Error correction from remote data processor by communication and reconstruction of processor status storage disk

• US 4,463,418 A
• Filed: 06/30/1981
• Issued: 07/31/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Quin, John T. II, Vossman, Robert A., Wood, Rebecca S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Atkinson, Charles E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US06/280,023
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 371/15, 371/16, 371/29, 364/200, 364/900
• US Class Current: 714/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0778 Dumping, i.e. gathering error/state information after a fault for later diagnosis

Abstract

A system for diagnosing and correcting errors in remote data processing equipment is provided in which a remote data processor subject to an error condition has associated therewith disk, e.g., diskette storage means together with means for recording on said diskettes, data representing the status of the data processor under a particular error condition. The remote data processor further has associated therewith means for transmitting the status data stored on said diskette. First receiving means distant from the remote data processor receives the transmitted data and means associated with the receiving means reconstruct the diskette containing the error status data whereby this reconstruct diskette is now available for diagnostics at a point distant from said remote data processor.

Claims

1. A system responsive to the detection of error conditions in remote data processing equipment for diagnosing and correcting said errors comprising

a remote data processor,

a first magnetic media storage means associated with said remote data processor,

means for detecting said error conditions,

means operable upon the detection of said error conditions for recording on said storage means, data representing the status of the data processor under an error condition,

first transmission means associated with said remote data processor for transmitting said status data stored on said magnetic media storage means,

first receiving means distant from said remote data processor for receiving said transmitted data, and

a second magnetic media storage means associated with said first receiving means,

means associated with said receiving means for duplicating said status data on said second magnetic media storage means whereby said duplicated status data is available for diagnostics.

2. A system responsive to the detection of error conditions in remote data processing equipment for diagnosing and correcting said errors comprising

a remote data processor,

a first disk storage means associated with said remote data processor,

means for detecting said error conditions,

means operable upon the detection of said error conditions for recording on said disk storage means, a status disk representing the data processor status under an error condition,

first transmission means associated with said remote data processor for transmitting the data stored on said status disk,

first receiving means distant from said remote data processor for receiving said transmitted data,

a second disk storage means associated with said first receiving means, and

means associated with said receiving means for duplicating said status data on said second disk storage means whereby said duplicated status data is available for diagnostics.

3. The system of claim 2 further including

means associated with said first receiving means for forming an error correction storage disk after said diagnostics are carried out,

second transmission means for transmitting the data on said error correction disk,

second receiving means associated with said remote data processor for receiving the data on said correction disk,

and means associated with said remote data processor for forming a duplicate of the error correction disk whereby said duplicate disk is available for said remote data processor.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said remote data processor is a first display word processor.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said first receiving means are included in a second display word processor which further includes said second disk storage means and said duplicating means.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said second display word processor further includes

means for forming an error correction storage disk after said diagnostics are carried out, and

second transmission means for transmitting the data on said correction disk and, said first display word processor further includes

second receiving means for receiving the data on said correction disk, and

means for forming duplicate of the error correction disk whereby said duplicate error correction disk is available for said first display word processor.

7. A process responsive to error conditions detected in remote data processing equipment for diagnosing and correcting said errors comprising

recording on magnetic media storage means, data representing the status of a remote data processor under an error condition,

transmitting said status data stored on said magnetic media storage means to first receiving means distant from said remote processor, and

duplicating said status data on magnetic media storage means associated with said first receiving means whereby said duplicated status data is available for diagnostics.

8. A process responsive to error conditions detected in remote data processing equipment for diagnosing and correcting said errors comprising

recording on disk storage means, a status representing a remote data processor status under an error condition,

transmitting the data stored on said status disk to first receiving means distant from said remote data processor, and

duplicating said status data on disk storage means associated with said first receiving means whereby said duplicated data is available for diagnostics.

9. The process of claim 8 further including the steps of

diagnosing the error condition from said status disk,

forming an error correction storage disk after said diagnostics are carried out,

transmitting the data on said error correction disk to second receiving means associated with said remote data processor, and

forming a duplicate of the error correction disk from said transmitted data whereby said duplicate error correction disk is available for said remote data processor.