JPS6213696B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a hardware state management method for a computer system, and more particularly to a hardware state control word change management method using the functions of a service processor.

One of the things that defines the hardware operation of a computer system is a hardware status control word (hereinafter referred to as MCW). Depending on whether one designated bit of this MCW is "1" or "0", the operation of specific hardware is controlled to one or the other. For example, when a computer is equipped with a buffer storage device that stores a copy of a data block in main memory, and the buffer storage device contains data necessary for processing by an arithmetic processing unit, the buffer storage device is normally accessed. However, in order to search for failure points or confirm normal operation, the MCW is changed to forcibly disconnect the buffer storage and the processing unit is operated using only the main storage. There is.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a conventional panel switch and lamp for changing MCW.

Conventionally, the first circuit for changing MCW is
A panel switch as shown in the figure is used. For example, if the MCW is 64 bits, a lamp 13 corresponding to bits 0 to 63 and one set switch are used.
A reset switch 14 and a rotary switch 15 for specifying the MCW word number are attached to the panel surface. Now, if word 1, byte 0, bit 8 of MCW specifies BSOFF (buffer storage device disconnection), turn rotary switch 15 to word 1 of MCW and turn on lamp 13 corresponding to byte 0, bit 8. By turning on the light and operating the set switch 14, the buffer storage device can be forcibly disconnected and operated.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a central processing unit showing the setting and operation of a conventional MCW.

The program readout control circuit 12 controls the readout of the next instruction based on instructions from the arithmetic processing circuit 11;
If BSOFF is not specified in MCW, normal control is performed. That is, when the next instruction to be executed is stored in the buffer storage device 7, the program readout control circuit 12 activates the buffer storage control circuit 6, reads the instruction from the buffer storage device 7, and reads the instruction via the program readout line 10. The instruction is transferred to the arithmetic processing circuit 11 and executed.
In addition, when the next instruction to be executed is not stored in the buffer storage device 7, the main memory control circuit 8 is activated to read the instruction from the main memory device 9, and transfer it to the arithmetic processing circuit 11 via the program read line 10. and execute the command.

Depending on the state of the hardware, if you want to read and execute commands from the main memory 9 each time without using the buffer memory 7 at all, operate the BSOFF switch on the panel switch/lamp 1 to set the signal to "1". is output, the BSOFF latch of the panel flip-flop 3 is set to "1", and the program readout control circuit 12 is output via the OR gate 5.
Send to. Also, since the output of this OR gate 5 returns to panel switch/lamp 1,
The BSOFF lamp lights up.

BSOFF can be specified through a program without the operator having to operate a panel switch. That is, an instruction read from the buffer storage device 7 or the main storage device 9 is executed by the arithmetic processing circuit 11, but if the instruction read at this time is a BSOFF instruction, the microprogram control circuit 2 is activated. Then, set the BSOFF latch of programming flip-flop 4 to "1". This output is sent through the OR gate 5, one for lighting the lamp of the panel switch/lamp 1 and the other for the program readout control circuit 12, as described above. Program read control circuit 1
2, when it receives the latch output, it always writes the main memory 9.
Read instructions from.

In this way, conventionally, one of the methods for specifying the operation of a circuit that controls the state of hardware such as MCW is
As a first example, a panel switch/lamp 1 is used, but as shown in Fig. 1, it is composed of a large number of lamps 13, set switches 14, and rotary switches 15, so failures are relatively easy. There are many targets, and the reliability is low and the cost is high.
Another drawback is that the amount of hardware required to transmit the designation from the panel switch/lamp 1 to the program readout control circuit 12 increases.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate such drawbacks by reducing the amount of hardware and improving reliability by effectively utilizing existing equipment without managing MCW changes using a panel switch. The object of the present invention is to provide a hardware status management method that can reduce costs.

The hardware state management scheme of the present invention stores operator information in the memory of the service processor.
It has an MCW area, an MCW area for display, an MCW area for specifying open connections, and an MCW area for hardware in the memory of the central processing unit, and services MCW changes by operator specification and MCW changes by program.・It is characterized by the processor managing it without contradiction.

Hereinafter, the principle and embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a computer system to which the present invention is applied and a diagnostic function of a service processor.

As shown in Figure 3, recent computer systems have a conventional central processing unit (CPU) 20 and an OS.
A service processor (SVP) that has a conversation function with the Operating System (Operating System) and a panel function.
It has come to function as a complex system. In addition, the central processing unit 2
0 consists of a basic processor (BPU) 21, an input/output processor (IOP) 22, and a main memory (MS) 9, and a service processor 30 includes a console processor 31, a display device 32, a keyboard 33, and a modem 34. Consists of etc.

In addition to the console function, the service processor 30 also functions as an operator console and a maintenance console. Also,
Since it is a processor independent of the central processing unit 20, if the central processing unit 20 fails, if the service processor 30 performs the failure diagnosis, it is expected that the search for the location of the failure will become more detailed and faster. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the service processor 30 can be used to perform maintenance on a computer 40 at a remote location. In this case, modems 34, 43
After the status information from the maintenance computer 41 sent via the network control devices 17 and 42 is processed by the console processor 31, it is displayed on the display device 32 and monitored. In addition, the operator inputs instruction information from the keyboard 33 and sends it to the maintenance computer 41 via the communication line.
Perform maintenance operations.

In the present invention, such a computer system 16 is used to replace conventional MCW management with a service.
This is done using the processor 30.

When the service processor 30 manages the MCW, it can be achieved by the following two methods.

(1) A method of replacing the conventional switches on the panel with the keyboard 33 of the service processor 30 and replacing the lamps on the panel with the display device 32 of the service processor 30. That is, the lamp 13 and switch 14 shown in FIG.
15 is replaced with a display device 32 and a keyboard 33 shown in FIG.

(2) In addition to method 1 above, the program flip-flop specified by the microprogram control circuit is transferred to the service processor 30.
How to have it managed. That is, the panel switch/lamp 1 shown in FIG. 2, a part of the microprogram control circuit 2, the panel flip-flop 3, and the program flip-flop 4
and the OR gate 5 are all placed under the control of the service processor 30.

The method (2) above can reduce the hardware logic section on the central processing unit 20 side compared to the method (1), and the service processor 30 can
Since the MCW is centrally managed, troubleshooting and repair are easy. Therefore, the present invention has decided to adopt the method (1) above.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an MCW management system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

Although not shown in FIG. 4, the operator can use the keyboard 33 and display device 32 of the service processor 30 to converse with the OS (operating system) in the same manner as before.

As shown in FIG.
0 is MCW101 for operator specification and display
The MCW 102 and the MCW 103 for specifying open connection are stored in the memory, and the central processing unit 20
Each of the above corresponding MCW201 is connected to the hardware
by latch or service processor 3
0 in writable memory that can be used by the microprogram that controls it.

The MCW is changed by the microprogram of the central processing unit 20 when the MCW indirect designation is decoded by the microprogram "DIAG" instruction, and when the "MS" is changed when a register is designated as MCW.
There are two cases when deciphering the "read to Register" instruction.

The "DIAG" instruction is an instruction for the OS to perform various diagnostic operations in order to check whether the processing device is operating correctly or to search for the location where an error has occurred. Execution of this instruction may affect input/output operations, the state of the processing unit, and the contents of registers or main memory.

In addition, the "MS read to Register" instruction is an instruction to read from main memory and store it in a register, and if that register is designated for MCW, it directly rewrites the contents of MCW with the register. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of MCW indirect designation, the microprogram of the central processing unit 20 receives the indirect designation request line 24 from the microprocessor.
to the service processor 30. The micro program of the service processor 30 is
Hardware MCW201 in the central processing unit 20
The MCW for indirect designation is scanned out to the MCW for indirect designation 103 by the scan-out line 25 for indirect designation.

FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram showing the scan out operation in FIG. 4.

A scan out control section 37 is provided attached to the micro program control section 36 and keyboard 33 of the service processor 30. The scan out control section 37 has a scan word.
Address register 371, scan bit
An address counter 373 and a scan out data register 372 are provided, and the micro program control unit 36 or the keyboard 3
It is activated by 3.

Now, a one-word MCW register 201 including a flip-flop 203 in the central processing unit 20
When scanning out the scan word address, the corresponding scan word address is sent to the scan word address register 3 through the data bus 361.
After setting the flag to 71, the scan out operation is started. The contents of scan word address register 371 are decoded by decoder 39 and sent to scan bit selector 20 by generating scan word selection signal 391.
Enable 2. At the same time, the scan bit counter 373 counts up. Skiyan
The bit selector 202 sequentially selects and outputs the flip-flops constituting the MCW register 201 to the scan-out data bus 204 and outputs them to the scan-out data register 37.
The corresponding bit is set to 2.

After being scanned out to the indirect designation MCW 103 of the service processor 30 in this way, the microprogram of the service processor 30 is modified by the operator MCW and centrally processed by the indirect designation scan-in line 26. Scan-in is performed to the indirect designation MCW section of the hardware MCW 201 in the device 20.

In the case of scan-in, data is sequentially sent and set to the flip-flops specified by the scan-in address register in the same manner as shown in FIG.

When modified by the operator MCW, when setting the MCW, the operator
MCW101 and MCW designation by indirect designation are
The indirect specification MCW 103 is set to be logically summed by the modify line 35. In other words,
It has a function of merging the contents of both MCWs 101 and 103 using the modify line 35 so that the MCW is set when either the operator or the micro program specifies a change in the MCW. Also, when resetting the MCW,
By MCW101 for operator and indirect specification
For indirect specification so that the MCW specification is logically ANDed.
It is set in MCW103. In other words, even if only one of the operator or the microprogram specifies the MCW reset, the reset cannot be performed while the other specifies the set, thereby maintaining reliable operation by changing the MCW.

Next, when the microprogram in the central processing unit 20 decodes the "MS read to Register" command, the microprogram directly specifies the hardware in the central processing unit 20 by the direct specification line 23.
MCW201 is changed. This change can be observed on the display of the service processor 30 by means of the MCW scan out line 27 for display. The scan out operation is performed as shown in FIG.

Next, the operator inputs the information from the keyboard 33.
To change the MCW, after changing the operator MCW 101, the hardware MCW 201 in the central processing unit 20 is changed using the operator designated MCW scan-in line 29. This change includes:
By scanning out to the display MCW 102 using the display MCW scan-out line 27, it is displayed on the display device 32.

MCW from keyboard 33 by operator
Yet another path for change is when the operator instructs a reset. That is, the MCW 101 for operator specification is changed to a reset instruction, and the MCW scan-in line 2 for initialization is changed.
8, the hardware in the central processing unit 20
Change MCW201. In this case, all changes made by the microprogram of the central processing unit 20 are initialized by the contents of the operator designated MCW 101. In other words, due to the presence of the initializing MCW scan-in line 28, the operator designation takes precedence over the program designation.

The microprogram of the service processor 30 uses the hardware MCW 201 of the central processing unit 20 for display at an arbitrary predetermined period.
For display via MCW scan out line 27
Scan out to MCW103. this is,
Directly specified line 2 by the aforementioned micro program
This is to display the MCW 201 modified by No. 3 on the display device 32.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the schematic diagram of FIG. 4 in terms of hardware.

The present invention can be implemented without making any additions or changes to the conventional central processing unit 20 and service processor 30 in terms of hardware.

In other words, there is no hardware on the central processing unit 20 side.
The register 48 that becomes the MCW 201, or the specific area 201 in the main storage device 9, and the service
On the processor 30 side, MCW 101 for operator specification in the control storage 38, for display
In addition to providing a data area 382 for the MCW 102 and the MCW 103 for indirect specification, one of the conventional lines 200 that connects the central processing unit 20 and the service processor 30 is used in a time-sharing manner for changing the MCW. It may be shared by lines 24-29.

Note that the hardware in the central processing unit 20
As MCW201, service processor 30
Control storage writable by 4
It is also possible to use a partial area of 5.

Line 100 is a line for conversation between the operator and the OS, and is a channel for the central processing unit 20.
Both processors 20 and 30 are connected via CH. Control of the service processor 30
The storage 38 has an area 381 for storing control programs and a data area 382 that can be freely used as a refresh memory for the screen of the display device 32.

The display device 32 has a plurality of screens in one frame, and one of the screens displays, for example, BSOFF for MCW in text. Each display character corresponds to the A to Z keys on the keyboard 33. For example, when the operator operates the "A" key, the console processor processes the input data and displays BSOFF on the display screen. .

In addition, 44 of the central processing unit 20 is an address register, 46 is a microinstruction read register, 4
7 is a decoder, and 49 is an arithmetic circuit.

Further, in the embodiment, it is assumed that both the central processing unit 20 and the service processor 30 operate under microprogram control, but of course they can also be realized by hardware control.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to use a display device such as a service processor to manage MCW changes specified by an operator and MCW changes by a program without inconsistency. As a result, reliability can be improved and costs can be reduced. In addition, the service processor
Since the MCW is managed, the amount of hardware in the central processing unit can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an external view of a conventional MCW changing panel section, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a central processing unit showing the settings and operation of a conventional MCW, and Fig. 3 is a computer system and service system to which the present invention is applied. 4 is a schematic diagram of an MCW management system showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram showing the scan-out operation in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the schematic diagram of FIG. 4 in terms of hardware. 1: Panel switch/lamp, 2: Micro program control circuit, 3, 4: Flip-flop, 5: OR gate, 6: Buffer memory control circuit, 7: Buffer storage device, 8: Main memory control circuit , 9: Main storage device, 10: Program readout line, 11: Arithmetic processing circuit, 12: Program readout control circuit, 13: Lamp, 14: Set/reset switch, 15: Rotary switch,
16: Computer system, 20: Central processing unit, 2
1: Basic processor, 22: Input/output processor, 23: Direct specification line by micro program, 24: Indirect specification request line from micro program, 25: Scan/out line for indirect specification, 26: Scan for indirect specification・In line, 27:
MCW scan out line for display, 28: MCW scan in line for initialization, 29: MCW scan in line for operator specification, 30: Service processor, 31: Console processor, 32: Display device, 33: Keyboard, 34, 43: Modem, 17, 42: Network control device, 35: Modify line, 36: Micro program control circuit, 37: Scan out control unit, 38, 45: Control storage, 3
9, 47: Decoder, 40: Remote computer system, 41: Maintenance computer, 44: Address register, 46: Microinstruction read register, 48:
Register, 49: Arithmetic circuit, 100, 200: Line, 101: MCW for operator specification, 10
2: MCW for display, 103: MCW for indirect designation,
201: Hardware MCW, 381: Control program area, 382: Data area.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a computer system having a central processing unit and a service processor with which an operator interacts with the central processing unit, a change in response to a change request from the central processing unit of a hardware status word that determines the state of the central processing unit and specifies its operation. The hardware is characterized in that a management means and a change management means for changing the hardware status word by an operator input are provided in the service processor, and the discrepancy in management between the two change management means is corrected. Wear condition management method.