System of reporting errors by a hardware element of a distributed computer system

• US 5,968,189 A
• Filed: 04/08/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kampf, Francis Alfred, Herrmann, Antoinette Elaine, Stucke, Robert Frederick, Desnoyers, Christine Marie, Garmire, Derrick LeRoy
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELISCA, PIERRE E
• Application Number:
  US08/838,389
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 395/182.02, 395/182.09, 395/185.01, 395/185.1, 395/185.02, 395/200.68, 395/200.69, 395/200.72
• US Class Current: 714/47.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks

Abstract

An error message is generated by a hardware element of a distributed computer system, when an error is detected. The error message is then forwarded from the hardware element to one or more designated processing nodes of the distributed computer system. The hardware element includes, for instance, a switch element or a communications adapter adapted to report detected errors.

Claims

1. A system of reporting errors in a distributed computer system, said system comprising:

a hardware element of said distributed computer system adapted to generate, when an error is detected, a service packet comprising an error message and a route to a first designated processing node of said distributed computer system; and

said hardware element being further adapted to forward said service packet from said hardware element to said first designated processing node, and wherein said route defines a path to be taken from said hardware element to said first designated processing node of the distributed processing system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said hardware element comprises one of a switch element and a communications adapter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said hardware element is further adapted to send said service packet from said hardware element to a second designated processing node of said distributed computer system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said hardware element is further adapted to use said route to send said service packet to said first designated processing node.

5. A system of reporting errors in a distributed computer system, said system comprising:

a hardware element of said distributed computer system adapted to generate an error message, when an error is detected;

said hardware element being further adapted to forward said error message from said hardware element to a first designated processing node of said distributed computer system; and

said hardware element being further adapted to collect hardware errors prior to receiving, by said hardware element, an indication that said error message has been received by said first designated processing node, wherein said hardware element is further adapted to acknowledge receipt of said indication and to forward to at least one of said first designated processing node and a second designated processing node of said distributed computer system additional error messages for said additional errors collected at said hardware element.

6. A system of reporting errors in a distributed computer system, said system comprising:

a hardware element of said distributed computer system adapted to generate an error message, when an error is detected;

said hardware element being further adapted to forward said error message from said hardware element to a first designated processing node of said distributed computer system; and

wherein said hardware element comprises a communications adapter and said error comprises a check stop error, and wherein said communications adapter is adapted to stop current operations of said communications adapter prior to generating said error message, and to go idle after forwarding said error message and await receipt of a reset message.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said communications adapter is adapted to forward said error message to both said first designated processing node and a second designated processing node of said distributed computer system prior to going idle and awaiting receipt of the reset message.