System using programmable processor for selectively enabling or disabling power to adapter in response to respective request signals

• US 6,499,073 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Wallach, Walter A., Khalili, Mehrdad, Reed, John M., Mahalingam, Mallikarjunan
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US08/942,309
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 395/281-283, 395/822, 395/828, 395/830-833, 395/836, 395/500, 395/284, 395/892, 713/310, 713/330, 713/340, 710/101-103, 710/2, 710/8, 710/10, 710/11-13, 710/72, 710/104, 710/129
• US Class Current: 713/340
• 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 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 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• 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 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

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 The software architecture allows users to replace failed components, upgrade outdated components, and add new functionality, such as new network interfaces, disk interface adapters and storage, without impacting existing users.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 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, 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 operting.

2. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein the adapters are connected to the computer by a PCI bus.

3. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein the adapters are connected to the computer by a CardBus.

4. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein the adapters are connected to the computer by an ISA bus.

5. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein the adapters are connected to the computer by an EISA bus.

6. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the adapters controls I/O to other computers.

7. The computer system as defined in claim 1, further comprising an operating system.

8. The computer system as defined in claim 7, wherein the operating system is the NetWare Operating System.

9. The computer system as defined in claim 7, wherein the operating system is the Windows NT Operating system.

10. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the adapters controls I/O to SCSI devices.

11. The computer system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the adapters controls mass storage devices.

12. The computer system as defined in claim 3, wherein at least one adapter is a Qlogic adapter.

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

a memory; and

a configuration manager capable of programming a hot added adapter so that the hot added adapter can communicate with the computer, wherein the programmable data processor turns on the power to the hot added adapter while the computer is operating, and wherein the programmable data processor receives requests from a central processing unit and controls the power to the adapter in response to requests from the central processing unit, and wherein the programmable data processor determines whether a received request is to disable or enable power.

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

a central processing unit;

a power management module capable of enabling and disabling power to the adapter 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, 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.