Patent ID: 7117388

Claim:
A data processing system comprising: a first set of operating components, including a first processor and a first memory; a fabric that interconnects said first set of operating components and which supports non-disruptive hot-add and hot-removal of components via a hot-plug connector, said fabric including a configuration logic, separate from said first processor, for re-configuring routing and operating protocols of said data processing system to accommodate dynamic changes to said data processing system caused by said hot-add and hot-removal of components; a second set of operating components, physically coupled to said first set of operating components via said hot-plug connector; means for automatically running a system check for both said first set of operating components and said second set of operating components, said system check identifying a problem component within either of said first set of operating components and said second set of operating components; and a service element comprising means, when said problem component is detected within said second set of operating components, for dynamically initiating a hot-removal of at least said problem component among said second set of operating components, wherein said service element is a separate unit from the processor and memory of the first set of operating components.