Computer diagnostic board that provides system monitoring and permits remote terminal access

• US 6,070,253 A
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Joseph Peter, Culley, Paul R., Tavallaei, Siamak
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALDWELL, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US08/775,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.53, 395/200.54, 395/183.01, 395/183.03, 395/183.07, 395/184.01, 709/223-224, 714/25, 714/27, 714/31, 714/47
• US Class Current: 714/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2736 using a dedicated service processor for test

Abstract

A system management module (SMM) for a host server system includes a system management processor (SMP) connected to a system management local bus. The system management local bus connects to the system PCI bus through a system management central (SMC). The SMC includes the main arbitration unit for the PCI bus and also includes the arbiter for the system management local bus. The SMM includes a video controller and/or keyboard and mouse controller connected to the system management local bus to support remote consoling of the SMM. The video controller is further used for transmitting screen images to a remote computer system to facilitate system failure analysis. A plurality of system management remote units are provided for coupling to various components and busses within the host computer system. The system management remote units (SMR'"'"'s) connect to the SMM via serial bus and permit the SMM to automatically monitor activities and operating conditions, including determining the source of interrupts on busses and detecting error conditions.

Claims

1. A system management module for a host computer system which includes a host processor coupled to a host bus, said system management module comprising:

a system management processor coupled to a system management local bus;

a system management interface unit connected to said system management local bus and to said host bus, said system management interface unit comprising an arbiter for said host bus, and said system management interface unit capable of running master cycles on said host bus;

a communications device coupled to said system management local bus for communicating with a computing system at a remote location; and

a video controller connected to said system management local bus for generating video signals for display at the remote computing system.

2. The system management module of claim 1, including a PCI interface that connects said system management interface unit to said host bus.

3. The system management module of claim 1, wherein the system management module is capable of diagnosing component failures within said host computer system.

4. The system management module of claim 3, further comprising a controller for a keyboard and mouse, said controller connected to said system management local bus, a plurality of system management remote units, and a serial bus connecting said system management remote units to said system management module, wherein said system management remote units are adapted to be dispersed throughout said computer system.

5. The system management module of claim 4, wherein said system management interface unit includes a test bus controller capable of performing a boundary scan test on said host computer system.

6. The system management module of claim 5, further comprising a system management random access memory unit connected to said system management local bus, wherein said system management interface unit also operates as a memory control unit for said system management random access memory unit.

7. The system management module of claim 6, further comprising a system management ROM connected to said local bus and to said system management processor, said system management ROM including test vectors for running the boundary scan test and further including power-on self-test code for said system management module.

8. The system management module of claim 1, wherein the system management processor comprises a processor with a 386 instruction set.

9. A system management module for a computer system comprising:

a system management processor connected to a system management local bus;

a system management control unit connected to said system management local bus and adapted to connect to a host bus within said computer system, wherein said system management control unit includes an arbiter for said host bus;

a communications device coupled to said system management local bus for communicating with a computing system at a remote location;

a system management remote unit adapted to connect to an expansion bus within said computer system and which couples to said system management module via a serial bus, said system management remote unit capable of monitoring conditions of said expansion bus and reporting said conditions to said system management module via said serial bus;

a video controller connected to said system management local bus for generating video signals for display at the remote computing system; and

a keyboard controller connected to said system management local bus, said keyboard controller receiving signals from a remote computing system and in response generating encoded signals that are transmitted to the system management processor.

10. The system management module of claim 9, wherein said arbiter for said host bus comprises an arbiter for a PCI bus.

11. The system management module of claim 9, wherein said system management remote unit is adapted to connect to a host processor bus within said computer system.

12. The system management module of claim 11 which further includes a plurality of system management remote units coupled to said serial bus, each of said remote units adapted to connect to a bus within said computer system.

13. The system management module of claim 9, wherein the system management module is capable of performing diagnostic operations using said system management remote unit in response to signals from the remote computing system.

14. The system management module of claim 13, wherein the system management module is capable of transmitting video signals to said remote computing system indicating the result of the diagnostic operations.

15. The system management module of claim 14, wherein the system management module includes a slot connected to said system management local bus for receiving peripheral devices.

16. The system management module of claim 15, wherein the slot comprises a PCMCIA slot.

17. The system management module of claim 15, wherein the peripheral devices include a network interface card, permitting direct connection between the system management module and a system network.

18. A system management module for a computer system, comprising:

a system management processor connected to a system management local bus,

a system management control unit connected to said system management local bus and adapted to connect to a host bus in the computer system;

a communications device coupled to said system management local bus for communicating with a computing system at a remote location;

a video controller connected to said system management local bus for generating video signals for display at the remote computing system;

a keyboard controller connected to said system management local bus, said keyboard controller adapted to receive signals from a remote computing system and in response generate encoded signals that can be transmitted to the system management processor;

a plurality of system management remote units dispersed throughout said computer system, said system management remote units connecting to said system management module by a serial bus; and

wherein the system management control unit also connects to the system management remote units through a JTAG bus to permit the system management control unit to determine a source for signals appearing on the serial bus.

19. A network server, comprising:

a host processor connected to a host bus;

a bus bridge connecting said host bus to an expansion host bus;

a system management module connected to said expansion host bus, said system management module including;

a system management processor connected to a system management local bus;

a system management control unit connected to said system management local bus and to the expansion host bus, wherein said system management control unit comprises an arbiter for said expansion host bus;

a communications device coupled to said system management local bus for communicating with a computing system at a remote location;

a system management remote unit connected to said system management module by a serial bus;

a video controller connected to said system management local bus for generating video signals for display at the remote computing system; and

a keyboard controller connected to said system management local bus, said keyboard controller receiving signals from a remote computing signals and in response generating encoded signals that are transmitted to the system management processor.

20. The network server of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of system management remote units coupled to said system management module, said system management remote units capable of monitoring conditions throughout said network server.

21. The network server of claim 20, further comprising a bus bridge connecting said expansion host bus to a secondary expansion bus.

22. The network server of claim 21, wherein the secondary expansion bus comprises an EISA bus, and wherein a network interface controller card connects to said EISA bus for interconnecting said network server to a network.

23. The network server of claim 21 wherein at least one of said system management remote units couples to said secondary expansion system bus.

24. A system management module for a network server system that includes a host processor, comprising:

a system management interface unit adapted to connect to a host bus within said network server system, said system management interface unit comprising an arbiter for said host bus;

a memory controlled by said system management interface unit;

a system management processor coupled to said system management interface unit by a system management local bus;

a video controller connected to said system management local bus;

a keyboard and mouse controller connected to said local bus;

wherein said system management interface unit is capable of isolating the system management module from the network server system in the event of a failure in the network server system.

25. The system management module of claim 24 that includes a system management remote unit adapted to couple to an expansion bus within said network server system, wherein the system management interface unit monitors activities on the expansion bus and stores information in said memory representing parameters of current system bus cycles.

26. The system management module of claim 25, wherein the parameters include information regarding the source of an interrupt on the expansion bus.

27. The system management module of claim 25, wherein said system management remote unit connects to said system management interface unit by a JTAG bus.

28. The system management module of claim 27, wherein said host bus comprises a PCI bus.