Configurable control of data storage device visual indicators in a server computer system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsLarry E Wilson, Masud M Reza, Hank Dao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A server computer system includes a set of visual indicators for representing status of one or more data storage devices that are connected to one or more nodes of the server system. Control circuitry has at least first and second bus interfaces and is configured to set the state of the visual indicators responsive to signals received through the bus interfaces, and to operate in at least first and second configurable modes. In the first mode, both of the first and the second bus interfaces communicate with a single node. In the second mode, the first bus interface communicates with a first node and the second bus interface communicates with a second node.
Claims20
A server computer system, comprising:
- a set of visual indicators for representing status of one or more data storage devices that are connected to one or more nodes of the server system;
- control circuitry having at least first and second bus interfaces;
- wherein the control circuitry is configured to set the state of the visual indicators responsive to signals received through the bus interfaces and to operate in at least first and second configurable modes such that:
- in the first mode, both of the first and the second bus interfaces communicate with a single node;
- and
- in the second mode, the first bus interface communicates with a first node and the second bus interface communicates with a second node.
A method of controlling a set of data storage device visual indicators in a server computer system having a backplane that is configured to receive signals from one or more nodes and to set the state of the visual indicators responsive to the signals received, comprising:
- choosing one of at least two different configurations for the server system, wherein the different configurations are characterized by a number of nodes and a number of data storage devices connected to each node;
- if a first one of the two configurations is chosen, setting a first binary value using mode selection circuitry such that the backplane associates the set of visual indicators only with signals it receives from a single node;
- and
- if a second one of the two configurations is chosen, setting a second binary value using the mode selection circuitry such that the backplane associates a first subset of the visual indicators with signals it receives from a first node and associates a second subset of the visual indicators with signals it receives from a second node distinct from the first node.
A server computer system, comprising:
- at least first and second visual indicators;
- and
- multimode control circuitry configured to:
- in a first mode, control the first and second visual indicators so that they respectively represent status of first and second data storage devices that are both connected to a single node of the server system;
- and
- in a second mode, control the first visual indicator to represent status of a data storage device connected to a first node of the server system, and control the second visual indicator to represent status of a data storage device connected to a second node of the server system distinct from the first node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.