Service Processor CPU Information Retrieval

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional computer systems cannot generate a core dump when the operating system malfunctions during a crash, making it difficult to diagnose errors as no information is recorded, and traditional service processors are not configured to retrieve diagnostic information.

Innovation Solution

A processing system utilizing a service processor to independently retrieve information from the CPU and other hardware components, even when the operating system has malfunctioned, allowing for error diagnosis by detecting CPU stalls and initiating retrieval manually or at predefined intervals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the operating system generates a core dump to diagnose crashes, then diagnostic information is preserved, but the system cannot diagnose crashes when the operating system itself malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic capabilityVSAvoidcrash information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a service processor as an intermediary component that independently retrieves diagnostic information from the CPU. This service processor acts as a mediator between the CPU and external diagnostic tools, capable of operating even when the operating system has crashed, thereby preserving crash information without requiring the OS to be functional

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The service processor is configured to autonomously retrieve diagnostic information from the CPU without requiring operating system intervention. It can independently initiate information retrieval upon detecting a CPU stall or receiving a manual trigger, enabling the system to self-diagnose crashes even when the OS is non-functional

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the service processor is configured to retrieve diagnostic information, then crash diagnosis is enabled, but the service processor complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror diagnosis capabilityVSAvoidservice processor configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The service processor is designed with multi-functionality, serving both traditional hardware control tasks and the new function of retrieving diagnostic information from the CPU. By making the service processor universal, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated hardware solely for diagnostics, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8621118B1Use of service processor to retrieve hardware information

Publication Date: 2013.12.31 NETAPP INC

AI summary

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.