System for powering up and powering down a server

• US 6,122,746 A
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Karl S., Nouri, Ahmad
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Application Number:
  US08/943,076
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 713/310, 713/300, 713/320, 713/330, 713/340, 709/203, 709/204, 709/217, 709/219, 709/250, 709/300, 709/304
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• 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 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• 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 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3065 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• 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 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 41/0213 : Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• 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 43/045 : for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 : related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 : Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 : using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 : Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A fault tolerant computer system for powering up and powering down a server through either a local or remote client machine. The remote machine accesses the server by use of a dial-in modem connection. The power up operation brings the server to an operational state such that diagnostics or recovery can be performed even though the operating system software on the server is not operational. Power down is used when diagnosis and maintenance, such as changing a part, needs to be done. Other reasons for power down are for security or power conservation.

Claims

1. A system for powering on a computer having a plurality of microcontrollers, the system comprising:

a first computer including at least one power supply;

a maintenance microcontroller, coupled to the at least one power supply and configured to provide a power on signal to the at least one power supply for the first computer;

a microcontroller bus coupled to the maintenance microcontroller; and

a remote interface microcontroller having an independent power supply, said remote interface microcontroller connected to the maintenance microcontroller via the microcontroller bus and configured to receive a power on command from a remote computer and to transmit said power on command to said maintenance microcontroller.

2. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the remote interface microcontroller includes an external port for connection to a second computer.

3. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the remote interface microcontroller is responsive to a command sent from the second computer to turn on the first computer power supply.

4. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the second computer is at the same location as the first computer.

5. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the second computer is at a location remote to the first computer.

6. The system defined in claim 5, additionally comprising a pair of modems, wherein a first modem connects to the remote interface microcontroller and a second modem connects to the second computer.

7. The system defined in claim 6, wherein each modem further connects to a public switched telephone network.

8. The system defined in claim 6, wherein each modem further connects to a cable network.

9. The system defined in claim 6, wherein each modem facilitates communication with a satellite.

10. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the independent power supply is a battery.

11. A system for powering off a computer, the system comprising:

a first computer;

at least one power supply coupled to the first computer;

a first microcontroller coupled to the at least one power supply and configured to provide a power off signal to the at least one power supply for the first computer;

a microcontroller bus coupled to the first microcontroller;

a remote interface circuit connected to the first microcontroller via the microcontroller bus and having a second microcontroller and an independent power supply coupled to the second microcontroller; and

a second computer connected to the first computer via the remote interface circuit and configured to communicate a power off command to the first microcontroller.

12. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the remote interface circuit includes an external port for connection to the second computer.

13. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the remote interface circuit is responsive to a command sent from the second computer to turn off the first computer power supply.

14. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the second computer is at the same location as the first computer.

15. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the second computer is at a location remote to the first computer.

16. The system defined in claim 15, additionally comprising a pair of modems, wherein a first modem connects to the remote interface circuit and a second modem connects to the second computer.

17. The system defined in claim 16, wherein each modem further connects to a public switched telephone network.

18. The system defined in claim 16, wherein each modem further connects to a cable network.

19. The system defined in claim 16, wherein each modem facilitates communication with a satellite.

20. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the independent power supply is a battery.

21. A program storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system, perform the method comprising:

providing a command for remotely powering on or powering off a first computer;

sending the command from a second computer to a remote interface microcontroller;

transmitting the command from the remote interface microcontroller to a maintenance microcontroller via a microcontroller bus;

executing the command on the maintenance microcontroller in the first computer;

sending a power on or power off signal from the maintenance microcontroller to a power supply for the first computer thereby powering on or powering off the first computer; and

sending a response back to the second computer indicating success or failure of the command.

22. The device of claim 21, further including the act of displaying the success or failure of the command to a user.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the act of sending the command includes the act of transmitting the command through a pair of modems.

24. A system for powering on or powering off a computer, the system comprising:

a first computer;

at least one power supply coupled to the first computer;

a first microcontroller capable of providing a signal to the at least one power supply;

a microcontroller bus coupled to the first microcontroller;

a remote interface microcontroller having an independent power supply, connected to the first microcontroller via the microcontroller bus; and

a second computer connected to the first microcontroller via the remote interface circuit and configured to communicate a command to the first microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller generates the signal to the at least one power supply based on the command.