Server controller for storing and retrieving sequences of video screens forwarded by a server host computer

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The problems outlined above are in large part solved by a remote communication system of the present invention.
The remote communication system employs a server controller which can be connected to an expansion bus upon the server.
Preferably, the server controller is embodied upon a PCB having edge connectors connectable to an EISA expansion bus.
The server controller comprises detection logic which detects write cycles within a video address range.
The write cycles are initiated as display data forwarded to a video controller also arranged upon the expansion bus.
Detection logic thereby snoops the expansion bus for display data, and then mirrors the display data to a controller memory.
The controller memory, like the detection logic, is embodied upon the server controller PCB and includes a plurality of buffers.
Display data forwarded to the controller memory is captured in a local frame buffer which stores frame-by-frame the display data.
A previous frame or screen of display data is compared with a current frame or screen of display data to indicate a possible change.
The change, as registered on the server display, is stored within current sequence buffers also associated with the controller memory.
The current sequence buffers store three types of changes: a sequence of video screen changes which occur prior to server failure or reset, a sequence of video screen changes which occur after the most current server reset, and a sequence of video screen changes which occur after a reset which occurs prior to the most recent reset.
Storing current and previous reset video screen changes as well as failure video screen changes (i.
e.
, blue screens or ABEND messages) allows an administrator to determine reasons for server failure or possibilities of future failures.
A terminal located remote from the server can be used by an administrator to draw upon any of the various sequences of video screen changes stored within the controller memory.
The server controller can recognize different types of communication protocols sent from the remote terminal