System and method for the automated generation of events within a server environment

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed in which the buses of a server computer are monitored through server management software. A data structure for a monitored bus or group of buses is created and stored in a repository of data structures for other monitored devices within the server computer. As events, such as failure events, occur on one or more of the monitored buses, the event is recorded in an event log. Using the server management software, monitoring commands can be issued by the baseboard management controller to each monitored bus to check the status of the bus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating a set of possible event records associated with an event recognized by a sensor in a computer system comprising:
 providing a sensor, wherein one or more events are associated with the sensor in a sensor data record corresponding to the sensor, and wherein an event trigger is associated with each of the one or more events;   providing a sensor data repository, wherein the sensor data repository comprises a sensor data record associated with the sensor;   providing an event record for each of the one or more events prior to an occurrence of the event trigger associated with each of the one or more events, wherein providing the event record comprises the steps of:
 completing static portions of the event record, wherein the static portions of the event record include an identification of the sensor corresponding to the event; 
 duplicating the event record; and 
 completing an event data portion of the duplicate of the event record and the event record, wherein the event data portions are completed independent from accomplishment of the event trigger; 
   completing an assert portion of at least one of the event record and the duplicate of the event record.   
     
     
         2 . The method for generating a set of data records associated with an event recognized by a sensor in the computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data record comprises at least one of a sensor type and a sensor configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The method for generating a set of data records associated with an event recognized by a sensor in the computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor, and wherein the sensor data record comprises at least one of one or more parameters and one or more threshold operating values. 
     
     
         4 . The method for generating a set of data records associated with an event recognized by a sensor in the computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a bus sensor, and wherein the sensor data record comprises one or more monitored error conditions of an associated bus. 
     
     
         5 . The method for generating a set of data records associated with an event recognized by a sensor in the computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data record comprises an identification of a type of sensor data record. 
     
     
         6 . The method for generating a set of data records associated with an event recognized by a sensor in the computer system of  claim 5 , wherein the type of sensor data record comprises at least one of a full sensor record and a compact sensor record. 
     
     
         7 . The method for generating a set of data records associated with an event recognized by a sensor in the computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data repository is managed by a baseboard management controller. 
     
     
         8 . A method for generating an event record of each possible event that can be recorded in the event log of a computer system, comprising:
 providing a sensor data repository, wherein the sensor data repository is a centralized, non-volatile storage location with the computer system;   identifying in the sensor data repository a sensor data record corresponding to each of the one or more sensors of the computer system, wherein one or more events are associated with each of the one or more sensors; and   for each sensor of the computer system, prior to an occurrence of an event trigger corresponding to the one or more events, providing an event record for the sensor and completing the steps of:
 populating at least some static portions of the event record, wherein the at least some static portions of the event record include an identification of the sensor corresponding to the event, 
 duplicating the event record, and 
 completing a version of the event record for each state of the sensor, wherein each state of the sensor is defined by a type of the sensor and a trigger event for the sensor, wherein the version of the event record for each state of the sensor is completed independent from accomplishment of the corresponding trigger event; 
   collecting completed versions of the event records for all of the sensors of the computer system.   
     
     
         9 . The method for generating an event record of each possible event that can be recorded in the event log of a computer system of  claim 8 , wherein each sensor data record comprises at least one of a sensor type and a sensor configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The method for generating an event record of each possible event that can be recorded in the event log of a computer system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a temperature sensor, and wherein a corresponding sensor data record comprises at least one of one or more parameters and one or more threshold operating values. 
     
     
         11 . The method for generating an event record of each possible event that can be recorded in the event log of a computer system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a bus sensor, and wherein a corresponding sensor data record comprises one or more monitored error conditions of an associated bus. 
     
     
         12 . The method for generating an event record of each possible event that can be recorded in the event log of a computer system of  claim 8 , wherein each corresponding sensor data record comprises an identification of a type of sensor data record. 
     
     
         13 . The method for generating an event record of each possible event that can be recorded in the event log of a computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the type of sensor data record comprises at least one of a full sensor record and a compact sensor record. 
     
     
         14 . The method for generating an event record of each possible event that can be recorded in the event log of a computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor data repository is managed by a baseboard management controller. 
     
     
         15 . A method for generating a set of possible system event records that can be logged to a system event log in a computer system, comprising:
 providing a sensor data repository and the system event log, wherein the sensor data repository and the system event log are stored in a centralized, non-volatile storage location within the computer system.   identifying in the sensor data repository a sensor data record corresponding to each respective sensor of the computer system, wherein one or more events are associated with each sensor;   for each sensor of the computer system, prior to an occurrence of an event trigger corresponding to the one or more events, providing an event record for the sensor and completing the steps of:
 populating at least some static portions of the event record, wherein the at least some static portions of the event record include an identification of the sensor corresponding to the event, 
 duplicating the event record, and 
 completing a version of the event record for each state of the sensor, wherein each state of the sensor is defined by a type of the sensor and a trigger event for the sensor, wherein the version of the event record for each state of the sensor is completed independent from accomplishment of the corresponding trigger event; 
   collecting completed versions of the event records for all of the sensors of the computer system; and   saving to the system event log each completed version of the event record.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each sensor data record comprises at least one of a sensor type and a sensor configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a temperature sensor, and wherein a corresponding sensor data record comprises at least one of one or more parameters and one or more threshold operating values. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a bus sensor, and wherein a corresponding sensor data record comprises one or more monitored error conditions of an associated bus. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each corresponding sensor data record comprises an identification of a type of sensor data record. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the type of sensor data record comprises at least one of a full sensor record and a compact sensor record.