Patent ID: 7571274

Claim:
A system comprising: a plurality of processors; at least one memory, the at least one memory being coupled to at least one of the plurality of processors; at least one enclosure, the at least one enclosure including at least one peripheral device; a plurality of internal buses, each internal bus being capable of being connecting to the at least one peripheral; at least one virtual enclosure processor, the at least one virtual enclosure processor including an enclosure management process, the enclosure management process being to perform enclosure processing with respect to the enclosure, the at least one virtual enclosure processor being presented to a user as a standard enclosure processor device that adheres to an enclosure services standard specification; wherein if the system also comprises an actual hardware enclosure processor to perform the enclosure processing with respect to the enclosure, the at least one virtual enclosure processor is launched to take the place of the actual hardware enclosure processor in performing the enclosure processing if the actual hardware enclosure processor fails.