Computer system comprising a method and apparatus for periodic testing of redundant devices
First Claim
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1. A computer system comprising:
- an operating system,a microcontroller in communication with said operating system;
a primary device in data communication with said microcontroller, said microcontroller controlling said primary device and determining whether said primary device is operating properly;
a redundant device in communication with said microcontroller, said microcontroller turning on said redundant device at predetermined time intervals for a predetermined amount of time in order to determine if said redundant device would be operational if said primary device failed.
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Abstract
A computer system or computer server system having redundant devices that are periodically checked in order to determine whether the redundant devices would be operational if the primary devices failed. The primary and redundant devices are in electrical communication with a controller circuit which, in turn, is responsive to a microprocessor and/or the computer'"'"'s operating system. The primary and redundant devices can be hot-pluggable so that the computer system does not need to be powered down when and if the primary or redundant devices need to be replaced.
62 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A computer system comprising:
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an operating system, a microcontroller in communication with said operating system; a primary device in data communication with said microcontroller, said microcontroller controlling said primary device and determining whether said primary device is operating properly; a redundant device in communication with said microcontroller, said microcontroller turning on said redundant device at predetermined time intervals for a predetermined amount of time in order to determine if said redundant device would be operational if said primary device failed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer system comprising:
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a primary fan for providing air flow through said computer system; a redundant fan for providing air flow through said computer system when said primary fan is inoperable; a fan controller circuit, in data communication with said primary fan and said secondary fan, for controlling said primary fan and for turning on, testing, and turning off said redundant fan at predetermined time intervals in order to determine whether said redundant fan would be operational if said primary fan became inoperable; an operating system, in data communication with said fan controller circuit, for informing a user of said computer system of a status of said primary fan and said secondary fan. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining whether a redundant device in a computer system would be operational if a primary device failed comprising the steps of:
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powering-up a computer system; turning on a primary device; monitoring a functionality aspect of said primary device; turning on a secondary device at predetermined intervals for a predetermined amount of time and monitoring said functionality aspect of said secondary device in order to determine if said secondary device would be operational if said primary device was not operational. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification