Systems and methods for automated diagnosis and repair of storage devices

• US 20070124130A1
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Storage Appliance Corp.
• Original Assignee: Storage Appliance Corp.
• Inventors: Collins, Ian, Li, Eric, Chowdhary, Yousuf, Brunet, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation

Abstract

A peripheral electronic device includes a health check application configured to execute automatically upon connection of the peripheral device to a data source, such as a personal computer. The health check application can diagnose problems and if necessary, repair the problems with the peripheral device, the data source, or both. Examples of problems include corrupted data and indications of software, firmware, and hardware failures or impending failures. In some instances, the health check application can provide a warning of an impending failure. The health check application, after initially executing, can be triggered in various ways to scan again for problems. In addition to finding and repairing problems, the health check application can also attend to maintenance.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a communication interface;

a first storage device including a writable data storage medium comprising first and second logical storage areas, the first logical storage area including computer-readable instructions of a health check application; and

an emulation component in communication between the first storage device and the communication interface and comprising;

logic configured to represent the first logical storage area as an auto-launch device; and

logic configured to represent the second logical storage area as a second storage device including a writable data storage medium.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication interface comprises a USB communication interface.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication interface comprises a FireWire communication interface.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first storage device comprises a HDD.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first logical storage area further includes computer-readable instructions of a backup application.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller chip in communication between the first storage device and the communication interface.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the emulation component resides on the controller chip.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the controller chip comprises firmware including additional computer-readable instructions of the health check application.

9. A system comprising:

a communication interface,

a storage device including computer-readable instructions of a health check application; and

an emulation component in communication between the storage device and the communication interface and configured to;

represent the storage device as an auto-launch device;

receive auto-launch device commands from a data source addressed to the auto-launch device, translate the auto-launch device commands to storage device commands, and send the storage device commands to the storage device, and

receive storage device responses from the storage device, translate the storage device responses into auto-launch device responses, and send the auto-launch device responses to the data source.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the communication interface comprises a USB communication interface.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the communication interface comprises a FireWire communication interface.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the storage device comprises a HDD.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the storage device further includes computer-readable instructions of a backup application.

14. The system of claim 9 further comprising a controller chip in communication between the storage device and the communication interface.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the emulation component resides on the controller chip.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the controller chip comprises firmware including additional computer-readable instructions of the health check application.

17. A system comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage device;

a printed circuit board comprising a component in communication between the storage device and the communication interface and including computer-readable instructions of a health check application; and

an emulation component in communication between the storage device and the communication interface and configured to;

represent the storage device as an auto-launch device;

receive auto-launch device commands from a data source addressed to the auto-launch device, translate the auto-launch device commands to storage device commands, and send the storage device commands to the storage device, and

receive storage device responses from the storage device, translate the storage device responses into auto-launch device responses, and send the auto-launch device responses to the data source.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the storage device comprises additional computer-readable instructions of the health check application.

19. A method comprising:

automatically launching a health check application to run on a data source by connecting the data source to a system comprising a data storage device including computer-readable instructions of the health check application;

gathering information about the system; and

processing the information.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein gathering information about the system includes obtaining historical information about the system from a log database.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein gathering information about the system includes obtaining a manufacturer specification.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein gathering information about the system includes obtaining real-time values.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein gathering information about the system includes obtaining a user setting.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the user setting can be low, medium, or high.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein processing the information comprises applying diagnostic rules.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein processing the information comprises comparing a real-time value against a manufacturer specification.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein processing the information comprises determining the utility to perform the service on the system.

28. The method of claim 19 further comprising running a first utility to perform a service on the system.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the service comprises a repair.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the service comprises maintenance.

31. The method of claim 28 further comprising running a second utility after running the first utility.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising running a second utility while running the first utility.

33. The method of claim 28 further comprising obtaining the first utility across a network.

34. The method of claim 19 further comprising initiating a scan and storing a log file to a log database.

35. The method of claim 19 further comprising initiating a scan based on a triggering event.

36. The method of claim 19 further comprising generating a warning.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the warning is displayed on a display device of the data source.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the warning displayed on the display device indicates a level of severity.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein generating the warning includes powering down the backup system.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein generating the warning includes preventing a backup.

41. The method of claim 19 further comprising gathering and processing information about the data source and running a utility to perform a service on the data source.

42. The method of claim 19 wherein processing the information comprises determining that software or firmware is out-of-date, the method further comprising updating the software or firmware.

43. The method of claim 19 further comprising launching a backup application.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the backup application performs a backup before automatically launching the health check application.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the backup application performs a backup after the health check application has finished.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the backup application and the health check application run concurrently.

47. The method of claim 19 further comprising launching the health check application again after an idle period in response to a triggering event.