Apparatus and method for communicating a quiesce and unquiesce state between elements of a data processing complex

摘要

A system for the transmission of information between elements of a data processing complex and a method for establishing such a system. Two elements of a data processing system are connected by a physical link comprising multiple conductors attached to transceivers at channels in each data processing element. Once the transceivers have been synchronized, commands and responses are exchanged which ensure that all of the transceivers in a channel are connected to the same channel on the other end of the conductor. If the transceivers are considered configured and an entry is made in a Configured-Transceiver table. A search is made of an Allowed-Operational-Link table which contains sets of transceivers which are allowed to become operational links. The set of transceivers thus found, is compared against the Configured-Transceiver-Table to verify that all of the members of the set have been configured. If a match is found, this set of transceivers becomes an Intended-Operational- Link. The Intended-Operational-Link is verified to ensure that both channels agree on the set of conductors will form the operational link. If the Intended-Operational-Link verifies, the operational link is established therefrom. The link can be reconfigured by utilizing a quiesce function.