Password protection for high reliability computer systems

Abstract

A high reliability computer system includes a first processing engine (PE), a first memory and a third memory both accessible by the first PE, a second PE, and a second memory and a fourth memory both accessible by the second PE. The first memory contains initialization information for the first PE. The third memory has a location for storing an enable password or a surrogate therefor for the first PE. The second memory contains initialization information for the second PE. The computer system also includes circuitry for switching control of the system from the first PE to the second PE upon detection of a failure of the first PE, and a password passer writing the enable password or a surrogate therefor of the first PE to the fourth memory. Alternatively, a network system includes an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) or any other password server having a database for maintaining an enable password for a high reliability computer system. The high reliability computer system includes an interface capable of communicating with the password server over an information bus. The interface obtains the enable password from the password server in response to a request from either one of the first and second PEs.