Method, system, and computer program product for improved reboot capability

• US 20040030881A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Phan, Peter Dinh, Mehta, Chetan, Willoughby, David R., Mahajan, Ajay Kumar, Miller, Milton Devon II, Harrington, Bradley Ryan, Perez, Michael Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/216,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030881A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4405 Initialisation of multiprocessor systems

Abstract

In a computer system, upon the occurrence of a reboot command, RunTime Abstraction Services (RTAS) microcode is loaded onto a first host processor. The service processor, upon request from the RTAS microcode, then issues a command to reset all host processors other than the first host processor on which the RTAS microcode resides, and then the RTAS microcode issues a series of commands to reset all I/O adapters. Once the host processors and I/O adapters have been reset, they are initialized to a predetermined, known state. Only after the host processors and I/O adapters have been reset and initialized is the reboot request executed. By resetting all but the first host processor and the I/O adapters before executing the reboot request, all activity originating from the host processors and from the I/O drawers is terminated, so that when the reboot request is executed, the host processors and I/O drawers are ready for initialization. This allows the bypassing of the retesting of the CEC components, thereby speeding up the reboot process.

Claims

1. A method for streamlining the reboot functionality in a computer system having one or more system processors and one or more I/O adapters, comprising the steps of:

quieting all processing activity of said one or more system processors and said one or more I/O adapters that is unrelated to said reboot functionality upon the occurrence of a reboot command;

initializing all hardware of said computer system not involved in said reboot functionality upon completion of said quieting step; and

executing said reboot command upon completion of said quieting and initializing steps.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said quieting step comprises at least the steps of:

resetting all system processors not involved in said reboot functionality; and

resetting all I/O adapters.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said initializing step comprises at least the step of:

loading an initial program load into said system processors and I/O adapters.

4. A computer system with reboot capability, comprising:

one or more system processors, each capable of controlling the reboot functionality of said computer system;

one or more I/O adapters coupled to said one or more system processors; and

a service processor coupled to said one or more processors, said service processor configured to quiet all processing activity of said one or more system processors and said one or more I/O adapters unrelated to said reboot functionality upon the occurrence of a reboot command.

5. A computer system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said service processor resets all of said one or more system processors not involved in said reboot functionality.

6. A computer system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said service processor also resets all of said one or more I/O adapters.

7. A computer system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said system processor is further configured to initialize all hardware of said computer system not involved in said reboot functionality, after said quieting of said processing activity.

8. A computer system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said system processor is configured to load an initial program load to said system processors and said PCI adapters to effect said initialization.

9. A computer program product for a streamlining the reboot functionality in a computer system having one or more system processors and one or more I/O adapters, the computer cprogram product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer-readable program code that quiets all processing activity of said one or more system processors and said one or more I/O adapters that is unrelated to said reboot functionality upon the occurrence of a reboot command;

computer-readable program code that initializes all hardware of said computer system not involved in said reboot functionality upon completion of said quieting of all processor activity; and

computer-readable program code that executes said reboot command upon completion of said quieting and initializing.

10. The computer program product as set forth in claim 9, wherein said computer-readable code that quiets all processing activity of said one or more system processors and said one or more I/O adapters that is unrelated to said reboot functionality upon the occurrence of a reboot command comprises:

computer-readable code that resets all system processors not involved in said reboot functionality; and

computer-readable code that resets all I/O adapters.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said computer-readable code that initializes all hardware of said computer system not involved in said reboot functionality upon completion of said quieting of all processor activity comprises:

computer-readable code that loads an initial program load into said system processors and I/O adapters.