Method of updating a dual redundant chassis management system

• US 7,827,436 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Chih-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riad; Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/642,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 714/6, 714/4
• US Class Current: 714/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method of updating a dual redundant chassis management system, and the method is applied in a server. If the server obtains a change message, it creates a virtual channel between an active chassis management system and a standby chassis management system, so that the active chassis management system can be updated according to the change message, and the change message can be sent to the standby chassis management system through the virtual channel. After the active chassis management system and the standby chassis management system are updated, the virtual channel is closed to provide sufficiency transmission bandwidth and stability for data transmissions, when the server synchronously updates the active chassis management system and the standby chassis management system.

Claims

1. A method of updating a dual redundant chassis management system, which is applied in a server, and said server includes an active chassis management system and a standby chassis management system, such that if said server has a change message, said server will process the steps of:

said active chassis management system receiving said change message, and updating a data based on said change message;

creating a virtual channel between said active chassis management system and said standby chassis management system;

said active chassis management system sending said change message to said standby chassis management system through said virtual channel;

said standby chassis management system receiving said change message, and updating said data;

said standby chassis management system sending a reply signal to said active chassis management system through said virtual channel, for noticing the completion of updating data; and

said active chassis management system receiving said reply signal, and closing said virtual channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating a virtual channel by said server further comprises the steps of:

opening a first socket port at said active chassis management system;

opening a second socket port at said standby chassis management system;

said active chassis management system determining whether or not said first socket port is connected to said second socket port; and

completing the creation of said virtual channel between said active chassis management system and said standby chassis management system, if said active chassis management system is connected to said second socket port through said first socket port.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said server will send an error message to said active chassis management system if said active chassis management system cannot be connected to said second socket port through said first socket port, and said standby chassis management system will continue waiting for connecting with said active chassis management system, and said step of creating a virtual channel will be processed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of said server sending said change message in said active chassis management system further comprises the steps of:

reading a change message that is to be written into said standby chassis management system through said virtual channel;

determining whether or not said change message is written completely into said standby chassis management system through said virtual channel; and

entering said active chassis management system into a status of waiting for receiving said replay signal sent from said standby chassis management system through said virtual channel, after said change message has been written completely into said standby chassis management system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step for said server to send said change message to said active chassis management system will be processed, if said change message is not written completely into said standby chassis management system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step for said server to receive a change message and update data in said standby chassis management system further comprises the steps of:

reading said change message that is to be written into said standby chassis management system through said virtual channel;

determining whether or not said written change message is complete; and

updating said standby chassis management system based on said change message, if said read standby chassis management system is determined to be complete.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step for said server to receive a change message and update data in said standby chassis management system will be processed, if said change message read by said standby chassis management system is determined to be incomplete.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step for said standby chassis management system in said server to send said reply signal comprises the steps of:

editing said reply signal based on an intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) message transmission format;

sending said edited reply signal into a message queue of said standby chassis management system;

reading a forefront reply signal of said message queue;

determining whether or not said forefront reply signal of said message queue is complete; and

sending said forefront reply signal of said message queue to said active chassis management system through said virtual channel, and then deleting said forefront reply signal of said message queue, and substituting said forefront replay signal by a successive replay signal in said message queue, if said forefront reply signal of said message queue is complete.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step for said standby chassis management system in said server to send said reply signal will be performed, if it is determined that said forefront replay signal of said message queue is not complete.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of said server closing said virtual channel further comprises the steps of:

said active chassis management system determining whether or not said received reply signal is complete;

closing said first socket port of said active chassis management system, if said active chassis management system determines that said received reply signal is complete; and

closing said virtual channel, when said standby chassis management system closes said second socket port.