International Business Machines Corporation

Neil Clair Berglund

Thomas James Osten

Todd Jon Rosedahl

William G Kempke

Daniel Frank Moertl

Steven William Steele

David Lee Dosch

William C Richardson

Thomas David Roettger

David Arnold Luick

Gregory Michael Nordstrom

Ronald Leroy Billau

Patrick Kevin Egan

Patrick Allen Buckland

David Otto Lewis

Stephen Peter Mroz

Paul Edward Movall

David George Lund

Diane Lacey Knipfer

Frederick J Ziecina

David Arvin Verburg

Brian Gerard Holthaus

John Nicolaus Tietjen

Jan Douglas Smid

Lloyd S Heim

Kenneth A Moe

Richard D Crowley

Michael Alfred Goolsbey

David E Aakre

Vincent A Bettermann

Douglas J Abrahamson

John V Swenson

James R Nieling

Nancy Marie Uthke-Schmucki

John R Burchfiel, Jr

A power fault diagnostic mechanism for a computer system having a power system that includes a controller. A variable is recorded in a non-volatile memory associated with the power system. The variable assumes a first state when the computer system is powered on and operating. The variable remains in the first state until it enters a second state when the computer system is powered off in response to a power-off request. The controller operates in a standby mode when the computer system is powered off. Upon being powered up, e.g., after a utility power disturbance, the controller reads the variable in the non-volatile memory. This allows determination of whether a disturbance has occurred, even when the computer system was powered off. The controller maintains a local error log based on the variable accessed from the non-volatile memory. A system error log is updated by the operating system using the local error log.

Apparatus, program product and method of performing power fault analysis in a computer system

In an electrical system having a connector board with at least one electrical connector thereon for receiving an electrical device therein, volumetric vital product parametric data is stored in memory associated with the connector board. The stored volumetric vital product parametric data can be accessed with the electrical system to check for available space for a proposed electrical device, for example. The stored data may include information about dimensional characteristics of the connector board and the at least one electrical connector. This data can be compared with corresponding data for the electrical device to determine compatibility, for example.

Method and apparatus for storing volumetric vital product data (VPD) in memory associated with a connector or connector board

In an electrical system having subsystems, and which stores configuration labeling information therein, subsystem configuration is detected and the stored configuration labeling information is updated based thereon. Service personnel can then access the stored updated configuration labeling information to use in affixing labels at appropriate locations in the electrical system.

Method and apparatus for maintaining system labeling based on stored configuration labeling information

Disclosed is a system, method, and program for determining the configuration of a computer system having a planar board, a planar bus, and attached planar devices. A read operation is performed on planar configuration memory indicating addresses for each planar device capable of being attached to the planar board. A read command is then sent to the address of each planar device indicated in the planar configuration memory to determine if each planar device is available. A configuration memory for each available planar device is read to determine configuration information and if there are addresses of attached devices accessible through the planar device. A read command is then sent to the address of each attached device indicated in the configuration memory of the planar device to determine configuration information for each attached device and if there are further attached devices accessible through the attached device. A read command is sent to the address of any attached device indicated in any configuration memory to determine configuration information and whether there are any further attached devices and accompanying configuration memories to consider.

Method, system, and program for determining system configuration

An adapter node is provided for use in adapting internal system enclosure services to a system power control network to thereby provide remote power control, diagnostics, and logical-to-physical correlation information, through the system power control network. The adapter node is for use in one computer of a plurality of different types of computers, having a respective internal system enclosure services low-level communication path. The power control network has a plurality of nodes, one of the nodes being a control node. The adapter node includes a substrate having electrical contacts adapted to plug to a system bus in the one computer. The substrate further has at least one system enclosure services interface connection to connect to the internal system enclosure services low-level communication path in the one computer. The adapter node further has a system power control network interface connection for connecting to the system power control network. A processor of the adapter node is provided for coordinating communication with the system power control network and with internal devices on the internal system enclosure services low-level communications path. Power control, diagnostics, and logical-to-physical correlation information signals are communicated between the system power control system control node and the adapter node to provide system enclosure services support to the one computer of the plurality of different types of computers.

Heterogeneous system enclosure services connection

A system start-up routine is implemented to determine system device power requirements and system power capabilities, determine a maximal number of devices which can be started at one time, and start the maximal number of devices. The devices are, for example, direct access storage devices, i.e., disk drives.

Smart DASD spin-up

In an electrical system, concurrent maintenance of a system component coupled to the system by an adapter on a first communications path is accomplished through the provision of a second communications path to a system power controller, so that concurrent maintenance is not dependent on communications over the first communications path. In particular, concurrent maintenance of a direct access storage device (DASD) coupled to a computer system through a small computer system interconnect (SCSI) bus, an input-output adapter (IOA), a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus and a PCI bridge circuit (PCIB), is enabled by providing a IIC serial, point-to-point signal path between the bridge circuit and a system power control network (SPCN) to coordinate quiescing of the SCSI buses and powering down of the DASD.

Concurrent maintenance for PCI based DASD subsystem with concurrent maintenance message being communicated between SPCN (system power control network) and I/O adapter using PCI bridge

A power system includes a battery back-up unit (BBU) having back-up battery circuitry which provides battery back-up support for a plurality of power supplies each having a respective power factor correction circuit front-end with a boost stage. The voltages output from the boost stages of the power supplies are monitored and compared with respective reference threshold voltages to derive a signal which is used to bring battery back-up power on-line when a monitored voltage falls below a threshold voltage, which may be indicative of a loss of AC mains input voltage. AC mains input voltage is also monitored to detect a restoration and disconnect the battery back-up power. In the event that battery back-up is brought on-line due to a faulty power supply rather than a loss of AC mains input voltage, the faulty power supply can be masked and reported for repair.

Method of controlling battery back-up for multiple power supplies

A communications network includes a primary node and one or more secondary nodes, each node having first and second ports. The primary node periodically polls the network in opposite directions to determine if the network is operating as a loop, or as open chains. The secondary nodes memorize at which port a message is received, and use this information to determine the port at which to output the message, or to output a response message, depending on the type of message received. First and second timers are used depending on whether a successfully received message is a command or a response. If a subsequently received message is garbled, it is stopped from further propagation and an error message sent. The timers are checked and a determination can be made whether the garbled message was a command or a response.

Fail-safe communications network for use in system power control

A backup power system includes continuously powered memory (CPM) backup functionality integrated with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) backup functionality, for use with a computer system. Battery energy level is monitored to detect when a threshold energy level is reached. The threshold level is an energy level required to ensure a successful CPM backup operation. When a utility power interruption is detected, if the battery energy level is above the threshold, UPS operation is provided. When battery energy level reaches the threshold, CPM operation is provided.

Uninterruptible memory backup power supply system using threshold value

A concentrator and protocol converter for concentrating signals from a plurality of information circuits and coupling to a computer system control device, and for converting between at least two communications protocols. The information circuits contain vital product data (VPD) about associated devices which is used by the computer system control device.

Vital product data concentrator and protocol converter

In an electronic system having at least one enclosure including at least one connecting board with at least one associated device coupled thereto, a respective physical location of each device is electronically determined, and an indication of each respective physical location is stored in memory disposed in the at least one enclosure. An operating system uses the stored physical location indication to correlate logical addresses to physical location.

Method and apparatus for correlating computer system device physical

A plurality of information circuits are provided for a computer system. Each information circuit is associated with an element of the computer system and each stores data about the associated element of the computer system. The stored data is accessed by a control device of the computer system in order to configure predetermined operating parameters of the computer system elements.

Apparatus and method for determining and setting system device

A method for providing back-up power for system mainstore memory and an uninterruptible power system (UPS) for a computer system are provided. The computer or data processing system includes a system memory and a system power supply. The uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes an AC output and a DC output, an inverter circuit, a battery and an interface to the system power supply. The inverter circuit supplies AC power to the AC output. The battery supplies DC power to the DC output and to the inverter circuit. The interface enables the inverter circuit to initially supply AC power to the system power supply via the AC output upon detection of a utility power loss and then, after a predetermined period of time, activates the DC output to supply DC power to the system memory via the system power supply, and disables the inverter circuit to stop the initial supply of AC power to the system power supply.

Uninterruptible power supply providing continuous power mainstore

A battery capacity test and electronic system implementing the same tests both the high and low discharge capacities of a back-up battery to ensure that the battery is capable of handling both a short term, high discharge load and a long term, low discharge load. The battery capacity test is particularly suitable for use in an electronic system which, upon occurrence of a power outage, converts from an operational mode to a power saving mode during a conversion time. High discharge capacity testing is performed using a 'safety net' where the primary power source of the electronic system is switched to a reduced testing voltage output, rather than shut off or disconnected, so that the primary power source can take over quickly in the event of a back-up power supply failure during the test.

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Kasson, MN, United States of America

Neil Clair Berglund