Abstract: Dump and debug utilities which provide mechanisms, for a network user from his or her workstation which is connected to a local area network, to remotely examine and control software executing on an interface board connected elsewhere to the network. The dump and debug facilities allow a network user to locate accessible interface boards and to issue dump and debug commands by which dump/debug network packets are constructed, and transmitted over the LAN to the interface board. Thereafter, the dump and debug utilities receive dump/debug packets generated by the interface board in response to the workstation packet, decode the packet, and display the results to the user. At the interface board side, the dump/debug packets received from the network workstation are intercepted by the data link layer of the board's interrupt handler, and are processed in an interrupt-disabled state whereby appropriate dump and debug capabilities can be carried out even if the interface board is otherwise non-operational.

Abstract: A personal computer (PC) desktop workstation using a first operating system is enhanced with a single PC bus extension card (SCAMP Board) within its base housing which connects a second computer system (A-Series) having a large memory, control logic and a 2-inch.times.2-inch IC chip module holding a CPU and control store. The first operating system is organized to act as the I/O and peripheral subsystem for the second computer system so that peripheral connectivity, operational and maintenance interfaces can function with a PC keyboard, screen and peripheral devices. The workstation base housing has a footprint of less than three square feet and six inches height while providing memory and processing ability comparable to mainframe computers which are normally several volumes larger in size.