Preserving dump capability after a fault-on-fault or related type failure in a fault tolerant computer system
US6779132B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/0778
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
When a fault-on-fault condition arises in a data processing system which follows a backup fault procedure in the fault handling process, control is passed to dedicated firmware. Fault flags are reset and information vital to maintaining operating system control is sent to a reserved memory (which can be written to in limited circumstances) under firmware control. Control is then transferred to an Intercept process resident in the reserved memory which attempts to build a stable environment for the operating system to dump the system memory. If possible, a dump is taken, and a normal operating system restart is carried out. If not possible, a message with the vital fault information is issued, and a full manual restart must be taken. Even in the latter case, the fault information is available to help in determining the cause of the fault-on-fault.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.