Methods and apparatus in a logging system for the adaptive logger replacement in order to receive pre-boot information

• US 6,738,832 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shah, Rajeeta Lalji, Ullmann, Lorin Evan, Burr, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Rijue
• Application Number:
  US09/895,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223, 709/224, 710/8, 710/10, 710/14, 710/104, 710/29, 710/41, 710/105, 710/18
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3093 Configuration details thereof, e.g. installation, enabling, spatial arrangement of the probes

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for logging events in a data processing system is provided. In one embodiment, responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logger from executing a logging task, a swappable adaptive logger is created, which in turn is pointed to a boot logger created by a swappable adaptive log engine. Event information is then logged to the boot logger. For example, the boot logger may write event information to memory or to a file if the logging database is unavailable. When the primary logger becomes configured and functional, the swappable adaptive logger swaps the boot logger for the primary logger and begins writing event information to the primary logger.

Claims

1. A method for logging events in a data processing system, the method comprising:

responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, creating a boot logger;

logging event information using the boot logger; and

responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, swapping the primary logger for the boot logger such that the primary logger begins logging event information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the situation is one of the primary logger is not fully initialized, all components needed by the primary logger are not functional, and the primary logger is required to call a component that has requested the primary logger.

3. A method for logging events in a data processing system, the method comprising:

responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, creating a boot logger;

logging event information using the boot logger;

responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, swapping the primary logger for the boot logger such that the primary logger begins logging event information; and

responsive to a determination that a logging database is unavailable and responsive to a determination that a file system is available, creating a boot file handler, attaching the boot file handler to the boot logger, and writing logging information to a file.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

responsive to the logging database becoming available, transferring logging information from the file to the logging database.

5. A method for logging events in a data processing system, the method comprising:

responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, creating a boot logger;

logging event information using the boot logger;

responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, swapping the primary logger for the boot logger such that the primary logger begins logging event information; and

responsive to a determination that a logging database is unavailable and responsive to a determination that a file system is unavailable, creating a boot memory handler, attaching the boot memory handler to the boot logger, and writing logging information to a memory unit.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

responsive to the logging database becoming available, transferring logging information from the memory unit to the logging database.

7. A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for logging events in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions, responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, for creating a boot logger;

second instructions for logging event information using the boot logger; and

third instructions, responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, for swapping the primary logger for the boot logger such that the primary logger begins logging event information.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the situation is one of the primary logger is not fully initialized, all components needed by the primary logger are not functional, and the primary logger is required to call a component that has requested the primary logger.

9. A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for logging events in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions, responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, for creating a boot logger;

second instructions for logging event information using the boot logger;

third instructions, responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, for swapping the primary logger for the boot logger such that the primary logger begins logging event information; and

fourth instructions, responsive to a determination that a logging database is unavailable and responsive to a determination that a file system is available, for creating a boot file handler, attaching the boot file handler to the boot logger, and writing logging information to a file.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

fifth instructions, responsive to the logging database becoming available, for transferring logging information from the file to the logging database.

11. A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for logging events in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions, responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, for creating a boot logger;

second instructions for logging event information using the boot logger; and

third instructions, responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, for swapping the primary logger for the boot logger such that the primary logger begins logging event information; and

fourth instructions, responsive to a determination that a logging database is unavailable and responsive to a determination that a file system is unavailable, for creating a boot memory handler, attaching the boot memory handler to the boot logger, and writing lagging information to a memory unit.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

fifth instructions, responsive to the logging database becoming available, for transferring logging information from the memory unit to the logging database.

13. A system for logging events in a data processing system, the system comprising:

a swappable adaptive event logging engine which, responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, creates a boot logger; and

a swappable adaptive logger which uses the boot logger to log event information;

wherein

responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, the swappable adaptive logger swaps the boot logger for the primary logger and uses the primary logger to log event information.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the situation is one of the primary logger is not fully initialized, all components needed by the primary logger are not functional, and the primary logger is required to call a component that has requested the primary logger.

15. A system for logging events in a data processing system, the system comprising:

A swappable adaptive event logging engine which, responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, creates a boot logger;

a swappable adaptive logger which uses the boot logger to log event information;

wherein

responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capably of accepting the event information, the swappable adaptive logger swaps the boot logger for the primary logger and uses the primary logger to log event information; and

wherein the swappable adaptive logger, responsive to a determination that a logging database is unavailable and responsive to a determination that a file system is available, creates a boot file handler, attaches the boot file handler to the boot logger, and writes logging information to a file.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the swappable adaptive logger, responsive to the logging database becoming available, transfers logging information from the file to the logging database.

17. A system for logging events in a data processing system, the system comprising:

A swappable adaptive event logging engine which, responsive to a determination that a situation exists preventing a primary logging system from executing a logging task, creates a boot logger;

a swappable adaptive logger which uses the boot logger to log event information;

wherein

responsive to a determination that a primary logger is capable of accepting the event information, the swappable adaptive logger swaps the boot logger for the primary logger and uses the primary logger to log event information; and

wherein the swappable adaptable logger, responsive to a determination that a logging database is unavailable and responsive to a determination that a file system is unavailable, creates a boot memory handler, attaches the boot memory handler to the boot logger, and writes logging information to a memory unit.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the swappable adaptive logger, responsive to the logging database becoming available, transfers the logging information from the memory unit to the logging database.