System for dynamically changing a system I/O configuration by determining differences between current and future configurations and describing differences to software and hardware control blocks

• US 5,257,368 A
• Filed: 03/28/1991
• Issued: 10/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schulte, Michael, Haggar, Jeffrey D., Benson, S. Michael, Merritt, Allan S., Koren, Dennis D., Yudenfriend, Harry M., Cwiakala, Richard, Fantacone, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harper, Burch
• Application Number:
  US07/676,603
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/275, 395/700, 395/650
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/161 Computing infrastructure, e.g. computer clusters, blade chassis or hardware partitioning casings, cabinets, racks or drawers for data centers H05K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

An installation creates a source I/O definition file (IODF), defining a current system I/O configuration, and a target IODF, defining a future I/O configuration. An activate function is initiated to change the system'"'"'s hardware and software definition to correspond to the target IODF. A compare function compares the source and target IODFs, and creates a Configuration Change Block (CCB) to efficiently drive the change process. A validation function validates that the proposed change is valid, and the change process updates the hardware and software configuration definitions. If the change process is successful, a notification is sent; if not, a back-out process restores the I/O configuration to its initial state.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a central processor, input/output units in an input/output subsystem attached to the central processor, and an operating system, a system for dynamic reconfiguration of one or more of said input/output units comprising:

A) definitional means for creating, on a configuration definitional file, one or more configuration instances, each configuration instance representing an associated configuration of said one or more of said input/output units;

B) a current configuration instance, created by said definitional means, and representing a first associated configuration;

C) a future configuration instance, created by said definitional means, and representing a second associated configuration;

D) system initialization means for creating, for said current configuration instance, one or more dynamically changeable software control blocks describing the first associated configuration to the operating system;

E) hardware initialization means for creating, from said current configuration instance, one or more dynamically changeable hardware control blocks describing the first associated configuration to the input/output subsystem;

F) activate means for creating from said current configuration instance and said future configuration instance, a configuration change block describing changes to be made to said software control blocks and said hardware control blocks when changing from said first associated configuration to said second associated configuration; and

G) dynamic actuation means for creating, from said configuration change block, changes to said hardware control blocks and said software control blocks so that, if said creating changes is successful, said software control blocks describe the second associated configuration to the operating system, and said hardware control blocks describe the second associated configuration to the input/output subsystem and if said creating changes is not successful, a change creation error indication is set.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising validation means linked to said activate means for detecting whether said changes are valid and setting a validation error indication if said changes are detected to be invalid.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising back-out means linked to said validation means and to said dynamic actuation means for detecting the setting of said validation error indication and said change creation error indication and, if either indication is so detected to be set, restoring said software control blocks and said hardware control blocks to again describing said first associated configuration.

4. In a computer system having a central processor, input/output units in an input/output subsystem attached to the central processor, and an operating system, a method for dynamic reconfiguration of one or more of said input/output units comprising the steps of:

A) creating a current configuration instance data set defining a current hardware configuration of said input/output units;

B) creating from said current configuration instance data set a current hardware configuration definition defining said current hardware configuration to said input/output subsystem;

C) creating from said current configuration instance data set a current software configuration definition defining said current hardware configuration to said operating system;

D) creating a future configuration instance data set defining a future hardware configuration of said input/output units;

E) creating from said current configuration instance data set and said future configuration instance data set, a configuration change block representing changes to be made to said current hardware configuration definition and said current software configuration definition to create a future hardware configuration definition defining said future hardware configuration to said input/output subsystem, and a future software configuration definition defining said future hardware configuration to said operating system; and

F) using said configuration change block to make said changes to said current hardware configuration definition and said current software configuration definition.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, after the step of creating said configuration change block, the step of detecting whether said changes are valid and backing out of said changes if said changes are not valid.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, after the step of using said configuration change block to make said changes, the step of detecting whether said changes were successfully made and backing out of said changes if said changes were not successfully made.