Computer system serialization control method involving unlocking global lock of one partition, after completion of machine check analysis regardless of state of other partition locks
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the serializing of a computer system having a logical-partitioned server operating under the control of a system controller, said logical-partitioned server having plural partitions, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an individual partition lock for each of said plural partitions;
providing a global lock associated with said system controller;
locking said global lock and the individual partition lock associated with a first partition when an operating system (OS) associated with said first partition requests serialization of said computer system to perform a first operation, thereby serializing said computer system on said first operation;
performing said first operation; and
unlocking said global lock by said system controller upon completion of said first operation, regardless of the locked/unlocked state of any of said partition locks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a computer system having a logical-partitioned server, each partition of the server is provided with its own separate lock and access corridor, in addition to a global lock. When the locking of a partition lock is followed by the locking of the global lock, the system is serialized. The partition locks are controlled by system firmware on behalf of an OS isolating each partition; however, the global lock is controlled by the system firmware to be unlocked independent of the lock/unlock status of the partition locks. In this manner, the ability or inability of an OS that issued a machine check interrupt to unlock its partition lock after the machine check analysis is complete is irrelevant; once the machine check analysis is complete, the system firmware unlocks the global lock, giving other partitions access to shared system resources to run their own machine checks.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the serializing of a computer system having a logical-partitioned server operating under the control of a system controller, said logical-partitioned server having plural partitions, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an individual partition lock for each of said plural partitions;
providing a global lock associated with said system controller;
locking said global lock and the individual partition lock associated with a first partition when an operating system (OS) associated with said first partition requests serialization of said computer system to perform a first operation, thereby serializing said computer system on said first operation;
performing said first operation; and
unlocking said global lock by said system controller upon completion of said first operation, regardless of the locked/unlocked state of any of said partition locks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of managing the handling of machine checks in a logical-partitioned server operating under the control of a system controller, said logical-partitioned server having plural partitions, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a discrete lockable access corridor between each said partition and said system controller, the locked/unlocked state of each discrete lockable access corridor being controlled by its associated partition;
providing a global lock associated with said system controller;
locking said global lock and the discrete lockable access corridor associated with a first of said plural partitions when an operating system (OS) associated with said first of said plural partitions issues a machine-check interrupt;
performing a first machine check analysis based on said machine check interrupt issued by said OS of said first partition; and
unlocking said global lock by said system controller upon completion of said first machine check analysis, regardless of the locked/unlocked state of any of said discrete lockable access corridors. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A system of managing the handling of machine checks in a logical-partitioned server operating under the control of a system controller, said logical-partitioned server having plural partitions, said system comprising:
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means for providing a discrete lockable access corridor between each of said plural partitions and said system controller, the locked/unlocked state of each discrete lockable access corridor being controlled by its associated partition;
means for providing a global lock associated with said system controller;
means for locking said global lock and the discrete lockable access corridor associated with a first of said plural partitions when an operating system (OS) associated with said first of said plural partitions issues a machine-check interrupt;
means for performing a first machine check analysis based on said machine check interrupt issued by said OS of said first partition; and
means for unlocking said global lock by said system controller upon completion of said first machine check analysis, regardless of the locked/unlocked state of any of said discrete lockable access corridors. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A computer program product recorded on a computer readable medium that manages the handling of machine checks in a logical-partitioned server operating under the control of a system controller, said logical-partitioned server having plural partitions, said computer program product comprising:
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computer-readable means for providing a discrete lockable access corridor between each said partition and said system controller, the locked/unlocked state of each discrete lockable access corridor being controlled by its associated partition;
computer-readable means for providing a global lock associated with said system controller;
computer-readable means for locking said global lock and the discrete lockable access corridor associated with a first of said plural partitions when an operating system (OS) associated with said first of said plural partitions issues a machine-check interrupt;
computer-readable means for performing a first machine check analysis based on said machine check interrupt issued by said OS of said first partition; and
computer-readable means for unlocking said global lock by said system controller upon completion of said first machine check analysis, regardless of the locked/unlocked state of any of said discrete lockable access corridors. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for managing the handling of machine checks in a logical-partitioned server operating under the control of a system controller, said logical-partitioned server having plural partitions, said apparatus comprising:
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a discrete lockable access corridor between each of said plural partitions and said system controller, the locked/unlocked state of each discrete lockable access corridor being controlled by its associated partition;
a global lock associated with said system controller;
an instruction processor executing instructions which lock said global lock and the discrete lockable access corridor associated with a first of said plural partitions when an operating system (OS) associated with said first of said plural partitions issues a machine-check interrupt;
a hardware processor performing a first machine check analysis based on said machine check interrupt issued by said OS of said first partition; and
an instruction processor configured with instructions for said system controller to unlock said global lock upon completion of said first machine check analysis, regardless of the locked/unlocked state of any of said discrete lockable access corridors.
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Specification