System and method to support out-band storage subsystem management via SCSI bus when operating power to a computer system is off

• US 6,532,500 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Truc, Li, Shaojie
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park, Ilwoo
• Application Number:
  US09/490,335
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 710/14-16, 710/18, 710/36-38, 710/305, 710/316, 713/300, 713/340, 714/25, 714/27, 714/31, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 710/15
• 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 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3065 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device

Abstract

A first data bus is coupled to communicate information from a subsystem for sensing operating parameters of peripheral components to a computer system. A second data bus is coupled to communicate data between peripheral components and the computer system. A first switch is coupled between the first data bus and the second data bus, the first switch being operable to allow signals from the first data bus to be communicated over the second data bus when operating power to the computer system is powered off. A second switch is coupled between the second data bus and the peripheral components, and the second switch is operable to allow signals from the second data bus to be communicated to the computer system when operating power to the computer system is powered on.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a peripheral component coupled to a computer system comprising:

coupling a first data bus to communicate monitoring information between a sensor subsystem and the computer system;

coupling a second data bus to communicate data signals between the peripheral component and the computer system;

coupling a switch mechanism between the first data bus and the second data bus; and

controlling the switch mechanism to allow monitoring information from the first data bus to be communicated over the second data bus when operating power to the computer system is off.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein coupling the switch mechanism comprises:

coupling a first switch between the first data bus and the second data bus; and

coupling a second switch to inhibit communication between the peripheral component and the computer system when operating power to the computer system is off.

3. The method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first data bus is a serial data bus that transmits a data signal and a clock signal.

4. The method, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second data bus is a parallel data bus.

5. The method, as set forth in claim 4, further comprising coupling the first switch and the second switch to allow the data signal to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

6. The method, as set forth in claim 4, further comprising coupling the first switch and the second switch to allow the clock signal to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

7. The method, as set forth in claim 4, further comprising coupling a first switch and the second switch to allow a ground signal from the first data bus to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

8. A method for monitoring operating parameters in an external subsystem coupled to a computer system when the computer system is not receiving operating power, the method comprising:

coupling a first data bus to communicate system management information from the external subsystem to a monitoring component in the computer system;

coupling a second data bus to transfer data between one or more peripheral components in the external subsystem and the computer system;

communicating signals representing the system management information via the second data bus when the computer system is not receiving operating power; and

communicating signals between the peripheral components and the computer system via the second data bus when the computer system is receiving operating power.

9. The method, as set forth in claim 8, further comprising:

coupling a first switch between the first data bus and the second data bus; and

coupling a second switch between the peripheral components and the second data bus;

wherein communicating signals representing the system management information over the second data bus includes;

controlling the first switch to allow signals from the first data bus to be communicated to the monitoring component when operating power to the computer system is off; and

controlling the second switch to inhibit communication from the peripheral components on the second data bus when operating power to the computer system is off.

10. The method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the first and second switches are coupled proximate the external subsystem and communicating signals representing the system management information over the second data bus further includes:

coupling a third switch between the second data bus and the monitoring component;

coupling a fourth switch between the second data bus and the computer system;

controlling the third switch to allow signals from the first data bus to be communicated to the monitoring component when operating power to the computer system is off; and

controlling the fourth switch to inhibit communication from the peripheral components on the second data bus when operating power to the computer system is off;

wherein the third and fourth switches are coupled proximate the computer system.

11. The method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first data bus is a serial data bus that transmits a data signal and a clock signal.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the second data bus is a parallel data bus.

13. The method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow the data signal to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow the clock signal to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

15. An apparatus for monitoring a computer system comprising:

a first data bus coupled to communicate monitoring information between a sensor subsystem and the computer system;

a second data bus coupled to communicate data signals between the peripheral component and the computer system;

a switch mechanism coupled between the first data bus and the second data bus, the switch mechanism being operable to allow monitoring information from the first data bus to be communicated over the second data bus when operating power to the computer system is off.

16. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the switch mechanism comprises:

a first switch coupled between the first data bus and the second data bus; and

a second switch connected to inhibit communication between the peripheral component and the computer system when operating power to the computer system is off.

17. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the first data bus is a serial data bus that transmits a data signal and a clock signal.

18. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the second data bus is a parallel data bus.

19. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow the data signal to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

20. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow the clock signal to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

21. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow a ground signal from the first data bus to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

22. A computer system having an apparatus for monitoring operating parameters in the computer system, the computer system including a system management bus controller and a data bus controller, the computer system being coupled to a subsystem, wherein the subsystem includes a peripheral component and a sensor system, the apparatus comprising:

a first data bus coupled to communicate information from the sensor system to the system management bus controller;

a second data bus coupled to communicate information from the peripheral component to the data bus controller;

a first switch mechanism coupled between the peripheral component and the sensor system, the first switch mechanism being operable to allow signals from the first data bus to be communicated over the second data bus when operating power to the computer system is off; and

a second switch mechanism coupled between the system management bus controller and the data bus controller, the second switch mechanism being operable to allow signals from the second data bus to be communicated to the system management bus controller when operating power to the computer system is off.

23. The computer system, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the first switch mechanism comprises:

a first switch coupled between the first data bus and the second data bus; and

a second switch coupled to inhibit communication from the peripheral component when operating power to the computer system is off.

24. The computer system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the second switch mechanism comprises:

a third switch coupled between the second data bus and the system management bus controller; and

a fourth switch coupled between the second data bus and the data bus controller to inhibit communication from the second data bus to the data bus controller when operating power to the computer system is off.

25. The computer system, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the first data bus is a serial data bus that transmits a data signal and a clock signal.

26. The computer system, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the second data bus is a parallel data bus.

27. The computer system, as set forth in claim 26, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow the data signal to be transmitted over the second data b us when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

28. The computer system, as set forth in claim 26, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow the clock signal to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

29. The computer system, as set forth in claim 26, wherein the first switch and the second switch are coupled to allow a ground signal from the first data bus to be transmitted over the second data bus when the first switch is on and the second switch is off.

30. An apparatus for monitoring operating parameters in a computer system, the computer system including a data bus controller and a system management controller, the apparatus comprising:

a first data bus coupled to communicate information from a subsystem to the computer system;

a switch mechanism coupled between the data bus controller and the system management controller, the switch mechanism being operable to allow signals from the subsystem to be communicated to the data bus controller when operating power to the computer system is on, the switch mechanism being further operable to allow signals from the subsystem to be communicated to the system management controller when operating power to the computer system is off; and

a voltage divider coupled between the computer system and the subsystem, the voltage divider being operable to provide a signal indicative of the computer system'"'"'s power status.