System and method for the add or swap of an adapter on an operating computer

• US 6,484,226 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Khalili, Mehrdad, Reed, John M., Wallach, Walter August, Mahalingam, Mallikarjunan
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/885,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20010052042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 710/103, 710/10, 710/15, 710/8, 710/101, 710/102, 710/104, 713/310, 713/324
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• 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 11/1443 Transmit or communication errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3034 where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• 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 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• 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: H02P 7/285 : controlling armature supply only
• 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 41/082 : the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0826 : for reduction of network costs H04L41/0833 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 : to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• 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 swapping a standard adapter to an operational computer connected to at least one standard adapter, comprising:

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

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

suspending all communication to the selected standard adapter;

disabling power to the selected standard adapter, wherein the disabling occurs under the control of the hot plug hardware;

removing the selected standard adapter;

swapping a new standard adapter into the operational computer;

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

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected standard adapter is adapted to communicate with a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising saving configuration information that is associated with the selected standard adapter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected standard adapter is a network device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected standard adapter is a mass storage device.

6. A computer system capable of hot adding an adapter and including at least one programmable data processor, comprising:

a central processing unit;

a memory;

a power management module capable of enabling and disabling power to a selected one of the adapters while the computer is operating, wherein the programmable data processor receives requests from the central processing unit and controls the power to the adapter in response to requests from the central processing unit, wherein the power management module senses the presence of a hot added adapter, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether a received request is to disable or enable power; and

a configuration manager capable of programming a hot added adapter so that the hot added adapter can communicate with the computer, wherein the computer requests the power management module to enable power to the hot added adapter while the computer is operating.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the adapters are connected to the computer by a PCI bus.

8. The computer system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the adapters controls I/O to other computers.

9. A system for hot swapping a standard adapter to an operational computer connected to at least one standard adapter, comprising:

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

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

means for suspending all communication to the selected standard adapter;

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

means for removing the selected standard adapter;

means for swapping a new standard adapter into the operational computer;

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

means for restarting communications between the operational computer and the new standard adapter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected standard adapter is adapted to communicate with a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus.

11. The system of claim 9, additionally comprising saving configuration information that is associated with the selected standard adapter.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected standard adapter is a network device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected standard adapter is a mass storage device.