Method of resetting a server

• US 6,330,690 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• 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): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US08/942,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 714/2, 714/57, 714/34, 714/55, 714/23, 713/1, 713/2, 709/224, 709/223
• US Class Current: 714/23
• 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 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• 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 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: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40071 Packet processing; Packet format adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific network H04N21/2381, H04N21/4363, H04N21/4381; packet switches H04L49/00; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• 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: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A fault tolerant method of resetting a server through either a local or remote client machine. The remote machine accesses the server by use of a dial-in modem connection, while the local machine accesses the server by a local serial connection. The resetting operation brings the server and the operating system software to a normal operational state. Reset is used after diagnostics or recovery have been performed without the use of the server operating system software or to restart the server after an unexpected crash.

Claims

1. A method for resetting a computer, the method comprising the acts of:

sending a reset command from a second computer through a remote interface to a first computer;

executing the command on a microcontroller in the first computer; and

sending a reset signal from the microcontroller directly to a processor in the first computer via a signal path provided between the microcontroller and the processor thereby resetting the first computer regardless of the state of the processor.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally including the act of providing power to the remote interface from a remote interface power supply independent of a first computer power supply.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computer is at the same location as the first computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computer is at a location remote to the first computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the act of sending the reset command from the second computer includes the act of connecting a pair of modems, wherein a first modem connects to the first computer and a second modem connects to the second computer.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the act of providing a response to the second computer through the remote interface based on results of the command.

7. A method of resetting a computer, the method comprising the acts of:

connecting a remote interface to a first computer and a second computer;

providing a resetting command at the second computer directed to the first computer;

encapsulating the command in a communications protocol;

transmitting the encapsulated command to the remote interface;

communicating the command received by the remote interface to a microcontroller over a bus in the first computer;

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

sending a reset signal from the microcontroller directly to a processor in the first computer via a signal path provided between the microcontroller and the processor thereby resetting the first computer regardless of the state of the processor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the act of performing the command includes the act of establishing a secure mode in the computer environment.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the act of performing the command includes the act of sending data to a component of the first computer.

10. The method of claim 7, further including the act of providing a response to the second computer through the remote interface based on results of the command.

11. A method of external management of a computer, the method comprising the acts of:

connecting a remote interface to a first computer and a second computer;

providing a management command at the second computer directed to the first computer;

transmitting the command to the remote interface;

communicating the command received by the remote interface over a bus to a microcontroller in the first computer;

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

sending a management signal from the microcontroller directly to a central processing unit in the first computer via a signal path provided between the microcontroller and the processor thereby managing the first computer regardless of the state of the central processing unit.