Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Computer power control – Power conservation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-02
2001-05-15
Beausoleil, Robert (Department: 2781)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Computer power control
Power conservation
C713S340000, C710S120000, C710S108000, C709S217000, C709S219000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233692
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to data communications, and more particularly, relates to a cost effective power share controller and method for sharing peripheral bays between two data processing systems such as server systems on a data network, when either system main baseboard is turned off without any interruption to the peripheral bay operation.
RELATED ART
A data network is a system designed to link together data processing systems, peripheral devices and communication devices for data communications. Examples of such a network include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a campus area network (CAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a global area network (GAN), and a system area network (SAN). Data processing systems include personal computers (PCs), work stations, input/output devices, and server systems. For purposes of this disclosure, a data processing system refers to a server system connected to a data network. Each server system comprises a motherboard (baseboard) for supporting at least one main processor, a peripheral board (peripheral bay) for supporting one or more peripheral devices such as magnetic or optical information storage devices. In these types of data processing systems, the peripheral devices are diverse in nature including, but not limited to, small computer system interface (SCSI) devices.
Generally, if the baseboard power supply of a first server system on a data network is turned off for any reasons, electrical power provided to the peripheral bay supporting the peripheral devices is also interrupted. Consequently, a second server system on a data network cannot access data resources provided by the peripheral devices of the first server system. That is, if one server system is turned off, data resources on a peripheral bay cannot be accessed and shared by another server system on a data network. The failure to share data resources of the peripheral bays between two server systems on a data network, when either system main baseboard is disabled, is extremely inconvenient. One solution to sharing the peripheral bays of server systems on a data network is to install a stand-alone power unit that is independent from a server system for providing a constant source of electrical power to the peripheral bay of each server system. However, installation of a stand-alone power unit to a server system on a data network is labor intensive, costly, and is inefficient because of high power dissipation. Therefore, there is a need for a more simple, yet cost effective solution to sharing the peripheral bays between server systems on a data network when either system main baseboard is turned off without any interruption to the peripheral bay operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an exemplary data processing system such as a server system connected to a data network having a network peripheral bay access feature that enable another server system on the data network to have access to the system peripheral bay with no operating interruption, when the system main baseboard is disabled. The exemplary server system includes a system peripheral bay supporting at least one peripheral device; a system main baseboard supporting at least one main processor; and a power share controller for controlling power voltages supplied to the system peripheral bay and the system main baseboard, including automatically switching off electrical connection to the system main baseboard when the system main baseboard is disabled (turned off), while maintaining the electrical connection to the system peripheral bay so as to enable another server on the data network to have continuous access to the system peripheral bay with no operating interruption.
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Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Beausoleil Robert
Intel Corporation
Phan Raymond N
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