Functional unit promotion to management unit

Abstract

A system comprises a plurality of functional units powered via a power source. The system further comprises a first functional unit and a second functional unit, wherein the second functional unit is to promote the first functional unit to a management unit based on a management requirement of the system. The management unit is to administrate operations of the system. Once the first functional unit is promoted, the management unit is isolated from the functional units that were not promoted via a virtual network path and a power management unit.

1 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
 configuring a management requirement of a computer system during runtime operation of the computer system, the computing system comprising a plurality of functional units and powered via a power source, wherein each of the plurality of functional units are configured, at a first instance, to perform non-management computing tasks, and wherein the management requirement is based on one or more management tasks for administrating the computer system;   promoting, in accordance with the management requirement configuration, one of the plurality of functional units to operate as a management unit to administrate the computer system, the promoting being based on the computational capabilities of each of the plurality of functional units;   quarantining the management unit from the functional units not promoted as the management unit via a virtual network path and a power management unit; and   administrating, at a second time instance after the first instance, by the management unit, the computer system, the administrating including at least one monitoring task for monitoring at least one of the plurality of functional units other than the functional unit promoted to operate as the management unit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quarantining comprises at least one of:
 isolating power of the management unit from the functional units not promoted as the management unit;   isolating a network of the management unit from the functional units not promoted as the management unit; and   isolating a resource of the management unit from the functional units not promoted as the management unit.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administrating the computer system comprises at least one of monitoring or analyzing a status of a functional unit or programs hosted by the functional unit, configuring a functional unit such as turning power on and off, changing power status, configuring the plurality of functional units or programs hosted by the plurality of functional units, performing temperature control, performing fan control of a functional unit, monitoring a status of inventory of a functional unit, monitoring a status of a voltage level of a functional unit, monitoring status of memory usage of a functional unit, adjusting an inventory of a functional unit, and adjusting a voltage level of a functional unit 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promoting of the one of the plurality of functional units to the management unit occurs dynamically during operation of the functional unit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual network path is only accessible to the promoted functional unit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promoting comprises promoting more than one of the plurality of functional units to management units. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the promoting comprises promoting more than one of the plurality of functional units to management units thereby forming a management topology. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of functional units powered via a power source, each of the plurality of functional units being configured, at a first instance, to perform non-management computing tasks;   wherein, in accordance with a management requirement of the system configured during runtime of the system based on one or more management tasks for administrating the system, a first functional unit is promoted by a second functional unit to operate as a management unit to administrate the system, the promoting being based on the computational capabilities of each of the plurality of functional units,   wherein, responsive to the first functional unit being promoted, the management unit is quarantined from the plurality of functional units not promoted to the management unit via a virtual network path and a power management unit, and   wherein, at a second time instance after the first instance, the management unit administrates the system, the administrating including at least one monitoring task for monitoring at least one of the plurality of functional units other than the functional unit promoted to operate as the management unit.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the virtual network path is only available for the promoted first functional unit in the system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein more than one of the plurality of functional units are promoted to be management units to form a management topology, the management topology dynamically adapting to changes in the management requirement. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the functional unit is a core of a multi-core central processing unit (CPU) and no functional unit is dedicated to be promoted. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the second functional unit is to dynamically change which of the plurality of functional units is promoted to a management unit, dynamically promote an additional function unit to be a management unit, dynamically change a frequency of a central processing unit (CPU) of an existing management unit, dynamically change a management topology, or dynamically create a management topology among a plurality of functional units promoted to management units. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the management unit is isolated from the plurality of functional units by power, network, and system resources. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory, computer readable storage device containing executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
 configuring a management requirement of a computer system during runtime operation of the computer system, the computing system comprising a plurality of central processing unit (CPU) cores powered via a power source, the plurality of CPU cores including (i) a default CPU core to operate as a management core for administrating the system and (ii) the others of the plurality of CPU cores which are configured, at a first instance, to perform non-management computing tasks, and wherein the management requirement is based on one or more management tasks for administrating the computer system;   dynamically change which of the CPU cores among the others of the plurality of CPU cores to promote to operate as management cores, the promoting being based on the computational capabilities of the others of the plurality of CPU cores;   quarantine the management core from the CPU cores not being promoted, wherein the quarantining comprises isolating power, network and a resource of the computer system   administrate, at a second time instance after the first instance, by the management cores, the computer system, the administrating including at least one monitoring task for monitoring at least one of the others of the plurality of CPU cores.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, computer readable storage device of  claim 14  wherein software causes the processor to quarantine the management core via a virtual network path and a power management unit.