Dual bus computer architecture utilizing distributed arbitrators and method of using same

A method of accessing a plurality of computer system resources coupled to first and second communication busses, by a plurality of computer system devices coupled to said first and second communication busses comprising the steps of:

• requesting access to a first computer system resource over said first communication bus by a first computer system device via a first bus access arbitrator associated with said first computer system device;
• determining said first communication bus is not busy and accessing said first computer system resource by said first computer system device over said first communication bus;
• and
• upon determining said first communication bus is busy, performing the steps of:
• determining said second communication bus is not busy;
• and
• accessing said first computer system resource by said first computer system device over said second communication bus via a second bus access arbitrator associated with said second computer system device.

A multi-bus computer system, comprising:

• at least first and second bus requesting devices, at least said first bus requesting device coupled to at least a first computer system device, at least said second bus requesting device coupled to at least a second computer system device;
• a plurality of computer system resources;
• first and second communication buses, both said first and second communication buses coupled to each of said plurality of computer system resources, and wherein said first communication bus is coupled to at least said first computer system device and said second communication bus is coupled to at least said second computer system device, for allowing access to one of said plurality of system resources by one of said first and second bus requesting devices over said first communication bus and said second communication bus;
• at least first and second bus access arbitrators, said first bus access arbitrator disposed in said first computer system device, for allowing said first bus requesting device coupled to said first computer system device to access a first one of said plurality of computer system resources over said first communication bus, said second bus access arbitrator disposed in said second computer system device, for allowing said second bus requesting device coupled to said second computer system device to access a second one of said plurality of computer system resources over said second communication bus;
• a third bus, coupled to at least one pair of first and second computer system devices, for allowing inter-device communication between at least first and second communication devices of said at least one pair of computer system devices;
• and
• wherein said first and second bus access arbitrators cooperate in an event that one of said first and second communication buses is inaccessible while the other of said first and second buses is accessible, to allow a bus access arbitrator for said accessible bus to allow access to a non-busy computer system resource by a requesting computer system device utilizing said third bus which allows said first bus requesting device to access said second communication bus through said second computer system device and said second bus access arbitrator, and said second bus requesting device to access said first communication bus through said first computer system device and said first bus access arbitrator.