JPH02146639A - Collecting system for fault information - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To collect data even in the case of the fault of a high-order interface without adding any special interface by transferring the internal information on a peripheral controller to a host device from a peripheral controller via the other peripheral device. CONSTITUTION:In a peripheral device subsystem consisting of a peripheral device 9 which is connected to plural peripheral controllers 1 and 2, a loop back transferring means 10 is prepared to send the data to the controller 2 from the controller 1 by return via the device 9 together with the intra-device information transmission/reception means 7 and 8 which transmit the information on both controllers 1 and 2 to the device 9 and also receive the information on both controllers via the device 9, and the peripheral controller control means 3 and 4 which send the information on the controllers 1 and 2 to a host device. Thus the information can be transferred by loop back via the device 9 when a high-order interface system of the remote side has a fault. As a result, the data can be collected even in the case of the fault of the high-order interface without adding any special interface for the collection of interface.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for collecting fault information in an information processing device, and in particular, to a method for collecting fault information in an information processing device, particularly when a higher-level interface fault of a peripheral control device that does not have a dedicated interface for collecting fault information. too,
The present invention relates to a failure information collection method that allows information in a peripheral control device to be collected from a higher-level device.

Conventional technology] Conventional failure information collection methods have been able to collect data even when the upper interface fails by providing a diagnostic interface that collects information inside the device, separate from the normal data bus. .

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional failure information collection method described above requires a dedicated diagnostic interface, but as devices have become smaller in recent years, it has become necessary to have a part that controls this diagnostic interface. The proportion of

For this reason, we have developed a method that collects information using a normal data bus without having a diagnostic interface, and in the event of a failure of the host interface, data can be temporarily held within the device and transferred to the host device. At this point, it is being sent to the top. However, this method has the drawback that it is a fixed failure in the upper level interface, and information collection cannot be performed when data transfer with the higher level device is impossible.

Therefore, in view of the above drawbacks, the technical problem of the present invention is to solve the problem without adding a special interface for information collection.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a failure information collection method that allows data collection even when an upper interface failure occurs.

[Means for Solving the Problem] According to the present invention, focusing on the fact that a medium-sized information processing device has multiple access paths to one peripheral device or central processing unit, In a peripheral device subsystem consisting of peripheral devices connectable to a control device, a certain
A means for transferring data from one peripheral control device back to another peripheral control device, sending information in the peripheral control device to the peripheral device 5, and receiving information of a paired peripheral control device from the peripheral device. A failure information system is obtained, which is characterized by having means and means for sending this information to a host device.

Further, according to the present invention, in a peripheral device subsystem including peripheral devices connectable to a plurality of peripheral control devices, there is provided a means for transferring data from one peripheral control device back to another peripheral device by the peripheral device. , the means for sending information in the peripheral control device to the peripheral device, the means for receiving information of the paired peripheral control device from the peripheral device, the means for sending this information to the higher-level device, and the failure of the other device's higher-level interface system. A failure information collection system is obtained that is characterized by having means for requesting transfer by device loopback.

[Example] Next, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

Peripheral control devices 1 and 2 include peripheral control device control units 3 and 4 that control a peripheral device 9 according to commands from a host device, and internal information transmitting and receiving units 7 and 8 that transmit and receive internal information to and from the peripheral devices.
, and internal information reporting control units 5 and 6 for controlling the sending of data to the host device via the peripheral device 9, each connected to an input/output control device (not shown) through an input/output interface 21 and 22, In addition, the device interface 27.
28, it is connected to one peripheral device 9 that can be controlled from two different access paths. The peripheral device 9 has device interfaces 27 .
In addition to the conventional interface control unit that is connected to the peripheral control device 1.2 at 28 and selectively controls these two access paths, a function has been added to transfer data from one peripheral control device back to the other peripheral control device. It is comprised of a return transfer control section 10 and a data processing section 11 that processes data under control from the peripheral control devices 1 and 2.

FIG. 2 is an example of connection of peripheral devices for explaining the transmission path of information within the device according to the embodiment.

Note that in the examples shown in Figures 1 and 2, only one peripheral device is connected to one peripheral control device for the sake of simplicity, but in reality, only one peripheral control device is connected to one peripheral control device. In this case, a plurality of peripheral devices are connected in an octopus-like or Japanese-style crane pattern using a device interface. In addition, in FIG. 2, the peripheral control device 1,
2 are connected to the same input/output control device 12, but this is also for the purpose of simplifying the explanation, and there is no need for them to be connected to the same input/output control device. It is sufficient if the device 9 can be controlled from two access paths: one that includes the peripheral control device 1 and one that includes the peripheral control device 2.

Next, the operation will be explained using the drawings. Assume here that a failure has occurred within the peripheral control device, and it has become impossible to send data such as failure information to the higher-level device via the input/output/r interface 21. At this time, the internal device information report control section 5 instructs the peripheral control device control section 3 to send the internal information by setting the peripheral device 9 in return transfer mode using a report control signal 23. The peripheral control unit control unit 3 uses the device interface 27 to start the command F transmission and hitter transfer, which is the same as when executing a normal command.The only difference from the normal command execution is the command code or return transfer mode. It is just a code that does not instruct. The peripheral device 9 that has received the instruction for loopback transfer mode sets the loopback transfer control unit 10 to loopback transfer mode, notifies the other peripheral control device 2 that the loopback transfer mode has been entered, and prevents future transfers from the peripheral control device 1. The data is looped back by the loopback transfer control unit 10 and sent to the peripheral control device 2 . The peripheral control device control unit 4 detecting that the peripheral device 9 has become the return transfer mode notifies the host device that the peripheral control device 9 has entered the return transfer mode, and also enters the return transfer data reception mode. From then on, the peripheral control device control unit 3 will:
Data from the unit 7 is sent and received within the device without distinction from output transfer to normal peripheral devices. The peripheral device 9 transfers this data to the second peripheral control device 2 using the return transfer control section 10 . The second peripheral control device 2 performs the same control as normal input transfer from the peripheral device 9 on the data returned by the peripheral device 9 in the peripheral control device control unit 4, and imports the data into the internal information transmitting/receiving unit 8. The internal information transmitting/receiving unit 8 notifies the internal information reporting unit 6 that the data has been received by using the internal information receiving signal 26. In addition, the peripheral control device 2 called back the peripheral device 9 and reported that it was in transfer mode! 11. When the third device became capable of collecting failure information,
It instructs the peripheral control device 2 to transfer the fault information that was transferred back. Peripheral control device that received this command, %+
2, when the in-device information report control unit 6 detects that data is being received, the report control ta 24 causes peripheral control to transfer return transfer data to the host device via the input/output interface 22. Instructs the device control section 4. Upon receiving this instruction, the peripheral control device control unit 4 transfers the return transfer data to the host device.

As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been described. When the peripheral control device 2 detects that the return transfer mode has been set, the peripheral control device 2 prevents the subsequent return transfer after reporting to the host device, and After receiving a transfer command from
It is also possible to switch the return mode to the normal mode to enable the use of the peripheral device 9 from the peripheral control device 2.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention allows the input/output interface 21 to transfer internal information of the failed peripheral control device 1 to other peripherals via the peripheral device 9, as shown in FIG. Control device 2
By transferring the information from It is inexpensive, does not require special circuits, and does not hinder the miniaturization of devices.
This has the effect of making it possible to collect a wide range of fault information.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of data in the embodiment of FIG. 1.2... Peripheral control device, 3, 4... Peripheral control device control unit, 5, 6... In-device information reporting control unit, 7, 8... In-device information transmission/reception unit, 9... Peripheral device , 10...Return transfer control unit, ]] - Small data data, 12... Input/output control device, 21, 22... Input/output interface, 23.
24.Report control signal, 25.26 Internal information reception signal,
27.28...Device interface, 29...Internal lotus, 31.32...Device internal information lotus.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) In a failure information collection method in a peripheral device subsystem using a peripheral device connectable to a plurality of peripheral control devices, data from the one peripheral control device is sent to the other peripheral control device. means for sending back information in the device; means for transmitting information in the peripheral control device to the peripheral device; and means for receiving information of the paired peripheral control device from the peripheral device; and means for transmitting this information to the host device. A failure information collection method characterized by having the following. 2) In a failure information collection method in a peripheral device subsystem using a peripheral device connectable to a plurality of peripheral control devices, means for transferring data from the one peripheral control device back to the other peripheral control device by the peripheral device. a means for transmitting information in the peripheral control device to the peripheral device and receiving information of the paired peripheral control device from the peripheral device; a means for transmitting this information to a higher-level device; and a higher-level interface of the other party. A failure information collection method comprising: means for requesting the higher-level device to perform transfer by returning the peripheral device due to a system failure.