Synchronizing vital product data for computer processor subsystems

• US 8,392,909 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Anna, Gary, Beeston, Ralph Thomas, Dain, Joseph Whitney, Liu, Henry Zheng, Pilch, Jeffrey Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aguilera, Todd
• Application Number:
  US11/534,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A computer processor subsystem, e.g. called a “target”, in response to receiving an update to vital product data of the system from a source computer processor subsystem, examines the update to detect the vital product data of the target computer processor subsystem stored by the source computer processor subsystem; and, in response to the detected vital product data being incorrect, the target computer processor subsystem forwards its correct vital product data to the source computer processor subsystem having the incorrect vital product data. A computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its vital product data.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing vital product data in one computer processor subsystem with respect to a system of computer processor subsystems, said computer processor subsystems storing at least some vital product data of the other computer processor subsystems of said system, comprising the steps of:

said one computer processor subsystem, in response to receiving an update to vital product data of said system from a source computer processor subsystem of said system, examines said update to detect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem stored by said source computer processor subsystem;

said one computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data and, in response to said detected vital product data having incorrect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem, said one computer processor subsystem forwarding pre-existing correct vital product data of said one computer processor subsystem to said source computer processor subs stem having said incorrect vital product data;

wherein said one computer processor subsystem, in response to receiving vital product data of another computer processor subsystem of said system, if the sending computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for said received vital product data, updating the vital product data for said another computer processor subs stem as stored b said one computer processor subsystem with said received vital product data;

wherein said one computer processor subsystem additionally determines whether vital product data about a third computer processor subsystem stored by at least one other computer processor subsystem is different from said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said one computer processor subsystem; and

said third computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data, and if said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said at least one other computer processor subsystem is different, said one computer processor subsystem requests said third computer processor subsystem to update said one computer subsystem and said at least one other computer subsystem with the correct vital product data of said third computer processor subsystem.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

if a difference in said vital product data is communication addressing information of said third computer processor subsystem, said one computer processor subsystem sends said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said one computer processor subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem; and

if said request fails, said one computer processor subsystem sends said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said at least one other computer processor subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem.

3. A system, comprising:

a plurality of computer processor subsystems, said computer processor subsystems comprising associated;

memory configured to store vital product data of one computer processor subsystem associated with said memory, and to store at least some vital product data of other said computer processor subsystems of said system;

at least one node configured to communicate with other said computer processor subsystems of said system; and

at least one computer processor configured to operate said one computer processor subsystem to, in response to receiving an update to vital product data of said system from a source computer processor subsystem of said system, examining said update to detect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem stored by said source computer processor subsystem;

said one computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data and, in response to said detected vital product data having incorrect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem, said one computer processor subsystem forwarding pre-existing correct vital product data of said one computer processor subs stem to said source computer processor subsystem having said incorrect vital product data; and

wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to operate said one computer processor subsystem, in response to receiving vital product data of another computer processor subsystem of said system, if the sending computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for said received vital product data,

to update the vital product data for said another computer processor subsystem as stored by said receiving one computer processor subsystem with said received vital product data; and

to determine whether vital product data about a third computer processor subsystem stored by at least one other computer processor subsystem is different from said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said one computer processor subsystem; and

said third computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data, and if said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said at least one other computer processor subsystem is different, said one computer processor subsystem requests said third computer processor associated one computer processor subsystem with the correct vital product data of said third computer processor subsystem.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

if a difference in said vital product data is communication addressing information of said third computer processor subsystem, said one computer processor subsystem sends said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said one computer processor subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem; and

if said request fails, said one computer processor subsystem sends said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said at least one other computer processor subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem.

5. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transient computer useable medium comprising computer readable program code for synchronizing vital product data in one computer processor subsystem with respect to a system of computer processor subsystems, said computer processor subsystems storing at least some vital product data of the other computer processor subs stems of said system, said computer readable code configured to cause:

said one computer processor subsystem, in response to receiving an update to vital product data of said system from a source computer processor subsystem of said system, to examine said update to detect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem stored by said source computer processor subsystem; and

said one computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data and in response to said detected vital product data having incorrect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem, said one computer processor subsystem to forward pre-existing correct vital product data of said one computer processor subsystem to said source computer processor subsystem having said incorrect vital product data;

wherein said computer readable code is configured to cause said one computer processor subsystem, in response to receiving vital product data of another computer processor subsystem of said system, if the sending computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for said received vital product data, to update the vital product data for said another computer processor subsystem as stored by said one computer processor subsystem with said received vital product data; and

additionally comprising computer readable code configured to cause;

said one computer processor subsystem to determine whether vital product data about a third computer processor subsystem stored by at least one other computer processor subsystem is different from said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said one computer processor subsystem; and

said third computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data, and if said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said at least one other computer processor subsystem is different, said one computer processor subsystem to request said third computer processor subsystem to update said one computer subsystem and said at least one other computer subsystem with the correct vital product data of said third computer processor subsystem.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said computer readable code is configured to cause:

if a difference in said vital product data is communication processing information of said third computer processor subsystem, said one computer processor subsystem to send said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said one computer processor subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem; and

if said request fails, said one computer processor subsystem to send said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said at least one other computer subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem.

7. A computer processor subsystem configured to synchronize vital product data with respect to a system of computer processor subsystems, said computer processor subsystems storing at least some vital product data of the other computer processor subsystems of said system, said computer processor subsystem comprising associated:

memory configured to store vital product data of one computer processor subsystem associated with said memory, and to store at least some vital product data of other said computer processor subsystems of said system;

at least one node configured to communicate with other said computer processor subsystems of said system; and

at least one computer processor configured to operate said one computer processor subsystem, in response to receiving an update to vital product data of said system from a source computer processor subsystem of said system, to examine said update to detect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem stored by said source computer processor subsystem;

said one computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data and, in response to said detected vital product data having incorrect vital product data about said one computer processor subsystem, said one computer processor subsystem to forward pre-existing correct vital product data of said one computer processor subsystem to said source computer processor subsystem having said incorrect vital product data;

wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to operate said computer processor subs stem in response to receiving vital product data of another computer processor subsystem of said system, if the sending computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for said received vital product data, to update the vital product data for said another computer processor subsystem as stored by said one computer processor subs stem with said received vital product data; and

wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to operate said one computer processor subsystem;

additionally to determine whether vital product data about a third computer processor subsystem stored by at least one other computer processor subsystem is different from said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said one computer processor subsystem; and

said third computer processor subsystem is the authoritative reference for its own vital product data, and if said vital product data about said third computer processor subsystem stored by said at least one other computer processor subsystem is different, to request said third computer processor subsystem to update said at least one other computer processor subsystem and said one computer processor subsystem with the correct vital product data of said third computer processor subsystem.

8. The computer processor subsystem of claim 7, wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to operate said one computer processor subsystem:

if a difference in said vital product data is communication addressing information of said third computer processor subsystem, to send said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said one computer processor subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem; and

if said request fails, to send said request to said third computer processor subsystem using said at least one other computer processor subsystem'"'"'s communication address for said third computer processor subsystem.