Peripheral Device Recovery via Independent Management Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Peripheral devices in data processing systems fail due to hardware or software issues, requiring power cycling of the entire system, which leads to downtime and disruptions, including data loss and hardware damage.
Innovation Solution
A management controller within the data processing system manages peripheral devices independently, using separate communication channels to perform recovery actions without affecting the entire system, allowing for power cycling of individual devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power cycling of the entire data processing system is performed to recover a failed peripheral device, then the peripheral device can be recovered, but the entire system experiences downtime and disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power cycling operation from the entire system by introducing a management controller that can independently cycle power to specific peripheral devices. This allows the power cycling function to be divided into individual device-level operations rather than a system-wide operation, thereby recovering peripheral devices without bringing down the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The management controller acts as an intermediary between the system administrator and the peripheral devices. It receives recovery requests, identifies failed devices, and executes targeted power cycling operations on those specific devices without affecting other parts of the system, thus mediating the recovery process to minimize system disruption.
2Reliability
If power cycling of the entire data processing system is performed to recover a failed peripheral device, then the peripheral device can be recovered, but data loss and hardware damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the power cycling operation to affect only the specific failed peripheral device rather than the entire system, the patent isolates the potential harmful effects (data loss and hardware damage) to a localized area. This ensures that other data and hardware components continue operating uninterrupted during the recovery process.
Solution Approach 2:
The management controller serves as a protective intermediary that carefully manages the power cycling process. It can detect failed devices, initiate targeted power cycling only on those devices, and monitor the recovery process, thereby preventing widespread data loss and hardware damage while still achieving device recovery.
3Productivity
If the management controller manages peripheral devices independently using separate communication channels, then system disruptions are prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management controller is designed with multi-functionality, handling not only power cycling operations but also monitoring, control, and communication management for peripheral devices. By consolidating these functions into a single controller, the patent avoids the complexity of multiple separate control systems while maintaining continuous system operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The management controller acts as a centralized intermediary that manages all peripheral device communications through dedicated channels. This intermediary role consolidates control functions and simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a single point of coordination, even though it does increase the functional complexity of the controller itself.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for managing a data processing system are disclosed. Peripheral devices connected to the data processing system may enter a state that requires one or more recovery actions to be performed to recover these peripheral devices. A management controller that operates independently of a data processing system may be provided within the data processing system to oversee and manage recovery of such peripheral devices. In particular, the management controller may cause these peripheral devices to perform one or more recovery actions that would not disrupt other, non-peripheral device related, operations of the data processing system.