Efficient mechanism to replicate data for multiple controllers

• US 10,146,632 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelogal, Chandrashekar, Giannoules, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US15/439,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20170161154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1658 Data re-synchronization of a redundant component, or initial sync of replacement, additional or spare unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/845 Systems in which the redundancy can be transformed in increased performance

Abstract

An information handling system and method allows implementation of fault-tolerant storage subsystems using multiple storage controllers not themselves originally designed to support the redundancy of such fault-tolerant storage subsystems. In accordance with one embodiment, uncommitted data is efficiently and rapidly replicated across multiple commodity storage controllers, enabling faster and less expensive fault-tolerant storage subsystems. A redundant storage controller system using non-redundant storage controllers can improve the efficiency of data replication while providing failure protection against controller failure. A redundant storage controller system using non-redundant storage controllers and shared memory commonly accessible to the storage controllers can be enhanced to replicate data within host memory regions to protect against non-volatile memory failure. In accordance with at least one embodiment, an efficient data replication mechanism can be provided between storage controllers using off-the-shelf hardware.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, by a host processor, a write command to a storage controller;

transferring, by the host processor, write data via a first connection to the storage controller, the write data associated with the write command;

transferring, by the host processor, an electronic copy of the write data via a second connection to a backup storage controller providing redundancy for the storage controller;

determining, by the host processor, a failure associated with the write command sent to the storage controller; and

selecting, by the host processor, the backup storage controller to provide the redundancy in response to the failure associated with the write command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sharing a memory between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a read command to the storage controller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising copying the write command to the backup storage controller.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising hosting a common memory region between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the write command to the redundant storage controller.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising resending the write command to the redundant storage controller.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the failure of the storage controller.

9. A system, comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a memory device storing instructions that when executed cause the hardware processor to perform operations, the operations including;

sending a write command to a storage controller;

transferring write data via a first connection to the storage controller, the write data associated with the write command;

transferring an electronic copy of the write data via a second connection to a backup storage controller providing redundancy for the storage controller;

determining a failure associated with the write command sent to the storage controller; and

selecting the backup storage controller to provide the redundancy in response to the failure associated with the write command.

10. The system of claim 9, where the operations further comprise sharing a memory between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.

11. The system of claim 9, where the operations further comprise sending a read command to the storage controller.

12. The system of claim 9, where the operations further comprise copying the write command to the backup storage controller.

13. The system of claim 9, where the operations further comprise hosting a common memory region between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.

14. The system of claim 9, where the operations further comprise sending the write command to the redundant storage controller.

15. The system of claim 9, where the operations further comprise resending the write command to the redundant storage controller.

16. The system of claim 9, where the operations further comprise determining the failure of the storage controller.

17. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

sending a write command to a storage controller;

transferring write data via a first connection to the storage controller, the write data associated with the write command;

transferring an electronic copy of the write data via a second connection to a backup storage controller providing redundancy for the storage controller;

determining a failure associated with the write command sent to the storage controller; and

selecting the backup storage controller to provide the redundancy in response to the failure associated with the write command.

18. The memory device of claim 17, where the operations further comprise sharing a memory between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.

19. The memory device of claim 17, where the operations further comprise sending a read command to the storage controller.

20. The memory device of claim 17, where the operations further comprise copying the write command to the backup storage controller.