System and method for protecting memory during system initialization

• US 7,840,837 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Network Appliance Incorporated (NetApp, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Blood, Roger, Totolos, George Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy; Christopher S
• Application Number:
  US11/741,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20080270776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering

Abstract

A system and method for protecting memory during system initialization is provided. A complex programmable logic device (CPLD) is operatively interconnected with a multiplexer to enable control of a memory to be switched between a memory controller and the CPLD in response to error conditions. If an error condition is identified, the CPLD assumes control of the memory and activates a battery subsystem to provide memory refreshes until system re-initialization. Upon system bring-up, interactions between the BIOS and CPLD assure that protected memory is fully recovered by the system. The contents of memory will remain protected from any further faults that may occur during the bring-up sequence.

Claims

1. A method for protecting memory, the method comprising:

initializing a computer system comprising the memory and an operating system;

determining whether the memory is being protected by a memory subsystem and determining whether the memory is currently storing preserved data;

in response to determining that the memory is not being protected by the memory subsystem and the memory is not storing preserved data, initializing the memory, loading the operating system, and setting a signal to cause the memory subsystem to persistently maintain contents of the memory during an error condition of the computer system; and

in response to determining that the memory is being protected by the memory subsystem and the memory is storing preserved data, restoring a set a of chipset registers of the computer system without initializing the memory, loading the operating system, and persistently storing the stored data on a storage device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage device comprises a disk.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein initializing the memory further comprises:

detecting a clean shutdown operation;

flushing data stored in the memory to the storage device; and

deactivating the signal, thereby causing the memory subsystem to cease preserving contents of the memory.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein causing the memory subsystem to cease preserving contents of the memory further comprises deactivating a battery subsystem.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory subsystem comprises the memory and a battery subsystem.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a shutdown operation that is not a clean shutdown operation; and

placing the memory into a self refresh mode to preserve the contents of the memory.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising switching a multiplexer in a control path of the memory to thereby prevent a memory controller from accessing the memory.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising changing control of the memory to a customizable programmable logic device to issue commands that place the memory into a low-power mode.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises a storage system.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises one or more dual inline memory modules (DIMMs).

11. A system for protecting memory, the system comprising:

means for initializing a computer system comprising the memory and an operating system;

means for determining whether the memory is being protected by a memory subsystem and whether the memory is currently storing preserved data;

means for initializing the memory, loading the operating system, and setting a signal to cause a memory subsystem to persistently maintain contents of the memory during an error condition of the computer system in response to determining that the memory is not being protected by the memory subsystem and the memory is not storing preserved data; and

means for restoring a set of chipset registers of the computer system without initializing the memory, loading the operating system, and persistently storing the stored data on a storage device, in response to determining that the memory is being protected by the memory subsystem and the memory is storing preserved data.

12. A system to preserve memory, the system comprising:

a customizable program logic device (CPLD) configured to determine whether a shutdown of the system, comprising the memory, is a clean shutdown,

a basic input output system (BIOS) configured to initialize, in response to the shutdown being a clean shutdown, the memory;

in response to the shutdown not being a clean shutdown, the memory switchable between a memory controller and the CPLD, the CPLD further coupled to a battery subsystem further configured to enable refresh operations to the memory, the CPLD further configured to assume control of the memory and place the memory in a low-power, self-refresh state, wherein during initialization of the system and after the shutdown, the BIOS further configured to restore a set of chip registers associated with the system, and an operating system configured to validate content of the memory and flush data stored in the memory to persistent storage.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the BIOS is interconnected with the CPLD.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a valid signal between the BIOS and the CPLD, the valid signal identifying that the CPLD is protecting contents of the memory.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the BIOS is further configured to request that control of the memory be changed from the CPLD to the memory controller.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the CPLD grants control of the memory to the memory controller by modifying a memory select signal to a multiplexer.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising a disarm signal between the BIOS and the CPLD, the disarm signal configuring the CPLD to ignore error conditions.

18. The system of claim 12 further comprising an indicator configured to alert an administrator when the CPLD has assumed control of the memory.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the CPLD assumes control of the memory by modifying a memory select signal to a multiplexer.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the multiplexer comprises a field effect transistor.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the shutdown not being a clean shutdown is an error condition of a loss of main power.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the error condition comprises an assertion of a system reset.

23. The system of claim 12 wherein the memory comprises one or more dual in line memory modules (DIMMs).

24. A system to preserve memory, the system comprising:

a memory switchable between a memory controller and a customizable program logic device (CPLD), the CPLD further coupled to a battery subsystem configured to enable refresh operations to the memory, the CPLD further configured to, in response to detecting an error condition, assuming control of the memory and placing the memory in a low-power, self-refresh state; and

an indicator configured to indicate to a user that the CPLD has assumed control of the memory.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein a basic input output system (BIOS) is interconnected with the CPLD.

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising a disarm signal between the BIOS and the CPLD, the disarm signal configuring the CPLD to ignore error conditions.

27. The system of claim 25 further comprising a valid signal between the BIOS and the CPLD, the valid signal identifying that the CPLD is protecting contents of the memory.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the indicator comprises a light emitting diode (LED).