Diagnostic and managing distributed processor system

• US 8,468,372 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Karl S., Wallach, Walter A., Nguyen, Ken, Amdahl, Carlton G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suryawanshi, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US12/640,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0772 Means for error signaling, e.g. using interrupts, exception flags, dedicated error registers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2736 using a dedicated service processor for test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3027 where the computing system component is a bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3065 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 : using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 : Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 : by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 : User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 : Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 : Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 : Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 : Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 : Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/285 : controlling armature supply only
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 : Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 : Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 : Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 : related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 : Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A network of microcontrollers for monitoring and diagnosing the environmental conditions of a computer is disclosed. The network of microcontrollers provides a management system by which computer users can accurately gauge the health of their computer. The network of microcontrollers provides users the ability to detect system fan speeds, internal temperatures and voltage levels. The invention is designed to not only be resilient to faults, but also allows for the system maintenance, modification, and growth—without downtime. Additionally, the present invention allows users to replace failed components, and add new functionality, such as new network interfaces, disk interface cards and storage, without impacting existing users. One of the primary roles of the present invention is to manage the environment without outside involvement. This self-management allows the system to continue to operate even though components have failed.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a central processing unit;

a fan; and

a network of microcontrollers comprising;

a system recorder microcontroller configured to record system and error messages;

a system interface microcontroller in communication with the central processing unit, the system interface microcontroller configured to send and receive messages to and from the central processing unit, wherein at least one message requests information about the fan in the computer; and

at least one microcontroller configured to adjust the speed of the fan in the computer.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the microcontrollers belonging to the network of microcontrollers are interconnected by a microcontroller bus.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the system recorder microcontroller is configured to maintain a system log in a non-volatile memory.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein adjusting the speed of the fan in the computer comprises adjusting the speed of a canister fan.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein the network of microcontrollers further comprises at least one microcontroller configured to monitor the speed of a canister fan.

6. The computer of claim 1, wherein the network of microcontrollers further comprises at least one microcontroller configured to monitor the speed of a chassis fan.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein the network of microcontrollers further comprises at least one microcontroller configured to monitor the speed of a PCI card fan.

8. The computer of claim 1, wherein the network of microcontrollers further comprises at least one microcontroller configured to monitor the speed of a backplane fan.

9. The computer of claim 1, wherein the network of microcontrollers further comprises at least one microcontroller configured to control system power to the computer.

10. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer further comprises a plurality of canisters, and wherein the network of microcontrollers further comprises a microcontroller configured to control power to the plurality of canisters.

11. The computer of claim 1, wherein the network of microcontrollers further comprises at least one microcontroller connected to a canister.

12. The computer of claim 1, wherein one of the microcontrollers transmits the information to the system interface microcontroller in real time.

13. The computer of claim 1, wherein a remote computer requests a change in a selected one of a plurality of environmental conditions, at least one of the plurality of environmental conditions controlled by at least one of the microcontrollers belonging to the network of microcontrollers.

14. The computer of claim 1, wherein the network of microcontrollers comprises a microcontroller configured to detect the temperature in the computer.

15. The computer of claim 1, wherein a remote computer requests a change in the fan speed.

16. The computer of claim 1, wherein a remote computer requests a change in power to a canister.

17. The computer of claim 14, wherein at least one of the network of microcontrollers is configured to adjust the speed of a chassis fan.

18. The computer of claim 14, wherein at least one of the network of microcontrollers is configured to adjust the speed of a PCI card fan.

19. The computer of claim 14, wherein at least one of the network of microcontrollers is configured to adjust speed of a backplane fan.

20. A computer comprising:

a central processing unit;

a network interface port;

a fan; and

a network of microcontrollers, wherein said network of microcontrollers are configured to;

monitor the environmental condition of one or more components within the computer;

record a system error message, including the generation of the system error message upon detecting that an environmental condition is not within an acceptable range; and

send and receive messages to and from the central processing unit.

21. The computer of claim 20, wherein the computer is configured to receive a request from a remote computer via the network interface port to change a threshold for the environmental condition;

and

wherein said network of microcontrollers is configured to change the threshold for the environmental condition in response to said received request.

22. The computer of claim 20, wherein the environmental condition comprises a temperature condition within the computer.

23. The computer of claim 20, wherein the network of microcontrollers is further configured to control system power for the computer.

24. The computer of claim 20, wherein the network of microcontrollers is further configured to monitor the speed of the fan.

25. The computer of claim 20, wherein the computer further comprises a hardware sub-component, and wherein the network of microcontrollers is further configured to control power to the hardware sub-component.

26. The computer of claim 20, wherein the network of microcontrollers is configured to adjust the speed of the fan in the computer in response to the detected environmental condition.

27. Computerized apparatus, comprising:

a central processing unit;

a network interface port;

an environmental sensing apparatus;

an environmental control apparatus; and

a plurality of microcontrollers, wherein said plurality of microcontrollers are configured to;

monitor the environmental condition of one or more components via said environmental sensing apparatus;

record a system error condition based on the generation of a system error message upon detecting that an environmental condition is not at an acceptable value; and

send and receive messages to and from the central processing unit.

28. The computerized apparatus of claim 27, wherein the computerized apparatus is configured to receive a request from a remote computer via the network interface port to change a threshold for the environmental condition;

and

wherein said network of microcontrollers is configured to change the threshold for the environmental condition in response to said received request.

29. The computerized apparatus of claim 27, wherein the environmental condition comprises a temperature condition within a computer.

30. The computerized apparatus of claim 29, wherein the computer comprises the computerized apparatus.

31. The computerized apparatus of claim 27, wherein the plurality of microcontrollers comprises a network of microcontrollers further configured to control at least one operational parameter of the environmental control apparatus.

32. The computerized apparatus of claim 31, wherein the at least one operational parameter comprises the speed of a cooling fan.