Managing Multiple-Slot PCI Devices During Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer systems struggle to accommodate and perform maintenance on multiple-slotted PCI devices, as interconnect systems are generally designed for single-slot devices, making it difficult to identify and manage multiple-slot devices during system operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allow the operating system to identify multiple-slot devices, determine the slots associated with each adapter, and allocate power to or remove power from these slots for maintenance operations, enabling concurrent maintenance of multiple-slot devices during system operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the interconnect system is designed to accommodate single-slot devices, then the system structure is simple and easy to manage, but it cannot accommodate multiple-slotted devices
Solution Approach 1:
The interconnect system is designed to universally accommodate both single-slot and multiple-slotted devices through a unified slot management mechanism. The system uses a standardized interface that can detect and manage devices occupying one or more consecutive slots, allowing the same hardware infrastructure to serve multiple device types without requiring separate dedicated systems for each device configuration.
2Ease of operation
If the system manages multiple-slot devices by treating each slot independently, then slot management is simple, but power allocation and maintenance operations cannot be properly coordinated across multiple slots of the same device
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the management of multiple slots that belong to the same multiple-slotted device into a unified management unit. When a device occupies multiple consecutive slots, the system identifies these slots as a grouped entity and applies coordinated power allocation and maintenance operations across all slots simultaneously, ensuring that power is properly distributed and maintenance can be performed on the entire device without disrupting individual slot operations.
3Reliability
If power is provided to all slots to ensure device operation, then device functionality is maintained, but power consumption increases and maintenance operations become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power allocation to slots based on the operational requirements and maintenance status of devices. During normal operation, power is provided to active slots. When maintenance is required, the system can dynamically power down specific slots while maintaining power to other slots that are not under maintenance, allowing for selective power management that reduces overall consumption while maintaining necessary device functionality.
4Ease of repair
If maintenance operations are performed on a multiple-slotted device, then the device can be updated or replaced, but system operation is disrupted if all associated slots are powered down
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the power management and maintenance operations for multiple-slotted devices, allowing different slots to be managed independently when possible. During maintenance operations, the system can power down only the specific slots containing devices that require maintenance, while keeping other slots operational. This segmented approach enables maintenance to be performed on individual components without requiring the entire multiple-slotted device or all its slots to be taken offline, thereby maintaining system productivity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for performing maintenance on a multiple-slot device having multiple adapters in a computer system including a peripheral interface having a plurality of device connection slots. The invention includes determining that a selected slot on the peripheralinterface is associated with an adapter of a multiple-slot device, identifying a further slot associated with the multiple-slot device based on the selected slot, and providing power to, or removing power from, the selected slot and the identified further slot. Numerous other aspects are provided.