Computer system with dynamically configurable capacity
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- powering on a system that includes a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) for supplying processing resources in the system, each of the plurality of FRUs having a field replaceable unit identification (FRUID) memory storing a capacity-on-demand (COD) indication associated with the FRU, the COD indication indicative of whether the FRU is a base level resource or a COD resource;
identifying a first subset of the plurality of FRUs, each FRU in the first subset having the COD indication in the FRUID memory indicating that the FRU is a base level resource available for use in the system;
identifying a second subset of the plurality of FRUs, each FRU in the second subset having the COD indication in the FRUID memory indicating that the FRU is a COD resource usable in the system in exchange for payment of a fee;
enabling the first subset;
identifying a need for additional processing resources; and
enabling one or more FRUs from the second subset responsive to identifying the need for additional processing resources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system comprises a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) for supplying processing resources and a system controller. Each of the plurality of FRUs has a field replaceable unit identification (FRUID) memory adapted store a capacity-on-demand (COD) indication associated with the FRU, wherein the COD indication is indicative of whether the FRU is a base level resource or a COD resource. The system controller is configured to access the FRUID memory of each of the plurality of FRUs to detect the COD indication. Additionally, the system controller is configured to enable at least those of the plurality of FRUs for which the corresponding COD indication indicates that the FRU is a base level resource. The system controller is further configured to identify a need for additional processing resources, and is configured to enable additional ones of the plurality of FRUs responsive to identifying the need for additional processing resources.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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powering on a system that includes a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) for supplying processing resources in the system, each of the plurality of FRUs having a field replaceable unit identification (FRUID) memory storing a capacity-on-demand (COD) indication associated with the FRU, the COD indication indicative of whether the FRU is a base level resource or a COD resource; identifying a first subset of the plurality of FRUs, each FRU in the first subset having the COD indication in the FRUID memory indicating that the FRU is a base level resource available for use in the system; identifying a second subset of the plurality of FRUs, each FRU in the second subset having the COD indication in the FRUID memory indicating that the FRU is a COD resource usable in the system in exchange for payment of a fee; enabling the first subset; identifying a need for additional processing resources; and enabling one or more FRUs from the second subset responsive to identifying the need for additional processing resources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer system, comprising:
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a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) for supplying processing resources in the computer system, each of the plurality of FRUs having a field replaceable unit identification (FRUID) memory storing a capacity-on-demand (COD) indication associated with the FRU, the COD indication indicative of whether the FRU is a base level resource or a COD resource; and a system controller configured to access the FRUID memory of each of the plurality of FRUs to detect the COD indication, wherein the system controller is configured to enable those of the plurality of FRUs for which the corresponding COD indication indicates that the FRU is a base level resource available for use in the computer system, and wherein the system controller is further configured to identify a need for additional processing resources, wherein the system controller is configured to enable one or more additional ones of the plurality of FRUs responsive to identifying the need for additional processing resources, the one or more additional ones of the plurality of FRUs having the corresponding COD indication indicating that the FRU is a COD resource usable in the system in exchange for payment of a fee. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system, comprising:
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a capacity-on-demand server; and a computer system communicatively coupled to the capacity-on-demand server, the computer system comprising; a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) for supplying processing resources in the computer system, each of the plurality of FRUs having a field replaceable unit identification (FRUID) memory storing a capacity-on-demand (COD) indication associated with the FRU, the COD indication indicative of whether the FRU is a base level resource or a COD resource; and a system controller configured to access the FRUID memory of each of the plurality of FRUs to detect the COD indication, wherein the system controller is configured to enable those of the plurality of FRUs for which the corresponding COD indication indicates that the FRU is a base level resource available for use in the computer system, and further configured to identify a need for additional processing resources, and wherein the system controller is configured to transmit a request for additional processing resources to the capacity-on-demand server and to receive an authorization message from the capacity-on-demand server responsive to the request, and wherein the system controller is configured to enable one or more additional ones of the plurality of FRUs responsive to the authorization message, the one or more additional ones of the plurality of FRUs having the corresponding COD indication indicating that the FRU is a COD resource usable in the system in exchange for payment of a fee. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification