Methods and apparatus for a segregated interface for parameter configuration in a multi-path failover system

• US 20050060613A1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PMC-Sierra Incorporated (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Adaptec Incorporated (Steel Partners Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Cheng, Eric, Wu, Chang-Tying, Ding, Yafu
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2053 where persistent mass storage functionality or persistent mass storage control functionality is redundant error detection or correction in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems

Abstract

An invention is disclosed for a segregated user interface for parameter configuration in a multi-path failover system. The segregated user interface includes a user interface module capable of receiving configuration parameters for the multi-path failover system from a user. Further included is an object module that is capable of receiving the configuration parameters from the user interface module. The object module provides functionality and can detect the current controller status of controllers and the current device status of devices. In addition, the object module is capable of configuring a failover driver using the configuration parameters received from the user interface module.

Claims

1. A method for intelligent failover in a multi-path computer system, comprising the operations of:

providing a plurality of data paths to a computer input/output (I/O) device;

intercepting an I/O request to access the computer I/O device;

calculating a failure probability for each data path in the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device; and

selecting a data path from the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data path is selected based on data path information provided from a requesting computer application.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data path is selected based on characteristics of each data path in the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the characteristics include a current status of each data path.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the characteristics further include statistical information concerning past performance of each data path.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the intercepting operation is performed by a failover device connected to a driver for the computer I/O device.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the failure probability for a particular data path is based on the characteristics of the data path.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the selected data path has a failure probability lower than other data paths in the plurality of data paths to the computer input/output (I/O) device.

9. A system for intelligent failover in a multi-path computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a computer input/output (I/O) device in communication with the processor via a plurality of data paths;

a user interface module in a user mode; and

a failover filter driver in an intermediate kernel mode and in communication with the plurality of data paths, to access the computer I/O device the fail over filter driver being capable of selecting a particular data path from the plurality of data paths based on a calculated failure probability.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the user interface module masks specific logical computer I/O devices from user applications.

11. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the user interface module blocks I/O requests to masked logical computer storage devices.

12. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the failover filter driver is capable of redirecting I/O requests from a failed data path to an alternate data path.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the failover filter driver selects the particular data path based on a calculated failure probability for each data path in the plurality of data paths to the I/O device.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the characteristics include a current status of each data path.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the characteristics further include statistical information concerning past performance of each data path.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the failure probability for a particular data path is based on the characteristics of the data path.

17. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the selected data path has a failure probability lower than other data paths in the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device.

18. A computer readable media having program instructions embodying a failover filter driver for managing intelligent failover in a multi-path computer system, the program instructions comprising:

an intercept code segment that intercepts an input/output (I/O) request to a computer I/O device;

a manual-select code segment that selects a data path from a plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device based on data path information provided from a requesting computer application;

an auto-select code segment for selecting a data path based on characteristics of each data path of the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device; and

a failure probability code segment in communication with the auto-select code segment, the failure probability code segment for assigning a failure probability to each data path of the plurality of data paths to the I/O device.

19. A computer readable media having program instructions embodying a failover filter driver as recited in claim 18, wherein the failure probability for a particular data path is based on characteristics of the particular data path.

20. A user interface for parameter configuration in a multi-path failover arrangement having a plurality of data paths to a computer I/O device, comprising:

a user interface module in a user mode for receiving from a user configuration parameters for the multi-path failover arrangement;

an object module in the user mode for receiving the configuration parameters from the user interface module, the object module providing the received configuration parameters; and

a failover filter driver in an intermediate kernel mode, the failover filter driver being responsive to the received configuration parameters, the failover filter driver calculating a failure probability for each data path in the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device and based on the calculated failure probability selects a data path from the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device.