Rack interface pod with intelligent platform control

• US 8,009,173 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertiv IT Systems, Inc. (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Avocent Huntsville Corporation (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Inventors: Matthews, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu; Joni
• Application Number:
  US11/882,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 345/501, 345/502, 345/520, 710/1, 710/5, 710/100, 710/107, 709/201, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 345/520
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

Rack Interface Pods can be augmented with non-KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) functionality that can enable greater analysis of the state of the computer to which the RIP is attached. A RIP can be augmented to include a non-KVM input connection (e.g., an Intelligent Platform/Chassis control protocol input) that is used to communicate between the server and the RIP. The RIP can then multiplex the received information with the KVM signals for transmission to a PEM or to an ARI port. Video and computer environment-style data can be multiplexed across a communications medium exiting the RIP such that they can be received by a remote computer.

Claims

1. A video processor, comprising:

a housing, the housing including;

first and second video connectors for receiving video signals from a first computer and a second computer, respectively, both the first and second computers being external to the housing;

a first information connector for receiving informational signals representing status or configuration information from a first processor in the first computer but other than a main processor of the first computer;

a second information connector for receiving informational signals representing status or configuration information from a second processor in the second computer but other than a main processor of the second computer; and

an IP-based communications controller for transmitting via a communications port first signals representing at least a portion of the video signals received from the first and second computers across the first and second video connectors and second signals representing at least a portion of the informational signals received from the first and second computers across the first information connector and the second information connector, wherein the IP-based communications controller comprises priority determination logic for determining that the first signals take priority over the second signals when the second signals indicate normal operation of the first and second computers.

2. The video processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the informational signals comprise IPMI-based messages.

3. The video processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second video connectors comprises an analog video connector.

4. The video processor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one peripheral connector for transmitting to the first computer signals from a peripheral device remote from the first computer.

5. The video processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first information connector comprises a connector for receiving a cable.

6. The video processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first information connector comprises a connector for connecting to a wireless interface.

7. The video processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the IP-based communications controller comprises priority determination logic for determining that the second signals take priority over the first signals when the second signals indicate abnormal operation of at least one of the first and second computers.

8. A video processing system, comprising:

(a) a housing, the housing including;

first and second video connectors for receiving video signals from a first computer and a second computer, respectively, both the first and second computers being external to the housing;

a first information connector for receiving informational signals representing status or configuration information from a first processor in the first computer but other than a main processor of the first computer;

a second information connector for receiving informational signals representing status or configuration information from a second processor in the second computer but other than a main processor of the second computer; and

an IP-based communications controller for transmitting via a communications port first signals representing at least a portion of the video signals received from the first and second computers across the first and second video connectors and second signals representing at least a portion of the informational signals received from the first and second computers across the first information connector and the second information connector; and

(b) a display controller for receiving the first and second signals from the IP-based communications controller for causing the first signals and the second signals to be displayed on a computer monitor; and

video capture circuitry for capturing video signals from an abnormally operating computer of the first and second computers when the second information corresponding to the abnormally operating computer indicates that the abnormally operating computer is operating abnormally.

9. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second signals are superimposed on the computer monitor over the first signals.

10. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the display controller causes the second signals corresponding to the second computer to be overlaid over the first signals corresponding to the first computer when the second signals corresponding to the second computer indicate an abnormal condition in the second computer.

11. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the display controller causes summaries of status information corresponding to the first and second computers to be displayed and updated on a monitor connected to the display controller.

12. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the informational signals comprise IPMI-based messages.

13. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second video connectors comprises an analog video connector.

14. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one peripheral connector for transmitting to the first computer signals from a peripheral device remote from the first computer.

15. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first information connector comprises a connector for receiving a cable.

16. The video processing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first information connector comprises a connector for connecting to a wireless interface.

17. A video processor, comprising:

a housing, the housing including;

first and second video connectors for receiving video signals from a first computer and a second computer, respectively, both the first and second computers being external to the housing;

a first information connector for receiving informational signals representing status or configuration information from a first processor in the first computer but other than a main processor of the first computer;

a second information connector for receiving informational signals representing status or configuration information from a second processor in the second computer but other than a main processor of the second computer;

an IP-based communications controller for transmitting via a communications port first signals representing at least a portion of the video signals received from the first and second computers across the first and second video connectors and second signals representing at least a portion of the informational signals received from the first and second computers across the first information connector and the second information connector; and

an information processor wherein the information processor controls the IP-based communications controller to send out the second signals at a substantially lower rate than the informational signals are received from the first and second information connectors when the second signals indicate normal operation of the first and second computers.

18. The video processor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the information processor controls the IP-based communications controller to send out the second signals without filtering when the second signals indicate abnormal operation of at least one of the first and second computers.

19. The video processor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the informational signals comprise IPMI-based messages.

20. The video processor as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second video connectors comprises an analog video connector.

21. The video processor as claimed in claim 17, further comprising at least one peripheral connector for transmitting to the first computer signals from a peripheral device remote from the first computer.

22. The video processor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first information connector comprises a connector for receiving a cable.

23. The video processor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first information connector comprises a connector for connecting to a wireless interface.