System upgrade and processor service
US6378027B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/4072
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of servicing a processor array of a computer system by quiescing a processor selected for maintenance and removing the selected processor from a processor pool used by the computer's operating system. The selected processor is then powered down while maintaining power to and operation of other processors in the processor array. The selected processor may be identified as being defective, or may have been selected for upgrading. The processor array may include several processor clusters, such that the quiescing, removing and powering down steps apply to all processors in one of the processing clusters. The operating system assigns one of the processors in the processor array to be a service processor, and if the service processor is the processor selected for maintenance, the OS re-assigns the service processor functions to another processor in the processor array.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.