Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-01
2001-06-05
Beausoleil, Robert (Department: 2184)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C714S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243838
ABSTRACT:
APPENDICES
Appendix A, which forms a part of this disclosure, is a list of commonly owned copending U.S. patent applications. Each one of the applications listed in Appendix A is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
COPYRIGHT RIGHTS
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the reporting of problems and/or failure conditions in electronic systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for automatically reporting failure conditions in a server system.
2. Description of the Related Technology
In the computer industry, the fast and efficient detection of system errors and/or failures, and the subsequent correction of such failures, is critical to providing quality performance and product reliability to the users and buyers of computer systems. Particularly with respect to server computers which are accessed and utilized by many end users, early detection and notification of system problems and failures is an extremely desirable performance characteristic, especially for users who depend on the server to obtain data and information in their daily business operations, for example.
Typically, after a server has failed, users trying to access that server do not know that a problem exists or what the nature of the problem is. If a user experiences undue delay in connecting to the server or accessing a database through the server, the user typically does not know whether there is something wrong with the server, something wrong with his or her connection line, or whether both problems exist. In this scenario, the user must wait for a system operator, at the site where the server is located, to detect the error or failure and correct it. Hours can elapse before the failure is corrected. Often, a system operator or administrator will not discover the failure until users experience problems and start complaining. In the meantime, an important event may be missed and time is wasted, leading to user dissatisfaction with the server system.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and system for early detection of system failures or problems and prompt notification to a system operator or control center of the failure condition so that remedial actions may be quickly taken. In addition, for servers which may be remotely located from a control center, for example, a method and system for notifying the control center at a remote location is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a method and system for detecting a system failure and automatically reporting the failure to a system operator who may be located at or near the site where the server is present, or remotely located from the server such that the system operator communicates with the server via a modem connection. As used herein, the terms “failure”, “system failure”, “system failure condition” and any combination or conjugation of these terms refers to any problem, error, fault, or out of tolerance operating condition or parameter which may be detected in a computer and/or server system. Additionally, these terms may refer to a change in a status or condition of the server system, or a component or subsystem thereof.
In one embodiment of the invention, a method of reporting a system failure in a server system, includes: detecting a system failure condition; transmitting failure information related to the failure condition; storing the failure information; and reporting an occurrence of an event.
In another embodiment, in the method described above, the act of reporting the occurrence of the event includes: sending an event signal to a system interface, coupled to a central processing unit; setting a bit in a bit vector within the system interface, wherein the setting of the bit corresponds to a specified type of system failure; and setting a status of a status register within the system interface to indicate the occurrence of the event, wherein the central processing unit monitors the status register within the system interface at specified periodic intervals.
In another embodiment, a method of reporting a system failure in a server system, includes: detecting a system failure condition; transmitting failure information related to the failure condition to a system recorder; assigning a time value to the failure information; storing the failure information and its time value in a system log; reporting an occurrence of an event to a central processing unit coupled to the server system; and communicating failure information from the system log to an operator.
In a further embodiment, a method of reporting a system failure in a server system, includes: detecting a system failure condition; transmitting failure information related to the failure condition to a system recorder; assigning a time value to the failure information; storing the failure information and its time value in a system log; reporting an occurrence of an event to a local computer coupled to the server system via a remote interface; and communicating failure information from the system log to an operator.
In another embodiment, in the method described above, the act of reporting the occurrence of the event to the local computer includes: sending an event signal to the remote interface; setting a bit in a bit vector within the remote interface, wherein the setting of the bit corresponds to a specified type of system failure; and notifying the local computer that the event signal has been received by the remote interface.
In yet another embodiment, a method of reporting a system failure in a server system, includes: detecting a system failure condition; transmitting failure information related to the failure condition to a system recorder; assigning a time value to the failure information; storing the failure information and its time value in a system log; reporting an occurrence of an event to a remote computer coupled to the server system via a remote interface, wherein the remote computer is connected to the remote interface via a modem connection; and communicating failure information from the system log to an operator.
In a further embodiment, in the method described above, the act of reporting the occurrence of the event to the remote computer includes: sending an event signal to the remote interface; setting a bit in a bit vector within the remote interface, wherein the setting of the bit corresponds to a specified type of system failure; and notifying the remote computer that the event signal has been received by the remote interface.
In another embodiment, a method of reporting a system failure in a server system, includes: detecting a system failure condition; transmitting failure information related to the failure condition to a system recorder; storing the failure information in a system log; and executing a central processing unit operation in response to detecting a system failure condition.
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patent: 50
Johnson Karl
Liu Ji-hwan
Nguyen Ken
Baderman Scott
Beausoleil Robert
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Micron Electronics Inc.
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