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Fault-tolerant computer system with online recovery and reintegration of redundant components

  • US 6,073,251 A
  • Filed: 06/09/1997
  • Issued: 06/06/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a computer system having a plurality of Central Processor Units (CPUs) and a plurality of components coupled to the CPUs, a method comprising:

  • detecting an interrupt indicating a fault in a system component always designated as a primary system component, the primary system component having at least one matching redundant component always designated as a backup component of the primary system component, where a redundant component receives, during normal operation, the same input data as the primary system component, but, during normal operation, does not output the data output by the primary system component;

    isolating the fault in the primary system component;

    taking the faulty primary system component off-line while maintaining system operations and, without affecting systems operation, using the redundant system component matching the faulty primary system component, where the redundant system component receives and outputs data that the faulty primary system component would have received and output, respectively;

    upon repair or replacement of the faulty primary system component, reinitializing the repaired or replacement primary system component;

    initiating a test procedure in the repaired or replacement primary system component;

    reintegrating the repaired or replacement primary system component if the primary system component passes the test procedure; and

    placing the repaired or replacement primary system component online if the reintegration step is successfully completed.

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