System for facilitating the replacement or insertion of devices in a computer system through the use of a graphical user interface

• US 6,711,645 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2000
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Bright, Kenny L., Chari, Srikumar N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/552,032
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 710/302, 710/304
• US Class Current: 710/302
• 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1498 Resource management, Optimisation arrangements, e.g. configuration, identification, tracking, physical location thermal management H05K7/20836

Abstract

A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user'"'"'s replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a “hot” condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the system carries out the “hot swap” or “hot add” functions. The system, which consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) and associated computer software modules, allows the user to select a desired peripheral device location within a server, and then provides the modular software structure to automatically execute a series of steps in the hot swap or hot add process. Each step is prompted by the user from the GUI, to invoke commands to instruct a network server through its operating system and hardware to suspend the appropriate device adapters, if necessary, power down the desired device slot or canister, allow the user to replace or insert a new device, and finally restart the adapters and the slot power. The system requires very little detailed input from the user other than identifying the particular peripheral device slot within the server to be maintained.

Claims

1. A system for hot inserting peripheral adapters in a server network, comprising:

a server network including a memory;

one or more slots within the server network for receiving peripheral adapters;

a software module providing a graphical user interface displaying a process for hot inserting a peripheral adapter;

one or more server modules in communication with the user interface and the server network providing information and instructions regarding the status of the peripheral adapters, said information including whether a selected adapter location is configured to support a hot input function;

one or more communication modules transmitting information and instructions between the user interface and the server network using a network management protocol; and

one or more hardware modules in the server network responsive to the one or more communication modules to control the power to the slots and peripheral adapters.

2. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in a computer system, comprising:

an operational computer including a memory;

a user interface module; and

at least one communication module in communication with the user interface module, communicating information as to whether a selected adapter location is configured to support a hot input function, and transmitting instructions between the user interface module and the computer to hot insert an adapter in the computer.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the user interface module comprises a graphical user interface.

4. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the user interface module comprises a series of screen displays exhibiting the steps to hot insert an adapter in the computer.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, further comprising at least one module in communication with the user interface module transmitting an instruction between the user interface module and the computer to insert an adapter in the computer.

6. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein the instruction is for the computer to isolate a particular adapter location.

7. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein the instruction is for the computer to confirm that a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function.

8. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein the instruction is for the computer to suspend or restart a peripheral adapter.

9. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein the instruction is for the computer to suspend or restart power to an adapter location in the computer.

10. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein the instruction is for the computer to initialize an adapter.

11. A system allowing replacement or insertion of an adapter in a computer system, comprising:

an operational computer including a memory;

means for providing a graphical user interface;

means for hot inserting an adapter in the computer;

the graphical user interface including means for displaying the steps to hot insert an adapter;

means in communication with the graphical user interface for communicating information as to whether a selected adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and for hot inserting an adapter.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein the means in communication with the graphical user interface for hot inserting an adapter comprises a plurality of software object modules.

13. A program storage device storing instructions executable by a computer, comprising:

executable code for providing a graphical user interface; and

executable code delivering instructions to a computer system to confirm that a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and to hot insert a peripheral adapter.

14. The program storage device as defined in claim 13, wherein the code is capable of functioning in an object-oriented environment.

15. A computer system for hot inserting an adapter, comprising:

an operational computer including a memory and one or more peripheral adapters;

a configuration manager capable of freezing communications between the computer and the peripheral adapters;

a power management module capable of issuing commands to enable and disable the power to the peripheral adapters; and

a graphical user interface delivering instructions to and from the configuration manager to confirm that a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function to and from the configuration manager and the power management module for hot inserting a peripheral adapter.

16. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the one or more peripheral adapters comprise I/O devices.

17. A computer system comprising:

an operational computer including a memory; and

a graphical user interface in operative communication with the computer and including one or more screen displays for communicating information as to whether a particular adapter location is configured to support a hot insert function and for generating the steps for hot inserting an adapter.