Patent ID: 6647508
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer system, comprising:a plurality of processors; a plurality of memory devices coupled to said processors; a plurality of I/O devices coupled to said processors; and a master console program that executes on one of said processors and creates software partitions, each partition configurable to include one or more processors, one or more memory devices and one or more I/O devices; wherein on initialization, said master console program uses previously stored environment variables to create configuration data which defines said software partitions; wherein separate operating system instances run on the various software partitions created by said master control program; wherein each operating system instance running in a partition monitors at least one other operating system instance running in a different partition using a heartbeat scheme to determine whether such other operating system instance is functional; wherein a big brotherâ€”little brother scheme is implemented in which a first operating system instance (â€œlittle brotherâ€ ) selects a second operating system instance to be its big brother operating system instance first (â€œbig brotherâ€ ), said big brother monitors heartbeats from its little brother to determine whether said little brother is functional; and wherein said little brother is also a big brother for a third operating system instance and monitors heartbeats from said third operating system instance, and when said first big brother determines that its little brother is non-functional, said big brother assumes the role of big brother to the third operating system instance.