Patent Publication Number: US-7721297-B2

Title: Selective event registration

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/089,465, filed Mar. 24, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,543,305 B2 to Calvin D. Ward, entitled “SELECTIVE EVENT REGISTRATION,” which is herein incorporated by reference. 

   FIELD 
   An embodiment of the invention generally relates to computers. In particular, an embodiment of the invention generally relates to selective registration of events from a computer system. 
   BACKGROUND 
   The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systems have evolved into extremely sophisticated devices, and computer systems may be found in many different settings. Computer systems typically include a combination of hardware, such as semiconductors and circuit boards, and software, also known as computer programs. As advances in semiconductor processing and computer architecture push the performance of the computer hardware higher, more sophisticated and complex computer software has evolved to take advantage of the higher performance of the hardware, resulting in computer systems today that are much more powerful than just a few years ago. One significant advance in computer technology is the development of parallel processing, i.e., the performance of multiple tasks in parallel. 
   A number of computer software and hardware technologies have been developed to facilitate increased parallel processing. From a hardware standpoint, computers increasingly rely on multiple microprocessors to provide increased workload capacity. Furthermore, some microprocessors have been developed that support the ability to execute multiple threads in parallel, effectively providing many of the same performance gains attainable through the use of multiple microprocessors. From a software standpoint, multithreaded operating systems and kernels have been developed, which permit computer programs to concurrently execute in multiple threads, so that multiple tasks can essentially be performed at the same time. 
   In addition, some computers implement the concept of logical partitioning, where a single physical computer is permitted to operate essentially like multiple and independent virtual computers, referred to as logical partitions, with the various resources in the physical computer (e.g., processors, memory, and input/output devices) allocated among the various logical partitions. Each logical partition executes a separate operating system, and from the perspective of users and of the software applications executing on the logical partition, operates as a fully independent computer. The separate logical partitions typically operate under the control of a partition manager or hypervisor. 
   As the logical partitions execute, they encounter various events, e.g., errors due to software, firmware, hardware, or network problems. The type of these events may range from expected and benign to unexpected and serious, where an event that requires some sort of intervention, e.g., by a system administrator or technician, is often referred to as a “serviceable event.” Further, some of these events, called local events, may be local to one particular partition and not encountered by any other partition. But, other events, called platform serviceable events, may be global and capable of being encountered by all partitions. 
   One current technique for handling events in a logically-partitioned system is for all partitions to receive platform serviceable events from firmware/hardware and forward them to a central aggregation component, called a hardware management console. These events may also be reported directly from the platform firmware or hardware to the hardware management console. This dual reporting provides a redundant path in order to guarantee delivery of the events, in case the path from the platform firmware/hardware to the hardware management console is lost or temporarily unavailable. Also, the partitions forward to the hardware management console the serviceable events that are local to the partitions. Thus, the hardware management console becomes the aggregation point for all serviceable events in the computer system. A drawback of this technique is that as the number of partitions increases, the number of redundant paths for reporting platform events to the hardware management console also increases. The impact on the hardware management console&#39;s and/or the computer system&#39;s performance may become significant as the number of partitions and the number of events recorded in the hardware management console escalate. 
   What is needed is a better technique for handling serviceable events while still allowing for some redundancy. 
   SUMMARY 
   An apparatus, system, and storage medium are provided that, in an embodiment, register each partition in a logically-partitioned computer to send local events to an aggregation component and register a first partition to send events associated with a group of partitions to the aggregation component. In various embodiments, the group may be all of the partitions or some of the partitions. If the connection to the first partition is unavailable, the first partition is registered to cancel sending events associated with the group, a second partition is selected, and the second partition is registered to send events associated with the group to the aggregation component. If the connection to the first partition is restored subsequent to being unavailable, a determination is made whether to change the registration back to the first partition. In this way, in an embodiment, redundant reporting of events is supported while decreasing the number of events reported. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Various embodiments of the present invention are hereinafter described in conjunction with the appended drawings: 
       FIG. 1  depicts a block diagram of an example system for implementing an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of partition attributes, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of example processing for registering partitions, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of example processing for handling events at a partition, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of example processing for changing partition registration, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of example processing for connection initiation at a partition, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
   

   It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only example embodiments of the invention, and are therefore not considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to the Drawings, wherein like numbers denote like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  depicts a high-level block diagram representation of a computer system  100  connected via a network  130  to a client  132 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. The terms “computer system” and “client” are used for convenience only, any appropriate electronic devices may be used, and in various embodiments a computer system or electronic device that operates as a client in one context may operate as a server in another context. The major components of the computer system  100  include one or more processors  101 , a main memory  102 , a terminal interface  111 , a storage interface  112 , an I/O (Input/Output) device interface  113 , and communications/network interfaces  114 , all of which are coupled for inter-component communication via a memory bus  103 , an I/O bus  104 , and an I/O bus interface unit  105 . 
   The computer system  100  contains one or more general-purpose programmable central processing units (CPUs)  101 A,  101 B,  101 C, and  101 D, herein generically referred to as a processor  101 . In an embodiment, the computer system  100  contains multiple processors typical of a relatively large system; however, in another embodiment the computer system  100  may alternatively be a single CPU system. Each processor  101  executes instructions stored in the main memory  102  and may include one or more levels of on-board cache. 
   The main memory  102  is a random-access semiconductor memory for storing data and programs. The main memory  102  is conceptually a single monolithic entity, but in other embodiments the main memory  102  is a more complex arrangement, such as a hierarchy of caches and other memory devices. For example, memory may exist in multiple levels of caches, and these caches may be further divided by function, so that one cache holds instructions while another holds non-instruction data, which is used by the processor or processors. Memory may further be distributed and associated with different CPUs or sets of CPUs, as is known in any of various so-called non-uniform memory access (NUMA) computer architectures. 
   The memory  102  is illustrated as containing the primary software components and resources utilized in implementing a logically-partitioned computing environment on the computer  100 , including a plurality of logical partitions  134  managed by a partition manager or hypervisor  136  and partition attributes  138 . Although the partitions  134 , the hypervisor  136 , and the partition attributes  138  are illustrated as being contained within the memory  102  in the computer system  100 , in other embodiments some or all of them may be on different computer systems, e.g., the client  132  or other electronic devices accessed remotely, e.g., via the network  130 . Further, the computer system  100  may use virtual addressing mechanisms that allow the programs of the computer system  100  to behave as if they only have access to a large, single storage entity instead of access to multiple, smaller storage entities. Thus, while the partitions  134 , the hypervisor  136 , and the partition attributes  138  are illustrated as residing in the memory  102  in the computer  100 , these elements are not necessarily all completely contained in the same storage device, or in the same computer, at the same time. 
   Each of the logical partitions  134  utilizes an operating system  142 , which controls the primary operations of the logical partition  134  in the same manner as the operating system of a non-partitioned computer. For example, each operating system  142  may be implemented using the i5OS operating system available from International Business Machines Corporation, but in other embodiments the operating system  142  may be Linux, AIX, UNIX, Microsoft Windows, or any appropriate operating system. Also, some or all of the operating systems  142  may be the same or different from each other. Any number of logical partitions  134  may be supported as is well known in the art, and the number of the logical partitions  134  resident at any time in the computer  100  may change dynamically as partitions are added or removed from the computer  100 . 
   Each of the logical partition  134  executes in a separate, or independent, memory space, and thus each logical partition acts much the same as an independent, non-partitioned computer from the perspective of each application(s)  144  that executes in each such logical partition. As such, user applications, e.g., the applications  144 , typically do not require any special configuration for use in a partitioned environment. Given the nature of logical partitions  134  as separate virtual computers, it may be desirable to support inter-partition communication to permit the logical partitions to communicate with one another as if the logical partitions were on separate physical machines. Although the logical partitions  134  are illustrated as operating as virtual computers within the computer  100 , in another embodiment, one of the logical partitions  134  may operate as the entire computer, or as a group of computers, such as one or more servers connected via the network  130 . 
   In some embodiments, the partitions  134  may support virtual local area network (LAN) adapters  146  to permit the logical partitions  134  to communicate with one another and/or the client  132  via a networking protocol such as the Ethernet protocol. In another embodiment, the virtual network adapter  146  may bridge to a physical adapter, such as the network interface adapter  114 . Other manners of supporting communication between partitions  134  and the client  132  may also be supported consistent with embodiments of the invention. 
   Although the hypervisor  136  is illustrated as being within the memory  102 , in other embodiments, all or a portion of the hypervisor  136  may be implemented in firmware or hardware. The hypervisor  136  may perform both low-level partition management functions, such as page table management and may also perform higher-level partition management functions, such as creating and deleting partitions, concurrent I/O maintenance, allocating processors, memory and other hardware or software resources to the various partitions  134 . In another embodiment, the hypervisor  136  is optional, not present, or not used. 
   The hypervisor  136  statically and/or dynamically allocates to each logical partition  134  a portion of the available resources in computer  100 . For example, each logical partition  134  may be allocated one or more of the processors  101  and/or one or more hardware threads, as well as a portion of the available memory space. The logical partitions  134  can share specific software and/or hardware resources such as the processors  101 , such that a given resource may be utilized by more than one logical partition. In the alternative, software and hardware resources can be allocated to only one logical partition  134  at a time. Additional resources, e.g., mass storage, backup storage, user input, network connections, and the I/O adapters therefor, are typically allocated to one or more of the logical partitions  134 . Resources may be allocated in a number of manners, e.g., on a bus-by-bus basis, or on a resource-by-resource basis, with multiple logical partitions sharing resources on the same bus. Some resources may even be allocated to multiple logical partitions at a time. The resources identified herein are examples only, and any appropriate resource capable of being allocated may be used. 
   The memory bus  103  provides a data communication path for transferring data among the processor  101 , the main memory  102 , and the I/O bus interface unit  105 . The I/O bus interface unit  105  is further coupled to the system I/O bus  104  for transferring data to and from the various I/O units. The I/O bus interface unit  105  communicates with multiple I/O interface units  111 ,  112 ,  113 , and  114 , which are also known as I/O processors (IOPs) or I/O adapters (IOAs), through the system I/O bus  104 . The system I/O bus  104  may be, e.g., an industry standard PCI bus, or any other appropriate bus technology. 
   The I/O interface units support communication with a variety of storage and I/O devices. For example, the terminal interface unit  111  supports the attachment of one or more user terminals  121 ,  122 ,  123 , and  124 . The storage interface unit  112  supports the attachment of one or more direct access storage devices (DASD)  125 ,  126 , and  127  (which are typically rotating magnetic disk drive storage devices, although they could alternatively be other devices, including arrays of disk drives configured to appear as a single large storage device to a host). The contents of the main memory  102  may be stored to and retrieved from the direct access storage devices  125 ,  126 , and  127 . 
   The I/O and other device interface  113  provides an interface to any of various other input/output devices or devices of other types. Two such devices, the printer  128  and the fax machine  129 , are shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , but in other embodiment many other such devices may exist, which may be of differing types. The network interface  114  provides one or more communications paths from the computer system  100  to other digital devices and computer systems; such paths may include, e.g., one or more networks  130 . 
   Although the memory bus  103  is shown in  FIG. 1  as a relatively simple, single bus structure providing a direct communication path among the processors  101 , the main memory  102 , and the I/O bus interface  105 , in fact the memory bus  103  may comprise multiple different buses or communication paths, which may be arranged in any of various forms, such as point-to-point links in hierarchical, star or web configurations, multiple hierarchical buses, parallel and redundant paths, etc. Furthermore, while the I/O bus interface  105  and the I/O bus  104  are shown as single respective units, the computer system  100  may, in fact, contain multiple I/O bus interface units  105  and/or multiple I/O buses  104 . While multiple I/O interface units are shown, which separate the system I/O bus  104  from various communications paths running to the various I/O devices, in other embodiments some or all of the I/O devices are connected directly to one or more system I/O buses. 
   The computer system  100  depicted in  FIG. 1  has multiple attached terminals  121 ,  122 ,  123 , and  124 , such as might be typical of a multi-user “mainframe” computer system. Typically, in such a case the actual number of attached devices is greater than those shown in  FIG. 1 , although the present invention is not limited to systems of any particular size. The computer system  100  may alternatively be a single-user system, typically containing only a single user display and keyboard input, or might be a server or similar device which has little or no direct user interface, but receives requests from other computer systems (clients). In other embodiments, the computer system  100  may be implemented as a personal computer, portable computer, laptop or notebook computer, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), tablet computer, pocket computer, telephone, pager, automobile, teleconferencing system, appliance, or any other appropriate type of electronic device. 
   The network  130  may be any suitable network or combination of networks and may support any appropriate protocol suitable for communication of data and/or code to/from the computer system  100  and/or the client  132 . In various embodiments, the network  130  may represent a storage device or a combination of storage devices, either connected directly or indirectly to the computer system  100 . In an embodiment, the network  130  may support Infiniband. In another embodiment, the network  130  may support wireless communications. In another embodiment, the network  130  may support hard-wired communications, such as a telephone line or cable. In another embodiment, the network  130  may support the Ethernet IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3x specification. In another embodiment, the network  130  may be the Internet and may support IP (Internet Protocol). In another embodiment, the network  130  may be a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). In another embodiment, the network  130  may be a hotspot service provider network. In another embodiment, the network  130  may be an intranet. In another embodiment, the network  130  may be a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network. In another embodiment, the network  130  may be a FRS (Family Radio Service) network. In another embodiment, the network  130  may be any appropriate cellular data network or cell-based radio network technology. In another embodiment, the network  130  may be an IEEE 802.11B wireless network. In still another embodiment, the network  130  may be any suitable network or combination of networks. Although one network  130  is shown, in other embodiments any number (including zero) of networks (of the same or different types) may be present. 
   Although the client  132  is illustrated as being connected to the computer system  100  via the network  130  and the network interface  114 , in another embodiment, the client  132  may be connected to the computer system via the virtual network adapter  146  without the benefit of the network interface  114  and/or the network  130 . The client  132  includes a hardware management console  160  and a processor  162 . The description for the processor  162  is analogous to the description for the processor  101 , as previously described above. The client  132  may further include any or all of the components previously described above for the computer  100 . 
   The hardware management console  160  serves as an aggregation component for serviceable events received from the computer system  100 . The hardware management console  160  may further receive reports of serviceable events from multiple other computer systems. The hardware management console  160  may present the events received in a user interface, may analyze the events, and/or may report one or more of the events to service personnel via the user interface, email, the network  130 , telephone, fax, or any other appropriate technique. In an embodiment, the hardware management console  160  includes instructions stored in memory (analogous to the description for the memory  102 ) capable of executing on the processor  162  or statements capable of being interpreted by instructions executing on the processor  162  to perform the functions as further described below with reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  5 . In another embodiment, the hardware management console  160  may be implemented in microcode or firmware. In another embodiment, the hardware management console  160  may be implemented in hardware via logic gates and/or other appropriate hardware techniques. 
   It should be understood that  FIG. 1  is intended to depict the representative major components of the computer system  100  and the client  132  at a high level, that individual components may have greater complexity than represented in  FIG. 1 , that components other than or in addition to those shown in  FIG. 1  may be present, and that the number, type, and configuration of such components may vary. Several particular examples of such additional complexity or additional variations are disclosed herein; it being understood that these are by way of example only and are not necessarily the only such variations. 
   The various software components illustrated in  FIG. 1  and implementing various embodiments of the invention may be implemented in a number of manners, including using various computer software applications, routines, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc., referred to hereinafter as “computer programs,” or simply “programs.” The computer programs typically comprise one or more instructions that are resident at various times in various memory and storage devices in the computer system  100  and/or the client  132 , and that, when read and executed by one or more processors  101  and/or the processors  162  in the computer system  100  and/or the client  132 , respectively, cause the computer system  100  and/or the client  132  to perform the steps necessary to execute steps or elements comprising the various aspects of an embodiment of the invention. 
   Moreover, while embodiments of the invention have and hereinafter will be described in the context of fully functioning computer systems, the various embodiments of the invention are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and the invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal-bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution. The programs defining the functions of this embodiment may be delivered to the computer system  100  and/or the client  132  via a variety of signal-bearing media, which include, but are not limited to: 
   (1) information permanently stored on a non-rewriteable storage medium, e.g., a read-only memory device attached to or within a computer system, such as a CD-ROM, DVD-R, or DVD+R; 
   (2) alterable information stored on a rewriteable storage medium, e.g., a hard disk drive (e.g., the DASD  125 ,  126 , or  127 ), CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, or diskette; or 
   (3) information conveyed by a communications medium, such as through a computer or a telephone network, e.g., the network  130 , including wireless communications. 
   Such signal-bearing media, when carrying machine-readable instructions that direct the functions of the present invention, represent embodiments of the present invention. 
   Embodiments of the present invention may also be delivered as part of a service engagement with a client corporation, nonprofit organization, government entity, internal organizational structure, or the like. Aspects of these embodiments may include configuring a computer system to perform, and deploying software systems and web services that implement, some or all of the methods described herein. Aspects of these embodiments may also include analyzing the client company, creating recommendations responsive to the analysis, generating software to implement portions of the recommendations, integrating the software into existing processes and infrastructure, metering use of the methods and systems described herein, allocating expenses to users, and billing users for their use of these methods and systems. In addition, various programs described hereinafter may be identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. But, any particular program nomenclature that follows is used merely for convenience, and thus embodiments of the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature. 
   The exemplary environments illustrated in  FIG. 1  are not intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, other alternative hardware and/or software environments may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of the partition attributes  138 , according to an embodiment of the invention. The partition attributes  138  includes records  205 ,  210 ,  215 , and  217 , but in other embodiments any number of records with any appropriate data may be present. Each of the records includes a partition identifier field  220 , an always active field  225 , and an event types field  230 , but in other embodiments more or fewer fields may be present. Although only one partition attributes data structure  138  is illustrated for all of the partitions  134 , in another embodiment each of the partitions  134  or groups of partitions may have their own partition attributes  138 . In another embodiment, the partition attributes  138  is packaged with the hypervisor  136 . 
   The partition identifier field  220  identifies one or more of the partitions  134 . The always active field  225  indicates whether the partition  134  identified in the partition identifier field  220  is intended to be always active, always available, or always executing. The event types field  230  indicates the type of events that the associated partition  134  identified in the partition identifier field  220  is to report to the hardware management console  160 . For example, the records  205  and  215  have an event type  230  of “local,” indicating that the associated partition  134  identified in the partition identifier field  220  is to report events that are local to the partition  134  to the hardware management console  160 . The record  210  has an event type  230  of “platform,” indicating that the associated partition is to report platform events, e.g., events that are capable of being detected by all of the partitions executing on or associated with the platform firmware/hardware, in addition to local events. The record  217  has an event type  230  of “group A,” indicating that the associated partition is to report events capable of being detected by a group of the partitions  134  that is denominated “group A.”. In various embodiments, the group of partitions may be all of the partitions  134  (hence, platform events are a type of group) or less than all of the partitions  134 . 
     FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of example processing for registering the hardware management console  160  with the partitions  134 , according to an embodiment of the invention. Control begins at block  300 . Control then continues to bock  305  where the hardware management console  160  registers with each of the partitions  134 , requesting each partition  138  to send hardware and/or firmware serviceable events that are local to each respective partition  138  to the hardware management console  160 . In response, the partitions update the partition attributes  138  to indicate the type of events to send to the hardware management console  160 . 
   Control then continues to block  310  where the hardware management console  160  selects one or more of the partitions  134  (denoted as partition X in this example) to send platform events that are common for all partitions. In another embodiment, the hardware management console  160  may select the partition X to send events associated with a group of partitions. The hardware management console  160  may use any appropriate criteria for selecting the partition X, for example, the hardware management console  160  may select a partition that is always active (as indicated in the field  225 ) or the partition that is most available. Control then continues to block  315  where the hardware management console  160  sends a request to the selected partition (partition X in this example) to register the selected partition for platform events. In response, the selected partition updates the partition attributes  138  to indicate the type of events (event types  230 ) to send to the hardware management console  160 . Control then continues to block  399  where the logic of  FIG. 3  returns. 
     FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of example processing for handling events at a partition  134 , according to an embodiment of the invention. Control begins at block  400 . Control then continues to block  405  where the partition  134  receives an event from the firmware or hardware of the computer system  100 . The event may be an error or condition, whether expected or unexpected and may be an event local to this partition and only received by this partition, an event capable of being received by a group of the partitions  134 , or an event capable of being received by all partitions  134 . Control then continues to block  410  where the partition  134  determines whether the hardware management console  160  has previously requested (via the registration process, as previously described above with reference to  FIG. 3 ) to receive a report of the event type received at block  405  by examining the event types  230  in the partition attributes  138 . If the determination at block  410  is true, then the hardware management console  160  has registered the partition  134  to report this event type, so control continues to block  415  where the partition  134  sends a report of the event to the hardware management console  160 . Control then continues to block  499  where the logic of  FIG. 4  returns. 
   If the determination at block  410  is false, then the hardware management console  160  has not requested to receive this event type, so control continues to block  420  where the partition  134  saves the event in a log. Control then continues to block  499  where the logic of  FIG. 4  returns. 
     FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of example processing for changing partition registration, according to an embodiment of the invention. Control begins at block  500 . Control then continues to block  505  where the hardware management console  160  determines whether a connection to the partition X (the partition that is registered to send platform events or events relating to a group of partitions) has been lost or become unavailable. 
   If the determination at block  505  is true, then the connection to the partition that is registered to send platform events has been lost or is unavailable, so control continues to block  510  where the hardware management console  160  chooses another, alternative, partition  134  (partition Y in this example) to send platform events (or events common to a group of partitions to the hardware management console  160 . The hardware management console  160  may select a partition that is intended to be always active or a partition that is the most available, or the hardware management console  160  may use any other appropriate selection technique. 
   Control then continues to block  515  where the hardware management console  160  sends a registration request to the partition X to cancel sending platform or group events. In response, the partition X updates the partition attributes  138  accordingly. Control then continues to block  520  where the hardware management console  160  sends a registration request to the alternative partition Y to start sending platform or group events. In response, the alternative partition Y updates the event types field  230  in the partition attributes  138  accordingly. Control then continues to block  599  where the logic of  FIG. 5  returns. 
   If the determination at block  505  is false, then the connection to the partition X has not been lost or become unavailable, so control continues to block  525  where the hardware management console  160  determines whether the connection to the partition X was previously unavailable, but is now restored. If the determination at block  525  is true, then the connection to the partition X has been restored, so control continues to block  530  where the hardware management console  160  determines whether to change registration for platform (or group) events from partition Y back to partition X (the partition that was originally registered to send platform or group events). In various embodiments, the hardware management console  160  may make this determination based on which partition (X or Y) is more available based on whether the partition X or the partition Y is designated as always active  225 , or based on any other appropriate criteria. 
   If the determination at block  530  is true, then the hardware management console  160  has decided to change the registration for platform (or group) events back to partition X, so control continues to block  535  where the hardware management console  160  sends a request the partition X registering the partition X to send platform (or group) events to the hardware management console  160 . In response, partition X updates the event types field  230  in the partition attributes  138  accordingly. 
   Control then continues to block  540  where the hardware management console  160  sends a request to the partition Y canceling registration for platform (or group) events. In response, partition Y updates the event types field  230  in the partition attributes  138  accordingly. Control then continues to block  599  where the logic of  FIG. 5  returns. 
   If the determination at block  530  is false, then the hardware management console  160  has decided not to change the registration for platform (or group) events, so control continues to block  599  where the logic of  FIG. 5  returns. 
   If the determination at block  525  is false, then the connection to the partition X (registered to send platform or group events) has not been restored, so control continues to block  599  where the logic of  FIG. 5  returns. 
     FIG. 6  depicts a flowchart of example processing for connection initiation at a partition  134 , according to an embodiment of the invention. Control begins at block  600 . Control then continues to block  605  where the partition wakes up, initializes, or detects that a connection to the hardware management console  160  has been initiated. Control then continues to block  607  where the partition  134  determines whether it has previously received a registration for platform or group events from the hardware management console  160 . 
   If the determination at block  607  is true, then the partition  134  has previously received a registration for platform or group events, so control then continues to block  610  where the partition  134  determines whether a cancel registration request for platform or group events has been received from the hardware management console  160 . If the determination at block  610  is true, then a cancel registration request for platform or group events has been received from the hardware management console  160 , so control continues to block  612  where the partition  134  updates the event types field  230  in the partition attributes  138  accordingly to cancel reporting of platform or group events. Control then continues to block  699  where the logic of  FIG. 6  returns. 
   If the determination at block  610  is false, then a cancel registration request has not been received for platform or group events, so control continues to block  615  where the partition  1334  sends all platform or group events logged by not previously sent to the hardware management console  160 . Control then continues to block  699  where the logic of  FIG. 6  returns. 
   If the determination at block  605  is false, then the partition  134  has not previously received a registration for platform or group events, so control continues form block  607  to block  699  where the logic of  FIG. 6  returns. 
   In the previous detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference was made to the accompanying drawings (where like numbers represent like elements), which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments were described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, but other embodiments may be utilized and logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Different instances of the word “embodiment” as used within this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but they may. The previous detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
   In the previous description, numerous specific details were set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. But, the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the invention.