Seagate Technology Incorporated

Amdahl Corporation

Mark vonGnechten

Earl T Cohen

Kai Chiu Wong

Ronald K Kreuzenztein

A system includes a plurality of processors, a message fabric, and a plurality of hardware units. Each of the plurality of processors comprises a plurality of communication FIFOs and has an instruction set including at least one instruction to send a message via at least one of the plurality of communication FIFOs. The message fabric couples the processors via at least some of the plurality of communication FIFOs . Each of the processors is associated with a respective one or more of the hardware units and coupled to each of the associated hardware units via respective hardware unit input and output communication FIFOs. Each of the processors is enabled to send messages to others of the processors via respective processor output communication FIFOs. The respective hardware units associated with each of the processors are enabled to send messages to the associated processor via the respective hardware unit input communication FIFOs.

Unified message-based communications

A SYStem COMmunication interface (SYSCOM) unit provides uniform communication between hardware and software units of a computer system. The computer units include Central Processing Units (CPU's), Input/Output Processors (IOP's), Service Processor (SVP), and Control State Software (CSSW) which runs on the CPU's operating in Control State. The SYSCOM communication interface includes signalling hardware, control blocks in storage, and a uniform communication method used for communication between the computer units. The communication method sends messages between an originating unit (ORG.U) and one or more destination unit(s) [DES.U(s)].

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Mark vonGnechten