Method of distributed resource management of I/O devices in a network cluster

• US 20040210648A1
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert J. Woodruff
• Original Assignee: Robert J. Woodruff
• Inventors: Woodruff, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US10/787,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210648A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

I/O resources are allocated to one or more hosts in a network cluster. Each host stores a cluster resource table (CRT) that identifies the configuration and allocation of I/O resources within its cluster. Each host includes an I/O resource management agent (RMA) within the operating system. A host'"'"'s RMA obtains a list of all hosts and I/O units and their network addresses from the fabric services. The RMA then queries each host to obtain at least a portion of the CRTs of each of the host'"'"'s in the cluster. The RMA replaces its local CRT with the most current version of the CRT (e.g., based on a time and date stamp or version number of each CRT). The host'"'"'s RMA then queries each I/O unit to identify the I/O controllers and their controller number in the cluster. The RMA then queries each I/O controller in the cluster to identify the I/O devices in the cluster. The RMA then updates its CRT based on this information. The RMA can provide the updated CRT to each of the hosts in the cluster.

Claims

1-16. -16 (Cancelled).

17. A method comprising:

identifying, based upon respective input/output (I/O) resource information obtained from one or more respective hosts in a network, most current I/O resource information comprised in the respective I/O resource information; and

modifying other I/O resource information stored at another host in the network based upon the most current I/O resource information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the network comprises a network cluster; and

the respective I/O resource information identifies configuration and allocation of I/O resources in the network cluster.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

obtaining, by the another host, one or more addresses of the one or more respective hosts in the network.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the respective I/O resource information includes time and date stamp information.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the modifying comprises modifying the other I/O resource information to conform to the most current I/O resource information.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a first host capable of;

identifying, based upon respective input/output (I/O) resource information obtained from one or more other hosts in a network, most current I/O resource information comprised in the respective I/O resource information; and

modifying other I/O resource information stored at the first host based upon the I/O most current I/O resource information.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the network comprises a network cluster; and

the respective I/O resource information identifies configuration and allocation of I/O resources in the network cluster.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

obtaining, by the first host, one or more addresses of the one or more other hosts.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the respective I/O resource information includes time and date stamp information.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the modifying comprises modifying the other I/O resource information to conform to the most current I/O resource information.

27. Computer program instructions stored in a computer readable medium that when executed result in performance of operations comprising:

identifying, based upon respective input/output (I/O) resource information obtained from one or more respective hosts in a network, most current I/O resource information comprised in the respective I/O resource information; and

modifying other I/O resource information stored at another host in the network based upon the most current I/O resource information.

28. The instructions of claim 27, wherein:

the network comprises a network cluster; and

the respective I/O resource information identifies configuration and allocation of I/O resources in the network cluster.

29. The instructions of claim 27, wherein the instructions when executed also result in:

obtaining, by the another host, one or more addresses of the one or more respective hosts.

30. The instructions of claim 27, wherein:

the respective I/O resource information includes time and date stamp information.

31. The instructions of claim 27, wherein:

the modifying comprises modifying the other I/O resource information to conform to the most current I/O resource information.