Apparatus and method for high reliability PC platform telecommunications systems

A method for enabling continued operation of a host computer in a fault condition utilizing an integrated reliability enhancement device comprising the steps of:

• utilizing monitoring circuitry of said integrated reliability enhancement device to monitor said host computer for predetermined events associated with host computer malfunctions;
• storing event data representative of an occurrence of one of said predetermined events in local memory dedicated to said integrated reliability enhancement device, said local memory being an internal member of said integrated reliability enhancement device;
• providing said event data to said host computer in response to a request generated by host computer application software;
• utilizing a redundant power supply controller of said integrated reliability enhancement device to enable a second power supply which enables said host computer as a response to detecting said failure of said first external power supply;
• and
• performing remote notification of said occurrence of said event;
• monitoring a communications port on said integrated reliability enhancement device for a remotely generated reboot request to reboot said host computer, said monitoring step including monitoring a first external power supply for a failure which disable said host computer;
• and
• initiating a rebooting procedure from said integrated reliability enhancement device in response to said remotely generated request if said reboot request is received.

A system for enabling continued operation of a host computer in a fault condition, said host computer being connected to receive power from first and second power supplies, said system comprising:

• a circuit card connected to a bus slot of said host computer, said circuit card including:
• first circuitry for detecting events associated with host computer failures;
• an event register operatively associated with said first circuitry for storing event data representative of a history of a potential operational malfunctions of said host computer, said event register being an internal and dedicated member of said circuit card and being configured to provide said event data to host computer in response to a data request;
• a communications interface in communication with said event register and with a communications network for transmitting notification of said event data via said communications network;
• an alarm control responsive to detecting at least one of said events to activate an alarm;
• and
• a power supply control associated with said first and second power supplies and configured to automatically enable said second power supply in response to detection by said first circuitry that said host computer is disabled by a failure of said first power supply;
• and
• a remote reboot control configured to initiate rebooting of said host computer in response to a remotely generated reboot request when said second host computer power supply being connected to supply power to said host computer.