Method and apparatus for loading an operating system kernel from a shared disk memory

• US 6,460,136 B1
• Filed: 07/12/1999
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Krohmer, Gerhard, Ackaret, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Rijue
• Application Number:
  US09/351,376
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/450, 711/11, 711/147, 711/166, 711/170, 710/8, 710/10, 710/104, 712/15
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

The invention enables plural computers to initiate operation of respective operating systems through use of a shared operating system kernel. A system embodying the invention includes a central storage unit (e.g. a disk drive) that includes an operating system kernel, and plural computers, each computer including memory for holding an initiation boot code that enables initial startup of the respective computer upon a power up or a reset. A channel communication link provides circuit connections between the central storage unit and each of the plural computers. Each of the plural computers responds to a power-up or reset action by initiating operation of respective ones of the boot codes. Each boot code, after initiating preliminary operations, performs an access of the operating system kernel from the central storage unit via the channel communication circuit so as to enable a high speed load of the kernel to the respective computer memories. The central storage unit also includes a configuration file that defines data which is utilized to alter the kernel for each particular computer. Each computer, upon downloading the kernel, accesses the configuration file so as to enable determination of which aspects of the kernel require modification for the respective computer.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a plurality of computers to initiate operation of respective operating systems through use of a shared operating system kernel, said system comprising:

a central storage unit that includes an operating system kernel that is commonly usable by said plural computers;

plural computers, each computer including memory for holding initiation boot code which enables initial start-up of the respective computer upon a power-up or a reset action;

a channel communication link for providing circuit connections between said central storage unit and each of said plural computers; and

a processor in each of said plural computers for responding to said power-up or reset action, by initiating operation of respective ones of said boot codes, each said boot code, after initiating preliminary processor operations, performing an access of said operating system kernel from said central storage unit via said circuit connections so as to enable a high speed load of said kernel to said memory from said central storage unit and subsequent independent operation of each of said plural computers.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said central storage unit further includes a configuration file for each one of said plural computers, and

wherein each said processor, upon downloading said operating system kernel, operates said kernel to access the configuration file for the respective computer so as to enable determination of which aspects of said operating system kernel require modification for the respective computer.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said channel communication link comprises either a SCSI bus system or a fiber channel-based bus system.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein both said central storage unit and each said processor implement a locking mechanism whereby, upon a processor accessing said central storage unit to perform a write action, said locking mechanism is operated and restricts writing to said configuration file to said processor that undertakes to perform the write action and has been granted a lock to said file.

5. A method for enabling a plural computers to initiate operation of respective operating systems through use of a shared operating system kernel stored in a central storage unit, each of said plural computers including memory for holding an initiation boot code that enables initial start-up of the respective computer upon a power-up action and a channel communication link for providing circuit connections between said central storage unit and each of said plural computers, each said computer performing a method comprising:

responding to said power-up action by initiating operation of a respective boot code, said boot code initiating preliminary computer operations; and

causing said boot code to access said operating system kernel from said central storage unit via said channel communication link so as to enable a high speed load of said kernel to said computer memory from said central storage unit and subsequent independent operation of each of said plural computers.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said central storage unit further includes a configuration file for each one of said plural computers, and said method includes the further step of:

upon downloading said kernel from said central storage unit, operating said kernel to access the configuration file for the respective computer so as to enable determination of which aspects of said kernel require modification for the respective computer.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein both said central storage unit and each said computer implement a locking mechanism, said method including the further step of:

upon a computer accessing said central storage unit to perform a write action, operating said locking mechanism to restrict writing to said configuration file to said processor means that undertakes to perform the write action and has been granted a lock to said file.