Selection of a primary microprocessor for initialization of a multiprocessor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9262177-B2
Application number	US-201213719774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2012
Priority date	Dec 19, 2012
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for initializing a plurality of processors of a multi-processor system by executing, at each respective processor of the plurality of processors, at least a portion of local initialization code stored on the respective processor. Receiving, at a designated processor of the plurality of processors, external initialization code stored in external memory, wherein the remainder of the plurality of processors do not have access to the external initialization code stored in external memory. Determining, the designated processor, send at least a portion of the external initialization code to a processor of the remainder of the plurality of processors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system for initializing a plurality of processors of a multi-processor system, the computer system comprising the steps of:
a memory containing external initialization code;
a plurality of processors, wherein each of the plurality of processors store local initialization code, and wherein the plurality of processors and the memory are interconnected such that a designated processor of the plurality of processors is capable of receiving external initialization code from the memory, and a remainder of the plurality of processors are capable of receiving external initialization code from the designated processor but are not capable of receiving external initialization code from the memory; and
control logic operable to:
execute, at each respective processor of the plurality of processors, at least a portion of local initialization code stored on the respective processor;
receive, external initialization code stored in external memory through a designated pin on a designated processor out of the plurality of processors, wherein only through the designated pin of the designated processor is external initialization code capable of being received and the remainder of the plurality of processors do not include the designated pin for receiving external initialization code stored in external memory; and
determine, by the designated processor, to send at least a portion of the external initialization code to a processor of the remainder of the plurality of processors.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the designated processor, to send at least a portion of the external initialization code comprises, control logic operable to:
determine at least the portion of the external initialization code to send to the processor of the remainder of the plurality of processors, from the designated processor; and
send the determined portion of the external initialization code to the processor of the remainder of the plurality of processors, from the designated processor.

3. The computer system of claim 2 , further comprising control logic operable to, execute, at the processor of the remainder of the plurality of processors, the determined portion of the external initialization code sent from the designated processor.

4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is a symmetrical multiprocessor system.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of local initialization code and at least a portion of external initialization code are utilized.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , further comprising control logic operable to, tag the designated processor as a primary processor, wherein the designated processor is in an external microcode execution running state.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , further comprising control logic operable to, tag each of the remainder of the plurality of processors as a secondary processor, wherein each of the reminder of the plurality of processors is in an external microcode execution error state.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Lee Van H
• Sanner David D
• Tran Thi N

Classifications

• G06F9/4405 Primary

  Initialisation of multiprocessor systems · CPC title

• G06F9/3877

  using a secondary processor, e.g. coprocessor (peripheral processor G06F13/12) · CPC title

• G06F9/4401

  Bootstrapping (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• G06F9/3879

  for non-native instruction execution, e.g. executing a command; for Java instruction set · CPC title