.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote access controller is further configured to transmit, via the sideband bus, a temperature request to the host bus adapter on a periodic interval.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the host bus adapter forwards the temperature request to the plurality of storage devices and relays temperature sensor readings from the plurality of storage devices to the remote access controller via the sideband bus.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the remote access controller is further configured to determine a second duration until the host bus adapter resets the sideband bus, if the remote access controller does not receive the temperature sensor readings before the beginning of the next periodic interval.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the remote access controller is further configured to signal fail-over cooling if the temperature sensor readings are not received prior to the expiration of the second duration.

8. A method for managing a plurality of managed devices via a sideband bus, the method comprising:

configuring, by a remote access controller, a first timer for a first managed device of the plurality of managed devices, wherein the first timer is configured to expire after a first duration;

transmit a timer command from the remote access controller to the first managed device via the sideband bus, wherein the timer command specifies the first timer configuration;

starting, by a sideband bus monitor of the first managed device, a first timer for the first duration based on receipt of the timer command from the remote access controller;

monitoring the sideband bus for communications from the remote access controller;

restarting the first timer, if a communication is detected from the remote access controller prior to the expiration of the first duration, and

reset the sideband bus without restarting the first managed device, if no communication from the remote access controller is detected prior to the expiration of the first duration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first duration is selected for the first timer by the remote access controller based on whether the first managed device provides temperature sensor readings.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first managed device is a host bus adapter coupled to a plurality of storage devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, by the remote access controller via the sideband bus, a temperature request to the host bus adapter on a periodic interval.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forwarding, by the host bus adapter, the temperature request to the plurality of storage devices; and

relaying, by the host bus adapter via the sideband bus, temperature sensor readings from the plurality of storage devices to the remote access controller.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

if the remote access controller does not receive the temperature sensor readings before the beginning of the next periodic interval, determining, by the remote access controller, a second duration until the host bus adapter resets the sideband bus.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

signaling, by the remote access controller, fail-over cooling if the temperature sensor readings are not received prior to the expiration of the second duration.

15. An Information Handling System (IHS) comprising:

a remote access controller configured to;

configure, for a first managed device, a first timer to expire after a first duration;

transmit a timer command to the first managed device via a sideband bus, wherein the timer command specifies the first timer configuration;

the first managed device coupled to the remote access controller via the sideband bus, wherein the first managed device comprises a sideband bus monitor configured to;

start a first timer for the first duration based on receipt of the timer command from the remote access controller;

monitor the sideband bus for communications from the remote access controller;

if a communication is detected from the remote access controller prior to the expiration of the first duration, restart the first timer; and

if no communication from the remote access controller is detected prior to the expiration of the first duration, reset the sideband bus without restarting the IHS.

16. The IHS of claim 15, wherein the first duration is selected for the first timer by the remote access controller based on whether the first managed device provides temperature sensor readings.

17. The IHS of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of storage devices, wherein the first managed device is a host bus adapter coupled to the plurality of storage device, and wherein the remote access controller is further configured to transmit, via the sideband bus, a temperature request to the host bus adapter on a periodic interval.

18. The IHS of claim 17, wherein the host bus adapter forwards the temperature request to the plurality of storage devices and relays temperature sensor readings from the plurality of storage devices to the remote access controller via the sideband bus.

19. The IHS of claim 18, wherein the remote access controller is further configured to determine a second duration until the host bus adapter resets the sideband bus, if the remote access controller does not receive the temperature sensor readings before the beginning of the next periodic interval.

20. The IHS of claim 19, wherein the remote access controller is further configured to signal fail-over cooling if the temperature sensor readings are not received prior to the expiration of the second duration.