Method and apparatus for configuration in multi processing engine computer systems

• US 6,467,049 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kon, Ronnie B., Robins, Kristen Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHU, GABRIEL L
• Application Number:
  US09/419,348
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 713/202, 714/10, 714/11, 714/12, 714/13, 714/36, 714/3
• US Class Current: 714/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication

Abstract

A high reliability computer system includes a first and a second processing engine (PE), circuitry for switching control of the system from the first PE operating as a primary PE to the second PE upon detection of a failure of the first PE, at least one shared resource associated with both the first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with the first PE and at least one dedicated resource associated with the second PE, a database associated with and accessible by one of the first and second PEs and a configuration engine. The database contains initialization information for the one PE, including a first class of instructions affecting the shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting the dedicated resource of the one PE. The second class of instructions includes setting an enable password or a surrogate therefor for the one PE. The configuration engine is associated with the one PE and is operable in one of a first mode and a second mode. The configuration engine allows the one PE to execute the first and second classes of instructions in the first mode and allows the one PE to execute the second class of instructions in the second mode. The configuration engine may include a classifier for classifying the instructions into the first and second classes. Alternatively, the configuration engine may include the database having a first memory containing the first and second classes of instructions and a second memory containing the second class of instructions.

Claims

1. A high reliability computer system, said system comprising:

a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engine (PE);

circuitry for switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE;

at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs;

at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE and at least one dedicated resource associated with said second PE;

a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, containing initialization information for said one PE, said initialization information including a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE; and

a configuration engine associated with said one PE, operable in one of a first mode and a second mode, said configuration engine allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in said first mode and allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in said second mode.

2. A high reliability computer system according to claim 1, wherein said configuration engine operates in said first mode when said one PE is controlling said system as a primary PE and operates in said second mode when another PE is controlling said system as the primary PE.

3. A high reliability computer system according to claim 1, wherein said configuration engine comprises a mode selector for selecting said first mode when said one PE is controlling said system as a primary PE and selecting said second mode when another PE is controlling said system as the primary PE.

4. A high reliability computer system according to claim 1, wherein said configuration engine comprises a parser for parsing instructions included in said initialization information.

5. A high reliability computer system according to claim 4, wherein said configuration engine comprises a classifier for classifying parsed instructions into said first class and said second class.

6. A high reliability computer system according to claim 5, wherein in said first mode said classifier passes both said first and second classes of instructions to said one PE for execution.

7. A high reliability computer system according to claim 5, wherein in said second mode said classifier passes said second class of instructions to said one PE for execution and ignores said first class of instructions.

8. A high reliability computer system according to claim 1, wherein said configuration engine comprises a classifier for classifying instructions included in said initialization information into said first class and said second class.

9. A high reliability computer system according to claim 8, wherein said classifier writes said first class of instructions in a first language and said second class of instructions in a second language.

10. A high reliability computer system according to claim 9, wherein said configuration engine further comprises:

a first parser operating in said first mode, for parsing instructions written in said first language; and

a second parser operating in both said first and second modes, for parsing instructions written in said second language.

11. A high reliability computer system according to claim 8, wherein said classifier writes said first and second classes of instructions in a first language in said first mode, and writes said second class of instructions in a second language in said second mode.

12. A high reliability computer system according to claim 11, wherein said configuration engine further comprises:

a first parser for only parsing instructions written in said first language; and

a second parser for only parsing instructions written in said second language.

13. A high reliability computer system according to claim 1, wherein said database comprises:

a first memory for use in said first mode, containing initialization information including said first and second classes of instructions; and

a second memory for use in said second mode, containing initialization information including said second class of instructions.

14. A high reliability computer system, said system comprising:

a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engines (PE);

circuitry for switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE;

at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs;

at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE and at least one dedicated resource associated with said second PE; and

a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, containing initialization information for said one PE, said database including

a first memory storing initialization information including a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting of an enable password for said one PE, and

a second memory storing initialization information only including said second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting of an enable password for said one PE.

15. A multi-mode configuration engine for a processing engine (PE) in a multiple PE system, said system including a first and a second PEs, circuitry for switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE, at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE, and at least one dedicated resource associated with said second PE, said configuration engine comprising:

a database containing initialization information for one of said first and second PEs, said initialization information including a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE; and

a mode selector for selecting a first mode when said one PE is controlling the system as the primary PE, and for selecting a second mode when another PE is controlling the system as the primary PE, said configuration engine allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in said first mode and allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in said second mode.

16. A multi-mode configuration engine according to claim 15, further comprising a parser for parsing instructions included in said initialization information.

17. A multi-mode configuration engine according to claim 16, further comprising a classifier for classifying parsed instructions into said first class and said second class.

18. A multi-mode configuration engine according to claim 17, wherein said classifier passes said second class of instructions to said one PE for execution and ignores said first class of instructions in said second mode.

19. A multi-mode configuration engine according to claim 18, wherein said classifier passes both said first and second classes of instructions to said one PE for in said first mode.

20. A multi-mode configuration engine according to claim 15, wherein said database includes:

a first memory for use in said first mode, storing initialization information including said first and second classes of instructions; and

a second memory for use in said second mode, storing initialization information including said second class of instructions.

21. A method for operating a high reliability computer system, said system including a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engine (PE), at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE, at least one dedicated resource associated with said second PE, and a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, said database containing initialization information for said one PE, said initialization information including a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE, said method comprising:

switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE;

allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in a first mode when said one PE is controlling the computer system as a primary PE; and

allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in a second mode when another PE is controlling the computer system as the primary PE.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising parsing instructions included in said initialization information.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising classifying parsed instructions into said first class and said second class.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising:

passing both said first and second classes of instructions to said one PE for execution in said first mode; and

passing said second class of instructions to said one PE for execution and ignores said first class of instructions in said second mode.

25. A method for operating a high reliability computer system, said system including a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engine (PE), at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE, a last one dedicated resource associated with said second PE, and a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, said database containing initialization information for said one PE, said method comprising:

switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE;

classifying said initialization information into a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE;

allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in a first mode when said one PE is controlling the computer system as a primary PE; and

allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in a second mode when another PE is controlling the computer system as the primary PE.

26. A method of providing password protection for a high reliability computer system, said system including a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engine (PE), at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE, at least one dedicated resource associated with said second PE, a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, and circuitry for switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE, said method comprising:

classifying instructions included in said initialization information into a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE;

allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in a first mode when said one PE is controlling the computer system as a primary PE; and

allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in a second mode when another PE is controlling the computer system as the primary PE.

27. A method for operating a high reliability computer system, said system including a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engine (PE), at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE, at least one dedicated resource associated with said second PE, and a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, containing initialization information for said one PE, said method comprising:

switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE;

providing a memory storing first initialization information including a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE;

providing a second memory storing second initialization information including said second class of instructions;

allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in a first mode by reading instructions from said first memory when said one PE is controlling the computer system as a primary PE; and

allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in a second mode by reading from said second memory when another PE is controlling the computer system as the primary PE.

28. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method for operating a high reliability computer system, said system including a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engine (PE), at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE, a last one dedicated resource associated with said second PE, and a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, said database containing initialization information for said one PE, said method comprising:

switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE;

classifying said initialization information into a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE;

allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in a first mode when said one PE is controlling the computer system as a primary PE; and

allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in a second mode when another PE is controlling the computer system as the primary PE.

29. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method for providing password protection for a high reliability computer system, said system including a first processing engine (PE) and a second processing engine (PE), at least one shared resource associated with both said first and second PEs, at least one dedicated resource associated with said first PE, at least one dedicated resource associated with said second PE, a database associated with and accessible by one of said first and second PEs, and circuitry for switching control of said system from said first PE operating as a primary PE to said second PE upon detection of a failure of said first PE, said method comprising:

classifying instructions included in said initialization information into a first class of instructions affecting said shared resource and a second class of instructions affecting said dedicated resource of said one PE, said second class of instructions including setting an enable password for said one PE;

allowing said one PE to execute said first and second classes of instructions in a first mode when said one PE is controlling the computer system as a primary PE; and

allowing said one PE to execute said second class of instructions in a second mode when another PE is controlling the computer system as the primary PE.