Distributed control of a fail-to-wire switch for a network communication link

Abstract

A fail-to-wire (FTW) module preserves a primary data path connection from an upstream computer to a downstream computer if there is any kind of failure in a breakout data path to a breakout system. The FTW module provides switches between the incoming data network data and the breakout system such that when the breakout system encounters a failure, the switches are de-activated to bypass the breakout system. The switches in the FTW module are activated by a system health signal controlled by a health monitor in the breakout system. The health monitor provides intelligent switch control based on alerts from a variety of control points. These control points include firmware, hardware, thermal sensors, subsystem operating systems, subsystem software applications, and appliance tamper logic in order to determine if the FTW module switches should be in an active or inactive state.