Method for hot swapping a programmable network adapter by using a programmable processor to selectively disabling and enabling power thereto upon receiving respective control signals

• US 6,170,028 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Khalili, Mehrdad, Reed, John M., Mahalingam, Mallikarjunan, Wallach, Walter August
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US08/942,459
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.56, 395/200.8, 395/222-823, 395/828-830, 395/835-839, 395/866-871, 395/892-894, 395/181, 395/182-3-1, 710/8, 710/10, 710/15, 710/101, 710/103, 713/310, 713/324
• 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 11/3006 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 11/3065 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 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 41/0809 : Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 : based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 : Validating the configuration within one network element
• 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 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• 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 swapping a standard programmable network adapter connected to an operational computer, comprising:

providing a hot plug hardware in the operational computer, the hot plug hardware being configured to enable and disable power to the standard programmable network adapter, wherein the hot plug hardware comprises at least one programmable data processor for receiving requests from a central processing unit and for controlling the power to the standard programmable network adapter in response to requests from the central processing unit;

receiving a hot swap request from a user interface program for the hot swap of the standard programmable network adapter, wherein the hot swap request causes suspension of communications and power disablement to the standard programmable network adapter;

executing a statically loaded adapter driver which accepts a suspend packet and a restart packet;

suspending all communication to the standard programmable network adapter;

disabling power to the standard programmable network adapter, wherein the disabling occurs under the control of the hot plug hardware, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether the received request is to disable power;

removing the standard programmable network adapter;

inserting a new standard programmable network adapter into the operational computer;

enabling power to the new standard programmable network adapter, wherein the enabling occurs under the control of the hot plug hardware, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether the received request is to enable power; and

restarting communications between the operational computer and the new standard programmable network adapter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein restarting communications to the new standard programmable network adapter includes checking for the presence of an associated network adapter driver for the new standard programmable network adapter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein restarting the standard programmable network adapter includes reading a template thereby retrieving the configuration information associated with the new standard programmable network adapter.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising creating an input/output request packet having a callback route that is called by the adapter driver after the hot swap request.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising creating a device instance object for the new standard programmable network adapter.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising storing the configuration information of the new standard programmable network adapter in a linked list that is maintained by a configuration manager.

7. A method of hot swapping a standard network adapter connected to an operational computer, comprising:

providing a hot plug hardware in the operational computer, the hot plug hardware being configured to enable and disable power to the standard network adapter, wherein the hot plug hardware comprises at least one programmable data processor for receiving requests from a central processing unit and for controlling the power to the standard network adapter in response to requests from the central processing unit;

receiving a hot swap request from a user interface program for the hot swap of the standard network adapter, wherein the hot swap request causes suspension of communications and power disablement to the standard network adapter,

executing a statically loaded adapter driver which accepts a suspend packet and a restart packet;

disabling power to the standard network adapter, wherein the disabling occurs under the control of the hot plug hardware, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether the received request is to disable power;

removing the standard network adapter from the operational computer;

inserting a new standard network adapter into the operational computer at the same location as formerly occupied by the network adapter;

enabling power to the new standard network adapter, wherein the enabling occurs under the control of the hot plug hardware, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether the received request is to enable power; and

initiating communications between the operational computer and the new standard network adapter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein initiating communications includes checking for the presence of a network adapter driver for the new standard network adapter.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein initiating communications includes reading a template thereby retrieving configuration information of the new standard network adapter.

10. The method of claim 7, additionally comprising creating an input/output request packet having a callback routine that is called by the adapter driver after the hot swap request.

11. The method of claim 7, additionally comprising creating a device instance object for the new standard network adapter.

12. A method of hot swapping a standard network adapter to an operational computer including at least one canister, wherein the canister connects to one or more existing standard adapters, comprising:

providing a hot plug hardware in the operational computer, the hot plug hardware being configured to enable and disable power to the standard network adapter, wherein the hot plug hardware comprises at least one programmable data processor for receiving requests from a central processing unit and for controlling the power to the standard network adapter in response to requests from the central processing unit;

receiving a hot swap request from a user interface program for the hot swap of the standard network adapter, wherein the hot swap request causes suspension of communications and power disablement to the standard network adapter;

executing a statically loaded adapter driver which accepts a suspend packet and a restart packet;

suspending all communication to the existing standard adapters on a selected one of the canisters;

disabling power to the selected canister with the existing standard adapters, while maintaining power to the operational computer and other standard adapters, wherein the disabling occurs under the control of the hot plug hardware, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether the received request is to disable power;

removing a selected standard network adapter from the canister;

adding a new standard network adapter in the canister at the same location as formerly occupied by the selected network adapter;

enabling power to the standard network adapter in the canister, wherein the enabling occurs under the control of the hot plug hardware, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether the received request is to enable power;

restarting communications to the existing standard adapters; and

restarting communications between the operational computer and the new standard network adapter.

13. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising storing the configuration information associated with the new standard network adapter in a linked list that is maintained by a configuration manager.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein restarting communications between the operational computer and the standard network adapter includes checking for the presence of an adapter driver associated width the new standard network adapter.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein restarting communications between the operational computer and the standard network adapter includes reading a template thereby retrieving the configuration information associated with the new standard network adapter.

16. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising creating an input/output request packet having a callback routine that is called by the adapter driver after the hot swap request.

17. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising creating a device instance object for the new standard network adapter.

18. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising storing the configuration information of the new standard network adapter in a linked list that is initiated by a configuration manger.