Patent ID: 7321985

Claim:
A method for optimizing processor utilization and fault recovery in a computer system having a system processor, an input/output processor, and an input/output adaptor connected to the system processor and the input/output processor, the input/output adapter being configured to be dynamically switchable between being controlled by the sys processor and being controlled by the input/output processor, the method for optimizing utilization comprising: determining computer system utilization; and switching control of the input/output adapter from a first one of the system processor and the input/output processor to a second one of the system processor and the input/output processor, if it is determined that the first one of the processors is being over utilized and that the second one of the processors has sufficient capacity that switching control of the input/output adapter will not adversely affect system throughput; wherein switching control of the input/output adapter from the first one of the processors to the second one of the processors is further based on a determination that the over utilization, of the first of the processors is likely to continue for at least a specified period of time; wherein the method for fault recovery comprising: detecting a failure or malfunction in the input/output processor; and switching the input/output adapter to control by the system processor if the input/output adapter is being controlled by the input/output processor when the failure or malfunction is detected.