Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8171183?dq=5,666,293
Timestamp: 2014-08-21 22:40:49
Document Index: 440709066

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2009', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 10', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 10', 'art 1', 'art 10', 'art 1']

Patent US8171183 - Information processing apparatus and program and method for setting ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsAn information processing apparatus communicates within a system by using identification information for identifying a device includes, a first device in which a first identifier is uniquely set, a holding part that holds a second identifier settable arbitrarily for a device in the system, an acquiring...http://www.google.com/patents/US8171183?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8171183 - Information processing apparatus and program and method for setting identification informationAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8171183 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/718,957Publication dateMay 1, 2012Filing dateMar 6, 2010Priority dateMar 6, 2009Also published asUS20100228882Publication number12718957, 718957, US 8171183 B2, US 8171183B2, US-B2-8171183, US8171183 B2, US8171183B2InventorsMasahide HirokiOriginal AssigneeFujitsu LimitedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (12), Classifications (4), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetInformation processing apparatus and program and method for setting identification informationUS 8171183 B2Abstract An information processing apparatus communicates within a system by using identification information for identifying a device includes, a first device in which a first identifier is uniquely set, a holding part that holds a second identifier settable arbitrarily for a device in the system, an acquiring part that acquires identification information corresponding to a second device connected in the system and is different from the first device, a determining part that determines whether the second identifier to be set for the first device is used in the system as the identification information based on the identification information corresponding to the second device acquired by the acquiring part and the second identifier held in the holding part, and a setting part that sets the second identifier as the identification information of the first device based on the determination by that the second identifier is not used in the system.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-52974, filed on Mar. 6, 2009, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD Embodiments discussed herein relate to information processing apparatuses capable of setting identification information.
BACKGROUND A key to large-scale computer systems is to have a function of dynamically maintaining the systems in a non-stop state, which is called dynamic reconfiguration. It is also desirable that communication interface cards, such as option cards, and other components mounted in server systems be capable of dynamic maintenance with Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Hot Plug.
SUMMARY According to an aspect of the invention, an information processing apparatus communicates within a system by using identification information for identifying a device includes, a first device in which a first identifier is uniquely set, a holding part that holds a second identifier settable arbitrarily for a device in the system, an acquiring part that acquires identification information corresponding to a second device connected in the system and is different from the first device, a determining part that determines whether the second identifier to be set for the first device is used in the system as the identification information based on the identification information corresponding to the second device acquired by the acquiring part and the second identifier held in the holding part, and a setting part that sets the second identifier as the identification information of the first device based on the determination by that the second identifier is not used in the system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a server apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Although the problems concerning the maintenance are resolved when the identifier specific to a card is retained from before replacement of the card to after the replacement, the following problems are caused.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a server apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a server apparatus 100 (an example of �information processing apparatus�) includes a communication control unit 300 and an option card 200. The option card 200 is an example of a first device.
The option card 200 is an interface card communicating with one or more external apparatuses in a network system (hereinafter referred to as a �system�) in which multiple apparatuses may communicate with each other. The external apparatus is an example of a second device.
The option card 200 includes a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) 230. The NVRAM 230 holds an identifier (hereinafter referred to as a �card specific identifier (original)�) that is uniquely set to the option card 200 during manufacturing of the product. The NVRAM 230 also holds an identifier (hereinafter referred to as a �card specific identifier (new)�) which a user may appropriately set. The card specific identifier (original) is an example of a first identifier, and the card specific identifier (new) is an example of a second identifier.
The communication control unit 300 controls communication using the option card 200 in the system. The communication control unit 300 performs the communication by using the card specific identifier (new) when a given flag is set to �one� in the option card 200, and performs the communication by using the card specific identifier (original) when the card specific identifier (new) is not set.
When the card specific identifier (new) to be set is used, for example, a message �The set card specific identifier (new) �X� is disabled because the card specific identifier (new)) is used by another card in the system. The card specific identifier (original) ��Y� is used.� is then used in the above example.
If it is confirmed that no interface using the card specific identifier (new) to be set exists in the same system, the identifier setting part 4 sets the card specific identifier (new) as the specific information for identifying the option card 200 in S6. This enables communication by using the set card specific identifier (new). In association with this, the identifier setting part 4 sets a predetermined flag to �one� in the option card 200 for which the card specific identifier (new) is set. The communication control unit 300 performs the communication using the card specific identifier (new) while the predetermined flag is set to �one�.
First Example How the WWN is retained when FC cards are connected by Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC_AL) will now be described as a first example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a system according to the first example. Referring to FIG. 6, the system of the first example has a configuration in which four server apparatuses 201, 202, 203, and 204 each including an FC card and two storage apparatuses 501 and 502 are connected to each other via a hub 600. The server apparatuses 201, 202, 203, and 204 each include the arrangement change determining part 1, the identification information acquiring part 2, the identification information determining part 3, the identifier setting part 4, and the card information holding part 10. Reference numeral �A�, �B�, �X�, �Y�, and �Z� in FIG. 6 denote the identifiers corresponding to the apparatuses.
A case is described with reference to FIG. 6, in which the card specific identifier of an FC card is erroneously set to the identifier coinciding with that of another card existing in the system. For example, it is assumed that the identifier �Z� coinciding with the identifier �Z� set for the FC card mounted in the server apparatus 204 is set for the FC card mounted in the server apparatus 201. An example of the operational process in the server apparatus of the first example will now be described.
Second Example How the WWN is retained when FC cards are connected via a switch will now be described as a second example of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a second example of the configuration of a system according to an embodiment. This system has a configuration in which four server apparatuses 211, 212, 213, and 214 each including an FC card and two storage apparatuses 511 and 512 are connected to each other via a switch 610. The server apparatuses 211, 212, 213, and 214 each include the arrangement change determining part 1, the identification information acquiring part 2, the identification information determining part 3, the identifier setting part 4 and the card information holding part 10. Reference numeral �A�, �B�, �X�, �Y� and �Z� in FIG. 12 denote the identifiers corresponding to the apparatuses.
In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, a case is described with reference to FIG. 12, in which the card specific identifier of an FC card is erroneously set to the identifier coinciding with that of another card existing in the system. For example, it is assumed that the identifier �Z� coinciding with the identifier �Z� set for the FC card mounted in the server apparatus 214 is set for the FC card mounted in the server apparatus 211. An operational process in the server apparatus of the second example will now be described.
(2-1) The arrangement change determining part 1 checks whether or not the card specific identifier (new) �Z� to be set has already been set in the card information stored in the NVRAM 230 in the card or the card information holding part 10 when initializing the system. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of the card information used in the second example. In the example in FIG. 13, WWNs are used as the card specific identifiers (original). An identifier having a format conforming to the WWN is used as the card specific identifier (new). A MAC address of the server apparatus is used as the server specific identifier α. A physical device name is used as the card mounting position information β. The server specific identifier α and the card mounting position information β are unset when a new card is mounted.
(2-2) If the card specific identifier (new) �Z� to be set has already been set in the system, the arrangement change determining part 1 checks the server specific identifier α and the card mounting position information β to compare the checked server specific identifier α and card mounting position information β with the current information about the server apparatus. In this case, the comparison is not performed because it is assumed in the second example that a card specific identifier (new) is newly set.
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