Method for computer implemented hot-swap and hot-add
First Claim
1. A method of hot adding an adapter to an operational computer having a primary bus and at least one secondary bus, the secondary bus being connected to the primary bus by a bus-to-bus bridge and the secondary bus being connected to one or more adapters, the method comprising:
- selecting a range of addresses represented by an upper bound address and a lower bound address for the bus-to-bus bridge;
storing the upper bound address and the lower bound address in a control register in the bus-to-bus bridge; and
adding the adapter to the secondary bus such that the adapter is addressable by the operational computer within the selected range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method is disclosed for providing hot-add and hot swap capability to a computer system with a processor, and a memory, connected to a system bus. The apparatus includes a first bus, an adapter card slot, a switchable interface unit and hot-swap hot-add program code means. The first bus is connected to the system bus. The adapter card slot has a first port and a second port. The switchable interface unit includes a primary port and a secondary port. The primary port is connected to the first bus and the secondary port is connected to the first port of the adapter card slot. The switchable interface unit is responsive to a hot-swap hot-add power-down request to disconnect the second port from the first bus. The switchable interface unit is also responsive to a power-up request to reconnect the second port to the first bus. The hot-swap hot-add program code means in the memory accepts a request to connect a peripheral device adapter card into the second port of said adapter card slot, and responsive to the request communicates a power-down request to the switchable interface unit.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of hot adding an adapter to an operational computer having a primary bus and at least one secondary bus, the secondary bus being connected to the primary bus by a bus-to-bus bridge and the secondary bus being connected to one or more adapters, the method comprising:
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selecting a range of addresses represented by an upper bound address and a lower bound address for the bus-to-bus bridge;
storing the upper bound address and the lower bound address in a control register in the bus-to-bus bridge; and
adding the adapter to the secondary bus such that the adapter is addressable by the operational computer within the selected range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of configuring a computer having a primary bus that is connected to a plurality of bus-to-bus bridges for the hot add of an adapter, the method comprising:
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selecting a range of bus numbers represented by a lower bound bus number and an upper bound bus number for each of the plurality of bus-to-bus bridges, the range of bus numbers being selected such that the bus numbers of the computer are sparsely allocated across each of the bus-to-bus bridges; and
storing the upper bound bus number and the lower bound bus number in each bus-to-bus bridge. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
connecting a new secondary bus to one of the bus-to bus bridges; and
assigning an unused bus number within the selected range of bus numbers stored in the bus-to-bus bridge.
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9. The method of claim 8, wherein the new secondary bus is on a canister.
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10. The method of claim 8, wherein the new secondary bus is a PCI bus.
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11. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising adding an adapter to a secondary bus that is connected to one of the bus-to-bus bridges.
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12. A method of hot adding an adapter to an operational computer having a primary bus, a bus-to bus bridge connected to the primary bus, a secondary bus connected to the bus-to-bus bridge, and a plurality of bus slots connected to the secondary bus, the method comprising:
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designating a first range of addresses represented by an upper bound address and a lower bound address to the bus-to-bus bridge;
disabling power to the secondary bus;
adding an adapter to a bus slot such that the adapter is addressable by the operational computer; and
enabling power to the secondary bus. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification