Resource-capability-based method and system for handling service processor requests

• US 5,784,617 A
• Filed: 11/27/1996
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Greenstein, Paul Gregory, Rodell, John Ted, Wright, Michael Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): TOPLU, LUCIEN
• Application Number:
  US08/758,618
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 375/674, 395/672, 395/184.01
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/503 Resource availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals

Abstract

A method and system are provided for executing a service processor request within a data processing system having one or more processors within a central processing complex, each of the processors within the central processing complex including allocatable processor resources. Each of the processors within the central processing complex is provided with the capability of processing selected service processor requests by reserving a portion of the allocatable processor resources within each of the processors for such purpose. A service processor request within the central processing complex is initially processed utilizing at least one of the processors in response to receiving a service processor request, if sufficient processor resources are available to process the service processor request within the reserved portion of the allocatable resources. Alternatively, the service processor request is transmitted to an external processing complex, if insufficient processor resources are available to process the service processor request within the reserved portion of the allocatable resources.

Claims

1. In a data processing system, a method for handling an active service processor request ("SPR") emanating from at least one central processing complex in the system, the system having therein a plurality of SPR processing resources, the method comprising:

(a) determining a type of the active SPR, including determining a type of resources required to process the active SPR;

(b) determining a suitability of at least some SPR processing resources of the plurality of SPR processing resources to handle the active SPR, based on at least their respective intrinsic SPR processing capabilities and the type of resources required to process the active SPR;

(c) using result of said determine (a) and said determining (b) to determine a preferred SPR processing resource of the plurality of SPR processing resources within which to process the active SPR; and

(d) processing the active SPR in said preferred SPR processing resource.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) prior to said processing the active SPR (d), allocating resources required to process the active SPR within the preferred SPR processing resource.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the suitability (b) includes:

determining a dynamic capability of the at least some SPR processing resources of the plurality of SPR processing resources to handle the active SPR, based on at least respective dynamic processing loads of the at least some SPR processing resources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least some SPR processing resources includes a first central processing complex and a hardware system element, and wherein said using the results (c) includes:

determining that the preferred processing resource within which to process the active SPR is the hardware system element, upon a determination in said determining (b) that the first central processing complex is unsuitable to process the active SPR based on either its intrinsic SPR processing capabilities or its dynamic processing load.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least some SPR processing resources includes a first central processing complex and a second central processing complex, and wherein said using the results (c) includes:

determining that the preferred processing resource within which to process the active SPR is the second central processing complex, upon a determination in said determining (b) that the first central processing complex is unsuitable to process the active SPR based on either its intrinsic SPR processing capabilities or its dynamic processing load.

6. An apparatus for handling an active service processor request ("SPR") emanating from at least one central processing complex in a data process system, the system having therein a plurality of SPR based on either its intrinsic SPR processing resources, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for determining a type of the active SPR, including means for determining a type of resources required to process the active SPR;

(b) means for determining a suitability of at least some SPR processing resources of the plurality of SPR processing resources to handle the active SPR, based on at least their respective intrinsic SPR processing capabilities and the type of resources required to process the active SPR;

(c) means for using results provided by said means for determining (a) and said means for determining (b) to determine a preferred SPR processing resource of the plurality of SPR processing resources within which to process the active SPR; and

(d) means for processing the active SPR in said preferred SPR processing resource.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for allocating resources required to process the active SPR within the preferred SPR processing resource.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said means for determining the suitability (b) includes:

means for determining a dynamic capability of the at least some SPR processing resources of the plurality of SPR processing resources to handle the active SPR, based on at least respective dynamic processing loads of the at least some SPR processing resources.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least some SPR processing resources includes a first central processing complex and a hardware system element, and wherein said means for using the results (c) includes:

means for determining that the preferred processing resource within which to process the active SPR is the hardware system element, upon a determination by said means for determining (b) that the first central processing complex is unsuitable to process the active SPR based on either its intrinsic SPR processing capabilities or its dynamic processing load.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least some SPR processing resources includes a first central processing complex and a second central processing complex, and wherein said means for using the results (c) includes:

means for determining that the preferred processing resource within which to process the active SPR is the second central processing complex, upon a determination by said means for determining (b) that the first central processing complex is unsuitable to process the active SPR based on either its intrinsic SPR processing capabilities or its dynamic processing load.

11. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for handling an active service processor request ("SPR") emanating from at least one central processing complex in a data process system, the system having therein a plurality of SPR processing resources, the computer usable medium comprising;

(a) computer readable program code means for determining a type of the active SPR, including computer readable program code means for determining a type of resources required to process the active SPR;

(b) computer readable program code means for determining a suitability of at least some SPR processing resources of the plurality of SPR processing resources to handle the active SPR, based on at least their respective intrinsic SPR processing capabilities and the type of resources required to process the active SPR;

(c) computer readable program code means for using results provided by said computer readable program code means for determining (a) and said computer readable program code means for determining (b) to determine a preferred SPR processing resource of the plurality of SPR processing resources within which to process the active SPR; and

(d) computer readable program code means for processing the active SPR in said preferred SPR processing resource.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for allocating resources required to process the active SPR within the preferred SPR processing resource.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein said code means for determining the suitability (b) includes:

computer readable program code means for determining a dynamic capability of the at least some SPR processing resources of the plurality of SPR processing resources to handle the active SPR, based on at least respective dynamic processing loads of the at least some SPR processing resources.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the at least some SPR processing resources includes a first central processing complex and a hardware system element, and wherein said code means for using the results (c) includes:

computer readable program code means for determining that the preferred processing resource within which to process the active SPR is the hardware system element, upon a determination by said computer readable program code means for determining (b) that the first central processing complex is unsuitable to process the active SPR based on either its intrinsic SPR processing capabilities or its dynamic processing load.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the at least some SPR processing resources includes a first central processing complex and a second central processing complex, and wherein said computer readable program code means for using the results (c) includes:

computer readable program code means for determining that the preferred processing resource within which to process the active SPR is the second central processing complex, upon a determination by said computer readable program code means for determining (b) that the first central processing complex is unsuitable to process the active SPR based on either its intrinsic SPR processing capabilities or its dynamic processing load.