Performing device configuration rediscovery

• US 8,751,696 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bavaria, Priti, Broyles, Stephan O., Rinkenberger, Glenn E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US13/723,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A data processing system and computer instructions in a data processing system for identifying device configurations. Unique identification information is identified for a set of devices in the data processing system. The identified unique identification information is compared with previously identified unique identification information. Configuration data is moved to a memory for devices in the set of devices in which a match exists between the identified unique identification information and the previously identified unique identification information for devices. Configuration information is obtained from a device in which configuration information is absent in the memory after configuration data has been moved to the memory for the devices to form a current set of configuration data for the set of devices.

Claims

1. A data processing system for identifying device configurations, the data processing system comprising a data processor that is operable to perform steps of:

identifying unique identification information for a set of devices in the data processing system to form identified unique identification information;

comparing the identified unique identification information with previously identified unique identification information;

moving configuration data to a memory for devices in the set of devices in which a match exists between the identified unique identification information and the previously identified unique identification information for devices; and

obtaining configuration information from a device in which configuration information is absent in the memory after configuration data has been moved to the memory for the devices to form a current set of configuration data for the set of devices, wherein the previously identified unique identification information is accessed using a table associated with the configuration data for the set of devices, wherein the table comprises (i) an index used to locate particular configuration data for a particular device, (ii) information used to address the particular device, and (iii) an offset to a memory location within the particular device at which particular unique identified information for the particular device is stored.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises an area for maintaining the previously identified unique identification information and another area for maintaining the moved configuration data while the obtaining configuration information is being performed.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification information is a unique device identifier.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the current configuration data for the set of devices is stored in a set of files.

5. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the unique identification information is identified by read the unique identification information from the set of devices.

6. A computer program product comprising instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that are operable to identify device configurations when executed by a data processor, the instructions comprising:

first instructions for identifying unique identification information for a set of devices in the data processing system to form identified unique identification information;

second instructions for comparing the identified unique identification information with previously identified unique identification information;

third instructions for moving configuration data to a memory for devices in the set of devices in which a match exists between the identified unique identification information and the previously identified unique identification information for devices; and

fourth instructions for obtaining configuration information from a device in which configuration information is absent in the memory after configuration data has been moved to the memory for the devices to form a current set of configuration data for the set of devices, wherein the previously identified unique identification information is accessed using a table associated with the configuration data for the set of devices, wherein the table comprises (i) an index used to locate particular configuration data for a particular device, (ii) information used to address the particular device, and (iii) an offset to a memory location within the particular device at which particular unique identifier information for the particular device is stored.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the memory comprises an area for maintaining the previously identified unique identification information and another area for maintaining the moved configuration data while the obtaining configuration information is being performed.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the unique identification information is a unique device identifier.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the current configuration data for the set of devices is stored in a set of files.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the unique identification information is identified by read the unique identification information from the set of devices.

11. A data processing system for performing device configuration rediscovery, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to identify unique identification information for a set of devices in the data processing system to form identified unique identification information;

compare the identified unique identification information with previously identified unique identification information;

move configuration data to another memory for devices in the set of devices in which a match exists between the identified unique identification information and the previously identified unique identification information for devices; and

obtain configuration information from a device in which configuration information is absent in the another memory after configuration data has been moved to the another memory for the devices to form a current set of configuration data for the set of devices, wherein the previously identified unique identification information is accessed using a table associated with the configuration data for the set of devices, wherein the table comprises (i) an index used to locate particular configuration data for a particular device, (ii) information used to address the particular device, and (iii) an offset to a memory location within the particular device at which particular unique identifier information for the particular device is stored.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the memory comprises an area for maintaining the previously identified unique identification information and another area for maintaining the moved configuration data while the obtaining configuration information is being performed.

13. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the unique identification information is a unique device.

14. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the current configuration data for the set of devices is stored in a set of files.

15. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the unique identification information is identified by read the unique identification information from the set of devices.