Intelligent self-configurable adapter

• US 7,206,977 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stading, Tyron, Okunseinde, Folu
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riad; Amine
• Application Number:
  US10/756,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20050160306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 714/47, 714/4
• US Class Current: 714/47.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/349 for interfaces, buses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

An intelligent self-configurable adapter is provided. Before transferring data, the adapter configures itself. After configuring itself, the adapter then starts transmitting the data. During data transmission, the adapter monitors the connection to ensure that the transmission is within a certain performance level. If the data transfer falls below the performance level, the adapter may reconfigure itself using a recovery strategy.

Claims

1. An adapter using stored computer instructions that when executed by a processor transmit information between two devices comprising:

means, using the information to be transmitted, for the adapter to automatically configure itself to transmit the information, the means for the adapter to automatically configure itself includes means for the adapter to download a transport module through which the information can be transmitted;

means for transmitting the information using the downloaded transport module;

means for monitoring the information transmission;

means, if the information transmission falls below a pre-determined performance level, for the adapter, using the information being transmitted, to automatically reconfigure itself by downloading and using a new transport module through which the information can be transmitted; and

means for resuming transmission of the information.

2. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the means for the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself further includes means for downloading a security module if the information is to be transmitted securely.

3. The adapter of claim 2 wherein the means for the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself includes means for updating, rearranging or turning on/off components in the existing configuration.

4. The adapter of claim 2 wherein the means for the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself further includes means for downloading a new security module and means for the adapter to reconfigure itself based on the new security module.

5. The adapter of claim 2 wherein the means for the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself includes means for searching for an alternate descriptor file, the descriptor file having instructions for the self-reconfiguration of the adapter.

6. The adapter of claim 2 wherein the means for the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself includes means for monitoring a port of a different computing device and for analyzing an information being transmitted thereto or therefrom to determine whether to self-reconfigure based on the analyzed information.

7. A computer program product on a computer readable medium including computer instructions that, when executed, enables an adapter to transmit information data between two computing devices comprising:

code means, using the information to be transmitted, for enabling the adapter to automatically configure itself to transmit the information, the code means for the adapter to automatically configure itself includes code means for the adapter to download a transport module through which the information can be transmitted;

code means for enabling the adapter to transmit the information using the downloaded transport module;

code means for enabling the adapter to monitor the information transmission;

code means, if the information transmission falls below a pre-determined performance level, for using the information being transmitted to enable the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself by enabling the adapter to download and use a new transport module through which the information can be transmitted; and

code means for enabling the adapter to resume transmission of the information.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the code means for enabling the adapter to configure itself further includes code means for enabling the adapter to download a security module if the information is to be transmitted securely.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the code means for using the information being transmitted to enable the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself includes code means for enabling the adapter to update, re-arrange or turn on/off components in the existing configuration.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the code means for using the information being transmitted to enable the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself further includes code means for enabling the adapter to download a new security module and code means for enabling the adapter to reconfigure itself based on the new security module.

11. The computer program of claim 7 wherein the code means for using the information being transmitted to enable the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself includes code means for enabling the adapter to search for an alternate descriptor file, the descriptor file having instructions for the self-reconfiguration of the adapter.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the code means for using the information being transmitted to enable the adapter to automatically reconfigure itself includes code means for enabling the adapter to monitor a port of a different computing device and for analyzing an information being transmitted thereto or therefrom to determine whether to self-reconfigure based on the analyzed information.

13. A method of transmitting information data between two computing devices comprising the step of:

using an adapter, the adapter being able to;

configure itself, using the information to be transmitted, to transmit the information by downloading a transport module to transmit the information;

transmit the information using the downloaded transport module;

monitor the information transmission;

reconfigure itself, using the information being transmitted, if the information transmission falls below a pre-determined performance level by downloading a new transport module to transmit the information; and

resume transmission of the information using the new transport module.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the adapter is further able to download a security module if the information is to be transmitted securely.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the adapter is able to update, re-arrange or turn on/off components in the existing configuration to implement a recovery strategy.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the adapter is able to download a new security module and reconfigure itself based on the new security module.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the adapter is able to search for an alternate descriptor file, the descriptor file having instructions for self-reconfiguration.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the adapter is able to monitor a port of a different computing device and analyze an information being transmitted thereto or therefrom to determine whether to self-reconfigure based on the analyzed information.