Use of service processor to retrieve hardware information
AssigneeNetApp, Inc.
InventorsChaitanya Nulkar, Brad Reger, Pradeep Kalra, Johnny Kang-wing Chan, Thomas Holland
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Abstract
Various techniques and hardware are described for retrieving information in a processing system. In one embodiment, a method is provided for retrieving information in a processing system that includes a central processing unit and a service processor. Here, the service processor retrieves central processing unit information from the central processing unit and resets the processing system after the retrieval of the central processing unit information.
Claims19
A processing system comprising:
- a central processing unit;
- a service processor to monitor the central processing unit and operate independently from the central processing unit;
- a debug connection logic that is connected between the central processing unit and the service processor;
- and
- a memory in communication with the service processor, the memory being configured to store a diagnostic module that is executable by the service processor, the diagnostic module having instructions that when executed by the service processor, cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:
- detecting that the central processing unit is stalled;
- transmitting a non-maskable interrupt to the central processing unit;
- detecting that the central processing unit is still stalled for a time period after the transmittal of the non-maskable interrupt;
- in response to detecting that the central processing unit is still stalled for the time period, transmitting a signal to the debug connection logic requesting access to the central processing unit for information;
- in response to the debug connection logic enabling the service processor to access the central processing unit for information, automatically retrieving central processing unit information from the central processing unit after the detection that the central processing unit is still stalled, the central processing unit information to include at least one of items of information selectable from a list of items including a state of the central processing unit, a central processing unit event, and contents of a register of the central processing unit;
- and
- resetting the processing system after the retrieval of the central processing unit information.
A storage system comprising:
- a central processing unit comprising a test access interface;
- a service processor to monitor the central processing unit and operate independently from the central processing unit;
- a debug connection logic that is connected between the central processing unit and the service processor;
- and
- a memory in communication with the service processor, the memory being configured to store a diagnostic module that is executable by the service processor, the diagnostic module having instructions that when executed by the service processor, cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:
- detecting that the central processing unit is stalled;
- in response to detecting that the central processing unit is stalled, transmitting a signal to the debug connection logic requesting access to the central processing unit for information;
- in response to the debug connection logic enabling the service processor to access the central processing unit for information, retrieving central processing unit information from the central processing unit by way of the test access interface, the central processing unit information to include at least one of items of information selectable from a list of items including a state of the central processing unit, a central processing unit event, and contents of a register of the central processing unit.
A method of retrieving information in a processing system comprising a central processing unit, a service processor, and a debug connection logic that is connected between the central processing unit and the service processor, the service processor to monitor the central processing unit and operate independently from the central processing unit, the method at the service processor comprising:
- detecting that the central processing unit is stalled;
- in response to detecting that the central processing unit is stalled, transmitting a signal to the debug connection logic requesting access to the central processing unit for information;
- in response to the debug connection logic enabling the service processor to access the central processing unit for information, automatically retrieving central processing unit information from the central processing unit after the detection, the central processing unit information to include at least one of items of information selectable from a list of items including a state of the central processing unit, a central processing unit event, and contents of register the central processing unit;
- and
- resetting the processing system after the retrieval of the central processing unit information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.