Power controller for permitting multiple processors to power up shared input/output devices and inhibit power down until all processors have ceased service with the I/O devices

摘要

A shared power controller for a rack of interface devices which are shared among a plurality of processor units. The shared power controller may be commanded into a power up mode by any connected central processor via its system power interface. A power down of a connected rack of interface units may, however, only be effected when all the connected CPU units enter a power down mode. A system power controller provides both remote and local operation such that diagnosis and analysis of problems may be effected locally at each rack of input/output devices.