JPH1049407A - Memory damp system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved memory damp system with which damp data can be sampled without restarting a computer system. SOLUTION: A main OS to be operated on a main CPU 11 secures a damp buffer in a non-used area on a main memory 12 and instructs the copy and transfer of data for the amount to be settled in the damp buffer of a local memory 18 into the clamp buffer through interruption to a local OS to be operated on a local CPU 17. When the damp object data are copied in the damp buffer, the main OS moves these data into a damp file 19. Such processing is repeated until all the damp object data in the local memory 18 are completely moved and after they are completely moved, the damp buffer is abolished.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a memory dump method, and more particularly, to a plurality of operation systems (hereinafter, referred to as a plurality of operation systems).
The present invention relates to a technique for collecting data to be dumped from a local memory to an auxiliary storage device via a main memory in a computer system on which an operating system (OS) operates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Memory dump refers to collecting and editing the contents of a program or a data storage area, and storing the edited data in another external storage medium such as a printer or a hard disk. Data to be collected is referred to as dump target data. The purpose of performing a memory dump is, for example, to save the contents of a storage device after execution of a program or data on a storage medium to find a defect from the execution result and to back up data, etc., for errors during program execution. It is in.

A conventional memory dump method will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a general computer system. The system bus 43 of the computer system 4 includes a main board 40 having a main CPU 41 and a main memory 42 and a local C
An option board (SEP board) 46 having a PU 47 and a local memory 48 is connected to be able to communicate with each other. An HD (hard disk) 45 which is an example of an external storage device is further connected to the system bus 43 via a disk interface board 44. H
D45 includes a dump file 49 for storing the data to be dumped in the local memory 48. Although not shown, another SEP board having the same configuration as the SEP board 46 is also connected to the system bus 43.

On the main CPU 41, the main OS and the S
An SEP driver for controlling the EP board 46 and a disk (Disk) driver for controlling the HD 45 via the disk interface board 44 operate, and a local OS operates on the local CPU 47. The main memory 42 on the main board 40 is managed by the main OS, and can be accessed by both the main CPU 41 and the local CPU 47. The local memory 48 is managed by the local OS, and the local memory
There is an occupied area that can be accessed only by the PU 47. The dump target data exists in this occupied area.

The main memory 42 has an OS area dedicated to the main OS, a shared area used by the local CPU 47 and other local CPUs (not shown), an unused area, and an application area used by an application. . The shared area is the main CPU 4
1 and exchange between local CPU 47 (hereinafter, communication between P)
Area and local memory 4 used in
8 is a dump storage area used when copying the data to be dumped.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the interface area. In the figure, IF3 is the main CPU 41
The area for P-to-P communication from the local CPU 47 to the local CPU 47, and the area for P-to-P communication from the local CPU 47 to the main CPU 41. The area between IF3 and IF4 is
This area is used for P-to-P communication from the main CPU 41 to another local CPU, and the area after the area IF4 is used for P-to-P communication from another local CPU to the main CPU 41.

The IF 3 has a command area for setting various commands sent from the main CPU 41 to the local CPU 47, a dump address area for setting a head address of data to be dumped in the local memory 48, and a shared area. There is a dump length area for setting the size of the dump storage area to be secured. On the other hand, the IF4 has a command area for setting various interrupt commands sent from the local CPU 47 to the main CPU 41, and a dump address area and a dump length area in which the same contents as those in the IF3 are set. .

Next, the procedure of memory dump in the computer system 4 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the memory dump of the local memory 48 of the SEP board 46 will be described, but the same procedure is performed for other SEP boards.

In FIG. 5, SE in the main CPU 41
The P driver first sets a dump start command in the command area of the IF 3 and issues an inter-P communication to the local CPU 47. By this P-to-P communication, the local CPU 47
Stops the running process. The SEP driver outputs the data in the shared area to the dump file 49 in the HD 45, then outputs a dump output request command for requesting the output of data to be dumped from the local memory 48 to the command area of the IF 3, and the dump data to the dump address area. The first inter-P communication (dump output request # 1) is issued to the local CPU 47 by setting a dump address indicating the size of dump target data (hereinafter, output dump) to be output to the dump address area and the start address of the dump data. . The dump length set in the IF 3 corresponds to the size of the dump storage area.

The local CPU 47 issues a dump output request #
When receiving 1, the data to be dumped specified by IF3 is copied from the start address to the dump storage area of the main memory 42 by the size of the dump length. At this time, the contents of the shared area are completely destroyed by copying the data to be dumped. After copying is completed, local CP
The U47 sets the local memory output completion command for notifying that the output of the data to be dumped has been completed to the IF 4, and issues the output completion notification # 1.

[0011] Upon receiving the output completion notice # 1, the SEP driver outputs the copied dump target data to the dump file 49 of the hard disk 45. When the output to the dump file 49 is completed, the output request command, the dump address, and the dump length are set in the IF 3 again, and the second local memory output request (dump output request # 2) is issued to the local OS. At this time, the dump address set in IF3 is obtained by adding the dump length to the previous dump address. After issuing the dump output request # 2, the SEP driver waits for the local CPU 47 to return the P-to-P communication indicating that local memory output has been completed.

The above procedure is repeated until dump data of the entire local memory 48 is output to the dump file 49.
(The number required for dump data collection) is repeated.

[0013]

As described above, in the conventional memory dump method, the data which had been in the shared area in the main memory 42 is lost when the data to be dumped is copied. . Therefore, there is a problem that the computer system 4 must be restarted every time the memory dump is completed, and the local operation before the memory dump cannot be immediately resumed.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved memory dump capable of avoiding the trouble of restarting a computer system every time a memory dump is performed, and immediately resuming local operations performed before the memory dump. It is to provide a method.

[0015]

According to the present invention, there is provided a memory dump system comprising: a first memory having a shared area which can be accessed by both a first OS and a second OS;
A second memory having an occupied area accessible only by the S; and a third memory accessible by at least the first OS, wherein the first OS collects dump target data existing in the occupied area of the second memory. A buffer area for temporarily holding the dump target data in an unused area of the first memory, and issuing an interrupt command to the second OS to copy and transfer the dump target data to the buffer area. , The transferred data to be dumped
It is characterized by moving to a memory.

As a preferred mode, a unit transfer size of the data to be dumped according to the size of the buffer area set by the first OS and a storage address of the data to be dumped in the buffer area are set in the shared area of the first memory. An area is formed, and the second OS copies and transfers the data to be dumped to the buffer area according to the information set in the setting area.

Note that the buffer area is discarded by the first OS after all the data to be dumped have been moved.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A main bus 10 having a main CPU 11 and a main memory 12 and an SEP board 16 having a local CPU 17 and a local memory 18 exchange signals with a system bus (for example, EISA-Bus) 13 of the computer system 1. Are connected as possible.

An HD (hard disk) 15 as an example of an auxiliary storage device is further connected to the system bus 13 via a disk interface board 14. The HD 15 has a dump file 19 for storing the data to be dumped in the local memory 18. Although not shown, other SEP boards having the same configuration as the SEP board 16 are also connected to the system bus 13.
It is connected to the.

On the main CPU 11, the main OS, S
An SEP driver for controlling the EP board 16 and an HD 15 via the disk interface board 14
A disk driver for controlling the OS operates, and a local OS operates on the local CPU 17.

The main memory 12 on the main board 10 is managed by the main OS and has a main CP.
Access is possible by both U11 and local CPU17. Also, the local memory 18 stores the local OS
And has an occupied area accessible only by the local CPU 17. The dump target data is data existing in the occupied area.

The main memory 12 includes an OS area dedicated to the main OS, a shared area used by the local CPU 17 and other local CPUs not shown, an unused area, and an application area used by an application. I do. A part of the shared area is an interface area used for exchange between the main CPU 11 and the local CPU 17 (inter-P communication).
When collecting the data to be dumped from the local memory 18, a dump buffer to be described later is secured in an unused area.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the interface area according to the present embodiment. In the figure, IF1 is an area for inter-P communication from the main CPU 11 to the local CPU 17, and area IF2 is an area for communication between the local CPU 17 and the main CPU 17.
This is an area for inter-P communication to the PU 11. IF1 and I
The area between F2 and F2 is an area used for P-to-P communication from the main CPU 11 to another local CPU, and IF2.
Subsequent areas from other local CPUs to the main CPU 11
Area used for P-to-P communication.

The IF1 includes a command area for setting various commands sent from the main CPU 11 to the local CPU 17, a dump address area for setting a head address of an output dump in the local memory 18, and a size of a dump buffer. There is a dump length area for setting, and a buffer address area for setting the storage address of the dump buffer in the main memory 12. On the other hand, IF2 has a local CP
There is a command area for setting various commands sent from the U17 to the main CPU 11, and a dump address area, a dump length area, and a buffer address area in which the same contents as those in the IF1 are set.

Next, the computer system 1 having the above configuration will be described.
The memory dump method according to the present embodiment will be described. Although only the memory dump of the local memory 18 of the SEP board 16 will be described here, the same processing is performed for other SEP boards.

FIG. 2 is a time table showing a memory dump procedure for the SEP board 16. In this figure, the SEP driver first requests the main OS to secure a dump buffer in order to collect dump target data. The main OS secures a dump buffer in an unused area on the main memory 12 and notifies the SEP driver of this. Thereby, SEP
The driver outputs the data of the shared area to the dump file 19 of the HD 15.

Next, the SEP driver sets a dump output request command, a dump address, a dump length, and a buffer address in the IF 1 and requests the local CPU 17 to interrupt the dump output of the local memory 18 for the first communication between Ps. (Dump output request # 1) is issued.

The local CPU (local OS) 17
When the dump output request # 1 is received, the processing being executed is temporarily suspended, and the area corresponding to the dump length from the storage address designated by IF1 is copied to the dump buffer. After the copying is completed, the local CPU 17 sets the dump output completion command, the dump storage address, the dump length, and the buffer address in the IF 2 and sets the main CP.
U-to-P communication (dump output completion notification # 1) for notifying the completion of the first dump output is issued to U11. Thereafter, the local CPU 17 resumes the suspended processing.

The SEP driver issues a dump output completion notice #
When 1 is received, the contents of the dump buffer are output to the dump file 19. When the output to the dump file 19 is completed, a dump output request command, a dump address, a dump length, and a buffer address are set in the IF 1 again, and the P-to-P communication requesting a further dump output from the local CPU 17 (dump output request # 2). Issue At this time, the dump address set in IF1 is a value obtained by adding the dump length to the previous dump address.

The above procedure is repeated until all the data to be dumped in the local memory 18 is collected. When the last dump target data is output from the dump buffer to the dump file 19, the SEP driver requests the main OS to discard the dump buffer. Thus, the main OS discards the dump buffer and releases the unused area of the main memory 12 in preparation for the next memory dump.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when collecting dump target data, a dump buffer is secured in an unused area of the main memory 12, and the dump target data is temporarily stored in this dump buffer. And the local OS stored in the main memory 12 as before.
Storage contents are not destroyed. In addition, since the dump buffer is discarded after all the data to be dumped is stored in the dump file 19, the storage area of the main memory 12 is not wasted. Further, since the local OS executes the P-to-P communication of the dump output request from the SEP driver as the interrupt processing, the local OS can continue the local operation performed immediately before the interrupt.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, there is an effect that the data to be dumped can be collected without restarting even while the system is operating. In addition, there is an effect that the local operation can be continued even while the data to be dumped is being collected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time table showing a procedure of a memory dump according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing an example of contents of an interface area on a main memory according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a computer system according to the related art.

FIG. 5 is a time table showing a procedure of memory dump according to the related art.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of an interface area on a main memory according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 4 Computer system 10, 40 Main board 11, 41 Main CPU 12, 42 Main memory 13, 43 System bus 14, 44 Disk interface board 15, 45 HD (hard disk) 16, 46 SEP board 17, 47 Local CPU 18, 48 Local memory 19, 49 Dump file

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first memory having a shared area accessible by both a first operating system and a second operating system, a second memory having an occupied area accessible only by a second operating system, and at least a first operation. A third memory accessible by the system, wherein the first operating system temporarily stores the dump target data in an unused area of the first memory when collecting the dump target data existing in the occupied area of the second memory. A buffer area for temporarily storing the data, and issuing an interrupt command to the second operation system to copy and transfer the data to be dumped to the buffer area, and move the transferred data to be dumped to the third memory. Memory dump method. 2. Setting a unit transfer size of data to be dumped according to a size of the buffer area set by a first operating system and a storage address of the data to be dumped in the buffer area in a shared area of the first memory. 2. The memory dump method according to claim 1, wherein an area is formed, and the second operation system copies and transfers the data to be dumped to the buffer area according to the information set in the setting area. 3. The memory dump method according to claim 1, wherein the buffer area is discarded by the first operating system after all the data to be dumped have been moved.