Method for the hot add of a network adapter on a system including a dynamically loaded adapter driver

• US 5,892,928 A
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Wallach, Walter A., Khalili, Mehrdad, Reed, John M., Mahalingam, Mallikarjunan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US08/943,072
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 395/280-286, 395/200.56, 395/200.8, 395/822, 395/823, 395/828-830, 395/835-839, 395/866-871, 395/892-894, 395/181 , 395/182.03-182.07
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3041 where the computing system component is an input/output interface interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 : Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 : Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 : Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 : Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 : Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 : Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 : Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9063 : Intermediate storage in different physical parts of a node or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A software architecture for the hot add and swap of adapters. The software architecture allows users to replace failed components, upgrade outdated components, and add new functionality, such as new network interfaces, disk interface adapters and storage, without impacting existing users. The software architecture supports the hot add and swap of off-the-shelf adapters, including those adapters that are programmable.

Claims

1. A method of hot adding a network adapter to an operational computer including at least one canister, wherein the canister includes one or more existing adapters, comprising:

receiving a request to perform a hot add of a new network adapter on a canister;

locating all of the existing network adapters on the canister;

obtaining the logical number for each existing network adapter;

using the logical board number of each existing network adapter to retrieve an entry point in a driver associated with the particular existing network adapter;

calling the entry point of each driver to request the suspension of the communication to the existing network adapters;

disabling power to the selected canister, while still maintaining power to the computer;

adding the new network adapter to the canister;

enabling power to the canister;

restarting communications to the existing network adapters; and

initiating communications between the computer and the new network adapter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising programming the new network adapter with a configuration manager.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading the configuration information of the new network adapter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating act further comprises activating the communications to the new network adapter with a media support module.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading a base address register on the network adapter thereby identifying the adapter type of the new network adapter.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request from a user interface for the request of the hot add of a network adapter.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing a base address register with data items in a list of resources maintained by an operating system thereby identifying at least one network adapter that is on the selected canister.