Method for the hot add of a network adapter on a system including a statically loaded adapter driver

• US 6,202,111 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• 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): Etienne, Ario
• Application Number:
  US08/942,465
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 395/283, 395/280, 395/281, 395/282, 395/284, 395/882, 395/892, 395/893, 395/894, 395/822, 395/828, 395/830, 395/833, 395/651, 395/652, 395/653, 395/182.05, 710/100-104, 710/62, 710/72, 710/73, 710/74, 710/2, 710/8, 710/10, 710/13, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 714/7
• 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 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 : based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 : by backing up or archiving configuration information
• 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: 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 adding a network adapter to an operational computer including a plurality of bus slots, comprising:

executing a statically loaded adapter driver which accepts a request packet to initialize a network adapter;

adding a programmable network adapter, which is connected to a plurality of I/O devices, to one of the bus slots;

executing a configuration manager which configures the configuration space of the programmable network adapter; and

initializing the programmable network adapter so that I/O is communicated between the added programmable network adapter and the operational computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initializing the programmable network adapter includes reading a vendor identification and an adapter identification from a memory in the programmable network adapter so as to determine the type of the programmable network adapter, and identifying a statically loaded adapter driver associated with the programmable network adapter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein initializing the programmable network adapter includes checking for the presence of a statically loaded adapter driver associated with the programmable network adapter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein initializing the programmable network adapter includes reading a template containing configuration information associated with the programmable network adapter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the programmable network adapter is adapted to communicate with a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising creating a device instance object associated with the programmable network adapter, wherein executing the configuration manager includes using the device instance object to communicate with the programmable network adapter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the configuration manager includes storing the configuration information of the programmable network adapter in a linked list.

8. A method of hot adding a network adapter to an operational computer including a plurality of bus slots, comprising:

executing a statically loaded adapter driver which accepts a request packet to initialize a new network adapter;

adding a network adapter to one of the bus slots having a non-powered state;

executing a configuration manager which configures the adapter space of the network adapter;

enabling power to the bus slot; and

initiating communications between the computer and the new network adapter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein initiating communications includes reading a vendor identification and an adapter identification from a memory in the network adapter so as to determine the type of the programmable network adapter, and identifying a statically loaded adapter driver associated with the programmable network adapter.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein initiating communications includes checking for the presence of a statically loaded adapter driver associated with the network adapter.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein initiating communications includes reading a template containing information associated with the network adapter.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the programmable network adapter is adapted to communicate with a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.

13. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising creating a device instance object associated with the network adapter, wherein executing the configuration manager includes using the device instance object to communicate with the network adapter.

14. A method of hot adding a network adapter to an operational computer including at least one canister, wherein the at least one canister contains one or more existing network adapters, comprising:

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

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

disabling power to the selected canister, while still maintaining power to the computer;

adding a new network adapter to the selected canister;

enabling power to the selected canister;

restarting communications to the existing network adapters; and

initiating communications between the computer and the new network adapter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein executing the configuration manager includes storing the configuration information of the new adapter in a linked list.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein initiating communications includes checking for the presence of a statically loaded network adapter driver associated with the new network adapter.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein initiating communications includes reading a template containing configuration information associated with new network adapter.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the new network adapter is adapted to communicate with a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.

19. The method of claim 14, additionally comprising creating a device instance object associated with the new network adapter, wherein executing the configuration manager includes using the device instance object to communicate with the new network adapter.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein executing the configuration manager includes storing the configuration information of the new network adapter in a linked list.