Abstract: A system and method for determining an active service processor from two or more redundant service processors in the system. The system typically includes two management modules and at least one managed subsystem such as a server blade. Each management module includes a service processor and control logic. The control logic is configured to receive various status signals from the service processor and to generate a control signal based thereon. The control signal is provided, via an interconnect plane, to determination logic on each managed subsystem. The determination logic receives a control signal from each management module and generates a switch signal based on the state of the control signals. The switch signal controls switching logic configured to receive bus signals from the service processors on each management module. Based on the control signal, one of the service processor bus signals is provided to managed instrumentation on the managed subsystem.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for remotely booting devices. A deployment server may remotely transmit authentication parameter(s), e.g., public key, secret key, to a service unit configured to establish a private connection between server blades and the deployment server. The service unit may remotely install the authentication parameter(s) onto the server blade(s) to be booted by either the deployment server or another boot server. By the service unit remotely installing the authentication parameter(s) onto the server blade(s), the need to manually install them during each network boot operation may be alleviated. By remotely transmitting authentication parameter(s) instead of manually installing them on the devices to be booted during each network boot operation, the deployment server may be able to generate unique authentication parameter(s), e.g., public/private key pair, secret key, for each network boot operation thereby substantially reducing the exposure to replay attacks.

Abstract: This invention is comprised of a data processing system containing at least one main processor connected to a system bus, a system memory connected to the system bus and accessible to each of the main processors, a tamper mechanism, and a local service processor. The tamper mechanism is configured to change state each time the system is inserted into a slot in a rack enclosure. The local service processor is connected to the tamper mechanism and configured to update an insertion log upon detecting a change in state of the tamper mechanism. The insertion log provides a count and a history of rack insertions to which the system has been subjected. The system may include a non-volatile storage element which is updated exclusively by the local service processor that contains the insertion log. The insertion log may include an insertion counter. In this embodiment, the local service processor is configured to increment the insertion counter upon each insertion.

Abstract: A system, method, and software for monitoring server blades in a server system. The system may include a cabinet having a plurality of racks configured to receive a server blade. The server blade typically includes one or more general purpose microprocessors, a volatile system memory, and a service processor all interconnected via one or more busses. In addition, the system would typically include a management blade that included a system service processor configured to monitor the local service processors attached to each server blade. Upon installation, a new blade identifies itself to the system management blade by its physical slot position within the cabinet and by the blade characteristics needed to uniquely identify and power the blade. The software may then configure a functional boot image on the blade and initiate an installation of an operating system.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for automatically switching remote shared devices in a dense server environment. A device driver in a server blade may be configured to receive a request to access a shared device from the server blade and issue a query to a service processor as to whether the requested shared device is being accessed. If the requested shared device is not being accessed by the requesting server blade, then the device driver may wait to receive a response from the service processor indicating that the requested shared device is available. Once the requested shared device is available, the service processor may connect the requested shared device with the requesting server blade. The request to access the requested shared device may then be transferred to the requested shared device by the device driver.

Abstract: A method and system for providing performance analysis on a system including a cluster is described. The cluster includes a plurality of nodes. The method and system include obtaining data for the plurality of nodes and analyzing the data. The data obtained relates to a plurality of monitors for the plurality of nodes. The analysis is used to determine whether performance of the cluster can be improved. The method and system also include providing at least one remedy to improve performance of the cluster if the performance of the cluster can be improved. The at least one remedy is capable of including a cluster level remedy.

Abstract: A data processing system, which includes a processor and a memory, is equipped with a system resource monitor, executable by the processor and stored in the memory, that displays a multi-level tree structure in which each level includes a textual identification for a respective one of multiple features in the data processing system. The features are monitored by the system resource monitor for information regarding the status of the features. This information further indicates a normal status or a notification status. If the information indicates a normal status, a placeholder icon and the textual identification of the respective one of the multiple features is displayed. If the information indicates a notification status, the system resource monitor also displays a notification indicia.

Abstract: A method and system for providing performance analysis on a computer system is disclosed. The computer system includes at least one resource group and at least one node. The method and system include obtaining performance data for a plurality of monitors for the at least one resource group and analyzing the performance data to determine whether performance of the system can be improved using the at least one resource group. Preferably, performance is improved by moving the resource group between nodes. The method and system include graphically displaying the performance data graphically displaying performance data for at least one monitor of the plurality of monitors for the at least one resource group.

Abstract: Logical drive letters are assigned to a peripheral device in a computer using stored identifying information and a corresponding preferred drive letter assignment for each peripheral device having a preferred drive letter assignment. During system initialization, identifying information--a physical device specifier or a logical volume identification--is obtained from the peripheral device. This identifying information obtained from the peripheral device is compared to similar stored identifying information. If a match is found, the peripheral is assigned the corresponding preferred drive letter, if possible.

Abstract: A method for dynamically translating bus address within a computer system is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system of the present invention, a computer system has a multiple of buses connected in a hierarchial manner. Information concerning a bus and a device attached to a bus are stored in a Hardware Namespace. In response to a request for an access to a device attached to one of the buses for the first time, a determination is made from the Hardware Namespace as to whether or not there is resource available for the device in a parent bus of the device. If there is resource available in the parent bus for the device, another determination is made from the Hardware Namespace as to whether or not the resource is exclusively allocated in the parent bus for the device. If the resource is exclusively allocated in the parent bus for the device, the device is configured according to the available resource.