Method and apparatus for handling interrupts using a set of interrupts servers associated with presentation controllers

A data processing system comprising:

• an interconnect fabric;
• a set of processors;
• an interrupt source controller connected to the interconnect fabric;
• and
• a set of interrupt presentation controllers connected to the interconnect fabric, wherein the set of interrupt presentation controllers are logically linked in a loop, wherein each interrupt management area contained in a presentation controller in the set of presentation controllers includes a pointer to another interrupt management area, potentially located in another presentation controller in the set of presentation controllers and wherein an interrupt server located in a presentation controller receiving an interrupt sends the interrupt to the interrupt management area of another interrupt server located, in potentially another presentation controller using a pointer if the interrupt server associated with the presentation controller is unable to process the interrupt.

A data processing system for managing interrupts using a set of presentation controllers, the data processing system comprising:

• a bus system;
• a communications unit connected to the bus system;
• a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions;
• and
• a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to identify a first interrupt server associated with a presentation controller in the set of presentation controllers to handle the interrupt in which the set of interrupt servers and their presentation controllers are linked in a circular list using a set of identifiers found in the interrupt management area of the interrupt servers of the set of presentation controllers in response to receiving an interrupt signal;
• and send the interrupt to a second interrupt server, potentially associated with a second presentation controller in the set of presentation controllers based on an identifier identifying the interrupt server, potentially in a second presentation controller in the set of presentation controllers if the first interrupt server is unable to handle the interrupt in which the identifier is found.