Storage controller failover system
First Claim
1. A storage controller failover system, comprising:
- a first storage controller;
a second storage controller; and
a controller system that is coupled to each of the first storage controller and the second storage controller, wherein the controller system is configured to;
determine that the first storage controller that has provided first storage communications along a first path between a first server and a first storage subsystem has failed;
determine that the second storage controller is configured to take over the first storage communications from the first storage controller;
copy, in response to determining that the first storage controller has failed, a mirrored first storage controller cache that is stored in a cache storage and that is a mirror of a first storage controller cache for the first storage controller from the cache storage to the second storage controller; and
cause the second storage controller to provide at least a first portion of the first storage communications along a second path between the first server and the first storage subsystem.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A storage controller failover system includes servers, storage controllers coupled to storage subsystems, and a switching system coupling the servers to the storage controllers. A storage controller configurations and storage controller caches for each of the storage controllers are stored in one or more database. A failure is detected of a first storage controller that has provided first storage communications along a first path between a first server and a first storage subsystem and, in response, a second storage controller that is configured to take over the first storage communications from the first storage controller is determined based on its second storage controller configuration. A first storage controller cache for the first storage controller is provided to the second storage controller, and the second storage controller is caused to provide the first storage communications along a second path between the first server and the first storage subsystem.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A storage controller failover system, comprising:
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a first storage controller; a second storage controller; and a controller system that is coupled to each of the first storage controller and the second storage controller, wherein the controller system is configured to; determine that the first storage controller that has provided first storage communications along a first path between a first server and a first storage subsystem has failed; determine that the second storage controller is configured to take over the first storage communications from the first storage controller; copy, in response to determining that the first storage controller has failed, a mirrored first storage controller cache that is stored in a cache storage and that is a mirror of a first storage controller cache for the first storage controller from the cache storage to the second storage controller; and cause the second storage controller to provide at least a first portion of the first storage communications along a second path between the first server and the first storage subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An information handling system (IHS), comprising:
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a processing system; and a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide a controller engine that is configured to; determine that a first storage controller that has provided first storage communications along a first path between a first server and a first storage subsystem has failed; determine that a second storage controller is configured to take over the first storage communications from the first storage controller; provide, in response to determining that the first storage controller has failed, a first storage controller cache for the first storage controller to the second storage controller; and cause the second storage controller to provide at least a first portion of the first storage communications along a second path between the first server and the first storage subsystem, wherein second storage controller is configured to; provide at least one active virtual function for a second server to provide second storage communications along a third path between the second server and a second storage subsystem; and hold at least one reserved virtual function prior to the failure of the first storage controller, wherein the causing the second storage controller to provide at least the first portion of the first storage communications along the second path between the first server and the first storage subsystem includes causing the second storage controller to; provide the at least one reserved virtual function for the first server to provide the first storage communications along the second path between the first server and the first storage subsystem subsequent to the failure of the first storage controller. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for providing storage controller failover, comprising:
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determining, by a controller system, that a first storage controller that has provided first storage communications along a first path between a first server and a first storage subsystem has failed; determining, by the controller system using a second storage controller configuration received from a second server that is coupled to a second storage controller, that the second storage controller is configured to take over the first storage communications from the first storage controller; providing, by the controller system in response to determining that the first storage controller has failed, a first storage controller cache for the first storage controller to the second storage controller; and causing, by the controller system, the second storage controller to provide at least a first portion of the first storage communications along a second path between the first server and the first storage subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification