Method and system for selecting compatible processors to add to a multiprocessor computer
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsRobert Gentile, Travis Schaff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for using processor compatibility information to select a compatible processor for addition to a multiprocessor computer. A software program is executed on the multiprocessor computer to determine the number of current processors in the multiprocessor computer and the revision number of each processor. A software program that compares the revision numbers of the current processors with processor compatibility information is then executed to determine the revision numbers of processors that are compatible with all current processors.
Claims31
A method in a computer system for using processor compatibility information to select a compatible processor for addition to a multiprocessor computer, the multiprocessor computer having at least one current processor in a CPU slot and having at least one additional CPU slot in which the new processor can be added, a processor having a revision number, the method comprising:
- obtaining the processor compatibility information that indicates the various model and revisions of processors that are compatible with each of a set of processor models and revisions;
- determining the number of current processors in the multiprocessor computer and the model and revision numbers of each processor by executing a computer program on the multiprocessor computer, the computer program directing each processor in the multiprocessor computer to execute at least one instruction that allows the model and revision number of the processor to be determined;
- and
- comparing the model and revision numbers of the current processors in the multiprocessor computer with the processor compatibility information to determine the revision numbers of processors that are compatible with all current processors.
A method for using processor compatibility information to select a compatible processor for addition to a multiprocessor computer, a processor having a processor type, the method comprising:
- obtaining the processor compatibility information that indicates the processor types of processors that are compatible;
- determining the number of current processors and the processor type of each current processor;
- and
- programmatically comparing the processor types of the current processors with the processor compatibility information to determine the processor types of processors that are compatible with all current processors.
A system for using processor compatibility information to select a compatible processor for addition to a multiprocessor computer, a processor having a processor type, the system comprising:
- a first component on the multiprocessor computer that determines the number of current processors in the multiprocessor computer and the processor types of each processor;
- and
- a second component that compares the processor types of the current processors with the processor compatibility information to determine the processor types that are compatible with the current processors.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to use processor compatibility information to select a compatible processor for addition to a multiprocessor computer, a processor having a processor type, by:
- obtaining the processor compatibility information that indicates the processor types of processors that are compatible with each of a set of processor types;
- determining the number of current processors in the multiprocessor computer and the processor type of each current processor by running a computer program on the multiprocessor computer;
- and
- programmatically comparing the processor types of the current processors with the processor compatibility information to determine the processor types of processors that are compatible with all current processors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.