Patent ID: 8984202
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An expansion drawer configured to connect, via a first expansion bus cable, to a first host of a first platform type and to connect, via a second expansion bus cable, to a second host of a second platform type, the expansion drawer comprising: a first expansion card; an expansion drawer controller configured to communicate with the first and second hosts and further configured to set an assignment state for the first expansion card, wherein the assignment state is indicative of whether the first host or the second host may configure the first expansion card; and a storage resource of the expansion drawer containing the assignment state indicative of an assignment status of the first expansion card and an availability of the first expansion card; wherein the first host is enabled to retrieve the assignment status of the first expansion card from the storage resource and determine whether to configure the first expansion card depending upon information in the assignment status of the first expansion card, wherein the first host is configured not to retain the assignment state across boot cycles of the first host, and wherein the first host acquires, from the expansion drawer, the assignment state at boot time of the first host.