Computer network with swappable components

• US 6,622,257 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mei California, Inc. (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Rollins, Doug, Thorn, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCarthy, Christopher S.
• Application Number:
  US09/502,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 714/3, 714/4, 714/5, 714/7, 714/2, 709/223, 709/226
• US Class Current: 714/4.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2048 where the redundant components share neither address space nor persistent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups

Abstract

A system and method for a fault tolerant computer network system are disclosed. The system and method provide for locating functional components of clients in a computer network station. The computer network station includes a network server, as well as multiples of functional components for the clients including a redundant spare of each type of functional component. Upon a failure of one of a client'"'"'s functional components, the computer network station substitutes the redundant component for the failed client component.

Claims

1. A fault tolerant computer system, said computer system comprising:

a computer network station for delivering shared files and resources to at least one client;

said at least one client connected to said computer network station, wherein at least one functional component of said at least one client is located in said computer network station and where said computer network station comprises M number of the same type of said at least one functional component for N number of clients and where M is greater than N;

a detecting unit for detecting a failed functional component of a client; and

a substituting component for swapping said failed functional component of said client with an operational functional component for said client having said failed functional component.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said at least one functional component comprises a motherboard.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said at least one functional component comprises a storage device.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said storage device comprises a hard drive.

5. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said storage device comprises an optical drive.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said computer network station further comprises redundant power supplies for use in a power supply failure.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said computer network station further comprises a shared storage device.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said shared storage device comprises a redundant arrays of independent discs (RAID) storage device.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said client comprises a workstation.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said workstation comprises a personal computer.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said client comprises a printer.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said client comprises a fax machine.

13. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said client comprises a modem.

14. The computer system of claim 1, wherein M is one greater than N.

15. The computer system of claim 1, wherein each client is directly connected to a data bus of said computer network station by a point to point communication connection.

16. A fault tolerant computer network station, said computer network station comprising:

shared resources for at least one client;

at least one functional component for said at least one client, where the number of the same type of said at least one functional component equals M for N clients, where M is greater than N; and

a substituting component for automatically switching a failed functional component of said at least one client with an operational functional component of said at least one client.

17. The computer network station of claim 16, wherein M is equal to N plus one.

18. A method of substituting components in a computer network station, said method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of client components and at least one redundant client component at said computer network station;

identifying a failed client component at said computer network station; and

switching from a failed client component to said at least one redundant client component in response to said identification.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said switching is performed automatically by said computer network station.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising replacing said failed client component without interrupting the operation of said computer network station or other operational clients.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising identifying whether said failed client component has said at least one redundant client component.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said computer network station identifies a failed client component of a client.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising identifying whether said failed client component has said at least one redundant client component which is available.

24. A method of swapping components in a computer network station, said method being performed automatically by said computer network station and comprising:

identifying a failed component of a client at said computer network station;

identifying whether a redundant component of said failed component is available at said computer network station; and

if available, re-assigning said redundant component to said client.