Micron Electronics, Inc.

Micron Technology Incorporated

3com Corporation

Round Rock Research, LLC

Inca Technology, Inc.

Other

Walter August Wallach

Mallikarjunan Mahalingam

John M Reed

Mehrdad Khalili

Karl S Johnson

Ken Nguyen

Carlton Gene Amdahl

Tahir Q Sheikh

William Michael Pitts

Dennis Henry Smith

Stephen E J Papa

Joel R Rigler

Robert E Lister

Michael Patrick Chrabaszcz

Bruce Findlay

Carlton G Amadahl

Mallikarjunan Mahalingham

Thomas J Pellicer

A network of microcontrollers for monitoring and diagnosing the environmental conditions of a computer is disclosed. The network of microcontrollers provides a management system by which computer users can accurately gauge the health of their computer. The network of microcontrollers provides users the ability to detect system fan speeds, internal temperatures and voltage levels. The invention is designed to not only be resilient to faults, but also allows for the system maintenance, modification, and growth&#x2014;without downtime. Additionally, the present invention allows users to replace failed components, and add new functionality, such as new network interfaces, disk interface cards and storage, without impacting existing users. One of the primary roles of the present invention is to manage the environment without outside involvement. This self-management allows the system to continue to operate even though components have failed.

Diagnostic and managing distributed processor system

A network of microcontrollers for monitoring and diagnosing the environmental conditions of a computer is disclosed. The network of microcontrollers provides a management system by which computer users can accurately gauge the health of their computer. The network of microcontrollers provides users the ability to detect system fan speeds, internal temperatures and voltage levels. The invention is designed to not only be resilient to faults, but also allows for the system maintenance, modification, and growth&mdash;without downtime. Additionally, the present invention allows users to replace failed components, and add new functionality, such as new network interfaces, disk interface cards and storage, without impacting existing users. One of the primary roles of the present invention is to manage the environment without outside involvement. This self-management allows the system to continue to operate even though components have failed.

A software architecture for the hot add and swap of adapters. The software architecture allows users to replace failed components, upgrade outdated components, and add new functionality, such as new network interfaces, disk interface adapters and storage, without impacting existing users. The software architecture supports the hot add and swap of off-the-shelf adapters, including those adapters that are programmable.

System using programmable processor for selectively enabling or disabling power to adapter in response to respective request signals

A method and system for managing communications among computer devices without involving central processor units of computer systems when it is determined that involving a central processor unit is unnecessary. The method employs a controller to manage communications among peer and host devices. With this method, congestion due to control and data traffic is minimized and a more efficient operation of central processor units is achieved.

Method and system for managing communications among computer devices

System and method for the add or swap of an adapter on an operating computer

A method of monitoring issuance of interrupt and transaction commands without involving central processor units of computer systems. The method employs a fabric controller to manage transaction commands among peer and host devices. The method employs an interrupt controller to manage interrupt commands issued by peer devices. With this method, congestion due to control and data traffic is minimized and a more efficient operation of central processor units is achieved.

Method of data and interrupt posting for computer devices

Apparatus and method is disclosed for providing hot-add and hot swap capability to a computer system with a processor, and a memory, connected to a system bus. The apparatus includes a first bus, an adapter card slot, a switchable interface unit and hot-swap hot-add program code means. The first bus is connected to the system bus. The adapter card slot has a first port and a second port. The switchable interface unit includes a primary port and a secondary port. The primary port is connected to the first bus and the secondary port is connected to the first port of the adapter card slot. The switchable interface unit is responsive to a hot-swap hot-add power-down request to disconnect the second port from the first bus. The switchable interface unit is also responsive to a power-up request to reconnect the second port to the first bus. The hot-swap hot-add program code means in the memory accepts a request to connect a peripheral device adapter card into the second port of said adapter card slot, and responsive to the request communicates a power-down request to the switchable interface unit.

Method for computer implemented hot-swap and hot-add

The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for allowing a plurality of network interface controllers (NICs) to appear as a single NIC to an operating system. This method and apparatus is realized externally to the NIC driver software, and thus does not require NIC drivers to be modified. The present invention also operates independently of operating system, NIC driver software, NIC drivers and NIC hardware. Consequently, the present invention is compatible with a wide range of operating systems and NICs. One embodiment of the present invention operates at the MAC level and lower, thus avoiding the complexity of providing software support for higher layer protocols. However, providing support at the MAC level and lower makes it difficult to perform inbound load sharing. This is because protocols such as IPX use addresses and packet headers to direct reply packets. Hence, return traffic is directed back to the originating NIC regardless of whether the originating NIC is heavy loaded or not. However, 60% to 80% of all traffic on a server is outbound because workstations typically read files from a server in a direction that is outbound from the server. Hence, load sharing for outbound traffic will significantly improve overall system performance even if it is not possible for inbound traffic.

Means for allowing two or more network interface controller cards to appear as one card to an operating system

Method for hot swapping a programmable adapter by using a programmable processor to selectively disabling and enabling power thereto upon receiving respective control signals

A system for monitoring issuance of interrupt and transaction commands without involving central processor units of computer systems. The system employs a fabric controller to manage transaction commands among and host devices. The system employs an interrupt controller to manage interrupt commands issued by devices. The system further employs a concurrent bridge to support communication between the controllers and at least one host device. With this system, congestion due to control and data traffic is minimized and a more efficient operation of central processor units is achieved.

System for data and interrupt posting for computer devices

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Walter August Wallach