Method and apparatus for providing redundant access to a shared resource with a shareable spare adapter

• US 20030037275A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schimke, Timothy Jerry, Bakke, Brian Eric, Writz, Joseph Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,484,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality

Abstract

An apparatus, method and program product provide access for a host device to a shared resource via a spare adapter configured to replace any of a plurality of access adapters.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of access adapters, each adapter configured to interface with an electronic resource;

at least one shareable spare adapter configured to interface with the electronic resource;

control circuitry configured to initiate a substitution of the shareable spare adapter for any of the plurality of access adapters to supplant a substituted access adapter.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates the substitution in response to an event.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry initiates monitoring of the event.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry initiates notification procedures regarding the event.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the event includes a change in a heartbeat signal transmitted by an access adapter.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry initiates monitoring a process that monitors the event.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a port of an access adapter of the plurality of access adapters interfaces with only a subset of the shared resource.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a reconfiguration of an access adapter into a second shareable spare adapter.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a removal of a correlation token from an access adapter.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry initiates an assignment of the correlation token to the shareable spare adapter.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry initiates an evaluation of the correlation token.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a replacement of an access adapter.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a disablement of the shareable spare adapter.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates disabling an access adapter.

15. A method of providing access to a computer resource, wherein a plurality of access adapters each interface with the computer resource, the method comprising using a shareable spare adapter to supplant an interface provided by a first adapter of the plurality of access adapters, wherein the shareable spare adapter is additionally configured to supplant a second interface provided by a second access adapter of the plurality of access adapters.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the shareable spare adapter is additionally configured to supplant a third interface provided by any of the plurality of access adapters.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising supplanting the interface in response to an event.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising monitoring of the event.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising initiating notification procedures regarding the event.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising monitoring a process that monitors the event.

21. The method according to claim 15, further comprising reconfiguring the first access adapter into a second shareable spare adapter.

22. The method according to claim 15, further comprising removing a correlation token from the second access adapter.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising assigning the correlation token to the shareable spare adapter.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising evaluating the correlation token.

25. The method according to claim 15, further comprising replacing the second access adapter.

26. The method according to claim 15, further comprising disabling the shareable spare adapter.

27. The method according to claim 15, further comprising disabling the second access adapter.

28. The method according to claim 15, wherein each of the first and second adapters access a different subset of the shared resource.

29. A program product, comprising:

(a) a program for providing access to a computer resource, wherein a plurality of access adapters each interface with the computer resource, the program configured to use a shareable spare adapter to supplant an interface provided by a first adapter of the plurality of access adapters, wherein the shareable spare adapter is additionally configured to supplant a second interface provided by a second access adapter of the plurality of access adapters; and

(b) a signal bearing media bearing the program.

30. The program product of claim 29, wherein the signal bearing media includes at least one of a recordable media and a transmission type media.