Hot swapping memory method and system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorRoss V. La Fetra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of hot swapping memory is described. A memory system includes a plurality of memory banks such that a memory word is divided into the memory banks. The memory system is provided a spare memory bank. One of the memory banks is selected to replace. The memory system is configured to perform write operations associated with the selected memory bank to both the selected and spare memory banks. Atomic read and write operations are performed such that the content of the selected memory bank is copied to the spare memory bank. The memory system is configured to redirect operations to be performed on the selected memory bank to the spare memory bank such that the selected memory bank can be hot replaced.
Claims20
A method of hot swapping memory, comprising:
- a) providing a spare memory bank in a memory system, wherein said memory system includes a plurality of memory banks such that a memory word is divided into said memory banks;
- b) selecting one of said memory banks to replace;
- c) configuring said memory system to perform write operations associated with said selected memory bank to both said selected memory bank and said spare memory bank;
- d) performing atomic read and write operations such that content of said selected memory bank is copied to said spare memory bank;
- and
- e) configuring said memory system to redirect operations to be performed on said selected memory bank to said spare memory bank such that said selected memory bank can be hot replaced.
A circuit comprising a repeater coupled to a plurality of memory banks such that a memory word is divided into said memory banks and coupled to a spare memory bank, wherein said repeater directs write operations to be performed on a selected memory bank to both said selected memory bank and said spare memory bank, wherein after atomic read and write operations are performed such that content of said selected memory bank is copied to said spare memory bank, said repeater redirects operations to be performed on said selected memory bank to said spare memory bank such that said selected memory bank can be hot replaced.
A memory system comprising:
- a plurality of memory banks such that a memory word is divided into said memory banks;
- and
- a spare memory bank, wherein write operations associated with a selected memory bank are directed to both said selected memory bank and said spare memory bank, wherein atomic read and write operations are performed such that content of said selected memory bank is copied to said spare memory bank, and wherein operations to be performed on said selected memory bank are redirected to said spare memory bank such that said selected memory bank can be hot replaced.
A computer system comprising:
- a memory system including a plurality of memory banks such that a memory word is divided into said memory banks, a spare memory bank, and a repeater coupled to said memory banks and said spare memory bank, wherein write operations associated with a selected memory bank are directed to both said selected memory bank and said spare memory bank, wherein atomic read and write operations are performed such that content of said selected memory bank is copied to said spare memory bank, and wherein operations to be performed on said selected memory bank are redirected to said spare memory bank such that said selected memory bank can be hot replaced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.