Patent ID: 7328410

Claim:
A computer system, which comprises a plurality of computer assemblies, each of which comprises: (i) a housing; (ii) a host processor located within the housing; (iii) a service processor located within the housing for providing system management functions within the computer assembly; (iv) a display that is located on the housing for displaying the status of components of the assembly obtained from the service processor; and (v) one or more manual switches located on the housing for enabling a user to vary information displayed by the display and/or to alter the status of at least one of the components; the system including a console that can communicate with each of the assemblies and which can enable or disable the display and/or switches on any assembly either completely or in part; wherein the console is arranged so that, when notified of a malfunction of a component of any assembly, the console will automatically enable the display and switches of that assembly only insofar as necessary to allow replacement or repair of the component and/or testing of the component, and will automatically disable the display and switches of that assembly to prevent replacement or repair and testing of the component when the console has been notified that replacement or repair and testing of the component has been effected.