STORAGE SERVER CONFIGURATION METHOD APPARATUS AND SYSTEM

• US 20090006428A1
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kahler, David Ray, Sheppard, Jacob Lee, Lovrien, Kurt Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence

Abstract

In one version of the present invention, a system to configure a storage server despite an out-of-service storage adapter includes a storage array and a pair of storage servers connected to the storage array via a corresponding pair of storage adapters. The storage servers may be configured to retrieve configuration metadata from the storage array during a system initialization sequence and communicate the configuration metadata to the other storage server in case one of the storage servers is blocked from accessing the storage array due to an out-of-service storage adapter. The storage servers may also be configured to share a processing load despite the out-of-service storage adapter. The configuration metadata may include a variety of definitions and control parameters such as rank definitions, volume definitions, logical subsystem definitions, mirroring parameters, remote archiving parameters, a rank segment table, and page pointer data.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having:

computer usable program code executable to perform operations to configure a storage server despite an out-of-service storage adapter, the operations of the computer program product comprising;

retrieving configuration metadata from a storage array to a first storage server via a first storage adapter during a system initialization sequence for the first storage server, wherein the configuration metadata is essential to storing data to, and retrieving data from, the storage array;

communicating the configuration metadata to a second storage server, the second storage server connected to the storage array via a second storage adapter; and

facilitating storage communications between the second storage server and the storage array via the first storage adapter in response to an out-of-service status for the second storage adapter.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising sharing a processing load between the first storage server and the second storage server.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising detecting the out-of-service status for the second storage adapter.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising detecting an available-for-service status for the first storage adapter.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the out-of-service status is due to a condition selected from the group consisting of a fenced condition, a quiesced condition, an unconfigured condition, a hardware failure, and a software failure.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the configuration metadata comprises metadata selected from the group consisting of rank definitions, volume definitions, logical subsystem definitions, mirroring parameters, remote archiving parameters, a rank segment table, and page pointer data.

7. A system to configure a storage server despite an out-of-service storage adapter, the system comprising:

a storage array comprising a plurality of storage devices;

a first storage server connected to the storage array via a first storage adapter, the first storage server configured to retrieve configuration metadata from the storage array during a system initialization sequence for the first storage server wherein the configuration metadata is essential to storing data to, and retrieving data from, the storage array;

a second storage server connected to the storage array via a second storage adapter;

the first and second storage servers configured to communicate the configuration metadata from the first storage server to the second storage server in response to an out-of-service status for the second storage adapter; and

the first and second storage servers further configured to direct communications between the second storage server and the storage array through the first storage adapter in response to the out-of-service condition for the second storage adapter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second storage servers are further configured to sharing a processing load in response to the out-of-service condition for the second storage adapter.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the out-of-service status is due to a condition selected from the group consisting of a fenced condition, a quiesced condition, an unconfigured condition, a hardware failure, and a software failure.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the configuration metadata comprises metadata selected from the group consisting of rank definitions, volume definitions, logical subsystem definitions, mirroring parameters, remote archiving parameters, a rank segment table, and page pointer data.

11. A storage server comprising:

a host interface configured to enable communications with a host;

a storage adapter interface configured to enable communications with a storage array;

a kernel loader configured to retrieve configuration metadata from the storage array via the storage adapter interface during a system initialization sequence;

a partner server interface configured to communicate the configuration metadata to a partner storage server in response to a request for the configuration metadata; and

wherein the configuration metadata is essential to storing data to, and retrieving data from, the storage array.

12. The storage server of claim 11, wherein the partner server interface is further configured to sharing a processing load with the partner storage interface in response to an out-of-service condition for the second storage adapter.

13. The storage server of claim 11, wherein an out-of-service status is due to a condition selected from the group consisting of a fenced condition, a quiesced condition, an unconfigured condition, a hardware failure, and a software failure.

14. The storage server of claim 11, wherein the configuration metadata comprises metadata selected from the group consisting of rank definitions, volume definitions, logical subsystem definitions, mirroring parameters, remote archiving parameters, a rank segment table, and page pointer data.

15. A method to configure a storage server despite an out-of-service storage adapter, the method comprising:

providing a first storage server connected to a storage array via a first storage adapter;

providing a second storage server connected to the storage array via the second storage adapter;

retrieving configuration metadata from the storage array to the first storage server during a system initialization sequence for the first storage server, wherein the configuration metadata is essential to storing data to, and retrieving data from, the storage array;

communicating the configuration metadata from the first storage server to the second storage server; and

conducting storage communications between the second storage server and the storage array via the first storage adapter in response to an out-of-service status for the second storage adapter.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising sharing a processing load between the first storage server and the second storage server.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising further comprising detecting the out-of-service status for the second storage adapter.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting an available-for-service status for the first storage adapter.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the out-of-service status is due to a condition selected from the group consisting of a fenced condition, a quiesced condition, an unconfigured condition, a hardware failure, and a software failure.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration metadata comprises metadata selected from the group consisting of rank definitions, volume definitions, logical subsystem definitions, mirroring parameters, remote archiving parameters, a rank segment table, and page pointer data.