US 7,069,479 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for obtaining diagnostic data for a device attached to a computer system

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsJeffrey Richards Hester, Michael James Miller, Brian Lee Morger, Shad Henry Thorstenson

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Abstract

A peripheral device (which is preferably a disk drive) can automatically collect trace data upon detecting certain error conditions. The peripheral device has the ability to selectively alter the range of state data collected in a trace depending on the error type. Preferably, the device includes a programmable processor executing a control program. A set of trace switches, each enabling a corresponding set of trace points, can be independently set by the control program. An error trace identification table identifies, for each error type, a corresponding set of trace switches. If an error is encountered, the trace switches corresponding to the error type are determined from the table, and the switches are set accordingly. In another invention aspect, a set of trap switches in the device can be set to trap on the occurrence of a specific error type, thereby supporting a more detailed error analysis.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of operating a peripheral digital device attached to a host digital system, comprising the steps of:

detecting an error of a first type in a function of said peripheral digital device;
responsive to detecting said error, automatically determining, from a set of traceable activity in said peripheral device, a first subset of said set of traceable activity, said first subset corresponding to said first type of error, said first subset not including the whole of said set of traceable activity in said peripheral device;
responsive to said step of automatically determining a first subset automatically collecting trace data in said peripheral device generated by said first subset of traceable activity;
detecting an error of a second type in a function of said peripheral digital device;
responsive to detecting said error of a second type, automatically determining, from said set of traceable activity in said peripheral device, a second subset of said set of traceable activity, said second subset corresponding to said second type of error, said second subset not including the whole of said set of traceable activity in said peripheral device, said second subset being different from said first subset;
and
responsive to said step of automatically determining a second subset, automatically collecting trace data in said peripheral device generated by said second subset of traceable activity.

4 more elements

A control program product for controlling the operation of a peripheral digital device attached to a host digital system, comprising:

a plurality of processor-executable instructions recorded on tangible signal-bearing media, said instructions including a plurality of selectively enabled trace points, wherein said instructions, when executed by at least one processor of said peripheral digital device, cause the device to perform the steps of:
(a) detecting an error of a first type in a function of said peripheral digital device;
(b) responsive to detecting said error, automatically determining a first subset of said plurality of selectively enabled trace points, said first subset corresponding to said first type of error, said first subset not including all of said plurality of selectively enabled trace points in said control program;
and
(c) responsive to said determining step, automatically collecting trace data in said peripheral device when a trace point in said first subset is encountered during execution of said control program, wherein said step of automatically collecting trace data in said peripheral device comprises setting the value of a plurality of bits in a trace mask to selectively enable said selectively enabled trace points, each bit enabling one or more of said selectively enabled trace points.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.