Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-11
2004-11-16
Prieto, B. (Department: 2142)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C709S224000, C717S171000, C717S167000, C717S168000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06820119
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-208875, filed Jul. 10, 2000 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer system, a computer management system and a system management method capable of managing a system such as monitoring the system, modifying the setting thereof, and the like through an external terminal.
As a computer system capable of managing a system such as monitoring the system, modifying the setting thereof, and the like through an external terminal (management terminal), the following two types have been known.
A first computer system is a system one-to-one connected to an external terminal via a cable, for monitoring the system, modifying the setting thereof, and the like by use of a monitor and a keyboard of the same terminal. This method needs external terminals for the number of computer systems because the external terminals are individually connected to every computer system.
A second computer system is a system connected to an external terminal through a LAN (Local Area Network) and a management computer system, for monitoring the system, modifying the setting thereof, and the like by use of a monitor and a keyboard of the same terminal.
In this method, since a plurality (n units) of computer systems are n-to-one connected to one external terminal through the LAN, the external terminal required is only one regardless of the number of the computer systems.
As mentioned above, the first compute system is one-to-one connected to an external terminal. Therefore, the setting area and the number of wiring are accordingly increased as the number of the computer systems is increased, thereby causing an increase in the number of the external terminals.
Then, there is considered such a method that a plurality of computer systems and one external terminal are connected through a switching device such as a concentrator and the like, and that this switching device switches the connecting party of the external terminal to any computer system, so as to perform the management by one external terminal.
This method, however, needs wiring for the number of computer systems, and further needs a troublesome switching operation.
While, in the second computer system, one external terminal can monitor the system and modify the setting thereof through a LAN, even if the number of the computer systems is increased, as far as they are connected to the LAN.
However, since the respective computer systems must be connected to the LAN, if it becomes impossible to use the LAN due to some failure, monitoring of the system also becomes impossible.
In order to avoid a problem at the time a failure occurs in a LAN, duplication of the LAN can be considered. However, it costs much. Further, a LAN cannot be used without installation of an OS (Operating System) and initial setting.
When system information on a non-volatile memory, such as a BIOS (Basic I/O System: basic input/output system) program, is broken, the system cannot be activated and generally it cannot be recovered via a LAN.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in consideration of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a computer system, a computer management system and a system management method capable of managing the system such as monitoring the system, modifying the setting thereof, and the like, at ease, through one external terminal, without a troublesome switching operation and without a LAN connection.
A computer system according to a first aspect of the present invention is a computer system which enables system management through a terminal having a wireless communication function, comprising a wireless communication interface capable of wireless communication between the above terminal and itself, and a system management controller which is connected to the wireless communication interface, for executing system management instructed by the above terminal, through wireless communication with the above terminal via the interface. As the wireless communication interface, for example, an infrared data communication interface, or a Bluetooth interface enabling wireless communication by radio waves can be used.
Thus, with a wireless communication interface provided in a computer system, the system management controller within the computer system communicates with a terminal (having a wireless communication function, that is, having a wireless communication interface) through the same interface. Therefore, the system management controller can manage the system such as monitoring the system and modifying the setting of the own computer system, upon receipt of an instruction from the terminal.
Since a plurality of computer systems can be provided in the range where wireless communication with a terminal is possible, one terminal (external terminal) can manage the plurality of the computer systems.
Especially, with inherent computer identification information (computer ID) assigned to each computer system, and with the IDs stored in storing means of the respective computer systems, if a connecting request including the computer ID of the computer system to be managed is sent from a terminal, it is designed in that only the system management controller of the computer system having the computer ID in accord with the computer ID during the connecting request assigned thereto, can return a response indicating a connection with the terminal, in the other words, that communication has been established between the terminal and itself, to the terminal through the wireless communication interface, thereby connecting a terminal with a computer system (a system management controller in it) specified by the terminal at ease. Thus, a plurality of computer systems can be managed by one terminal at ease.
Here, if the computer system can be provided with at least a display for use in displaying a connection with the terminal, and when the system management controller returns a response indicating a connection with the terminal, to the terminal, that effect can be displayed on the display, a manager can easily confirm which system of a plurality of computer systems is connected to the terminal.
In this structure, the system management controller can recovery, modify, and read out the information within the specified information storing means, according to an instruction from the terminal, even at the non-activation time of the computer system.
The present invention is constituted in that a computer system according to a second aspect, further comprises a bridge connected to the system management bus, and a non-volatile memory re-writable for storing a basic input/output system program, which is connected between the bridge and the system management bus, and that the information access means of the system management controller gains access to the non-volatile memory via the system management bus only at the non-activation time of the computer system.
In this structure, since the system management controller can gain access to the non-volatile memory through the system management bus at the non-activation time of the computer system, even if the basic input/output system program (BIOS program) on the non-volatile memory is broken and the system cannot be activated, the basic input/output system can be recovered by transferring the basic input/output system program to the system management controller of the computer system by wireless communication from the terminal, and the system management controller's accessing to the non-volatile memory so as to restore the basic input/output system program.
The present invention is constituted in that a computer system according to the second aspect further comprises a first and a second buses, a CPU connected to the first bus, a first bridge to which the first bus, the second bus, and the main memory that is one of the various informat
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