In situ processor re-characterization

摘要

A re-characterization process is provided that adjusts one or more operating parameters of a processor to improve the health (e.g., reduce errors) of the processor. The parameters include voltage and/or clock frequency, as examples. The processor can be an inactive or active processor for which the re-characterization process is performed. It is performed, in one instance, by a hardware controller in real-time.

主权项

1. A computer system for facilitating processing in a computing environment, said computer system comprising:
a memory; and a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising:
determining that a particular processor is defective;based on determining the particular processor is defective, checking one or more operating parameters of the particular processor to determine whether at least one operating parameter of the one or more operating parameters is to be adjusted;based on the checking determining that at least one operating parameter is to be adjusted, identifying and adjusting a single operating parameter of the at least one operating parameter, wherein the adjusting is performed in real-time, and wherein the adjusting in real-time includes the particular processor not being powered down and other processors of the computing environment remaining operational during execution of a production workload by the other processors; andbased on the adjusting, initiating testing of the particular processor, the testing comprising performing one or more diagnostic tests to determine whether the particular processor is operating at an acceptable degraded operating level with the single adjusted operating parameter, wherein the acceptable degraded operating level is one in which the particular processor is operational but at a degraded level to ensure the particular processor remains available for use in the computing environment, and wherein based on the testing indicating the particular processor is operating at the acceptable degraded operating level with the single adjusted operating parameter, the particular processor is available to execute workload, and wherein based on the testing indicating the particular processor is not operating at the acceptable degraded operating level with the single adjusted operating parameter, repeating the identifying and adjusting, for another single operating parameter of the at least one operating parameter, and the initiating testing one or more times, wherein subsequent to the repeating the one or more times and the testing indicating the particular processor is not operating at the acceptable degraded operating level, powering down the particular processor.