Method and system for flexible channel path identifier assignment
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsHans-Helge Lehmann, Charles E. Shapley, Robert A. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for flexibly and efficiently assigning channel path identifiers (CHPIDs) used by operating system software in computer systems to identify the communication path to I/O devices via channels. To avoid wasted CHPIDs, which may be limited in number, CHPIDs are assigned only to channels which are installed on and configured to the computer system. The CHPIDs may be re-assigned concurrently with ongoing system operations via a user interface and/or an imported, pre-defined CHPID mapping.
Claims43
A channel path identifier (CHPID) assignment system, comprising:
- an initial microcode load (TML) program that senses channels configured for use based on channel cards that are currently installed in a computer system and builds channel configuration mans that include a default CHPID-to-channel mapping of said computer system;
- a service element containing a database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments based on the default CHPID-to-channel mapping;
- means for sensing changes to the channels configured for use;
- and
- means for assigning CHPIDs and channels made available by changes to the channels configured for use,
- wherein the database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments is updated concurrently with the chan es to the channels configured for use even if the computer system is not operational and the channels are inactive, and
- a next IML program builds a new CHPID-to-channel mapping based on the updated database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments.
A method for assigning channel path identifiers (CHPIDs), comprising the steps of:
- sensing channels configured fir use based on channel cards that are currently installed in a computer system and building channel configuration maps that include a default CHPID-to-channel mapping said computer system with an initial microcode load (IML) program;
- providing a service element containing a database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments based on the default CHPID-to-channel mapping;
- sensing changes to the channels configured for use;
- and
- assigning CHPIDs and channels made available by changes to the channels configured for use,
- wherein the database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments is undated concurrently with the changes to the channels configured for use even if the computer system is not operational and the channels are inactive, and
- a next IML ore gram builds a new CHPID-to-channel mapping based on the updated database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments.
The method of 13, further comprising reading a pre-defined CHPID assignment recorded on a computer-usable medium.
A computer-usable medium storing computer-executable instructions, said instructions when executed implementing a process comprising:
- sensing channels configured for use based on channel cards that are currently installed in a computer system and building channel configuration mans that include a default CHPID-to-channel mapping of said computer system with an initial microcode load (IML) program;
- providing a service element containing a database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments based on the default CHPID-to-channel mapping:
- sensing changes to the channels configured for use;
- and
- assigning CHPIDs and channels made available by changes to the channels configured for use,
- wherein the database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments is updated concurrently with the changes to the channels configured for use even if the computer system is not operational and the channels are inactive, and
- a next IML program builds a new default CHPID-to-channel mapping based on the undated database of CHPIDs and associated channel assignments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.