REDUNDANT SYSTEM, CONTROL APPARATUS, AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20100218032A1
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: NISHIJO, Hiroaki, HANAOKA, Yasuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare

Abstract

A redundant system includes a redundant apparatus and a control unit that controls power supplied to the redundant apparatus. The redundant apparatus includes a state management unit that manages an operational state of the redundant apparatus, and a response unit that returns the operational state to the control unit. The control unit includes a first requesting unit that requests a redundant apparatus that operates as an operation system for the operational state information, a first determination unit that determines whether the response to the request is returned within a predetermined time, a second determination unit that determines whether the operational state is normal if the response is returned within the predetermined time, and a shutdown unit that shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, if the second determination unit determines that the operational state is not normal.

Claims

1. A redundant system comprising:

a redundant apparatus in a redundant configuration; and

a control unit that controls a power supply unit that supplies power to the redundant apparatus, wherein;

the redundant apparatus includes a state management unit that manages operational state information indicating an operational state of the redundant apparatus, and a response unit that returns the operational state information managed by the state management unit to the control unit in response to a request of the operational state information by the control unit, and

the control unit includes a first requesting unit that requests the redundant apparatus that operates as an operation system for the operational state information, a first determination unit that determines whether the response by the response unit to the request by the first requesting unit is returned within a predetermined time, a second determination unit that determines whether the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request by the first requesting unit is normal if the first determination unit determines that the response to the request by the first requesting unit is returned within the predetermined time, and a shutdown unit that shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the first requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the second determination unit determines that the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request by the first requesting unit is not normal.

2. The redundant system according to claim 1, wherein:

the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the first requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the first determination unit determines that the response to the request by the first requesting unit is not returned within the predetermined time.

3. The redundant system according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit further includes a second requesting unit that requests the redundant apparatus, to which the first requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, for the operational state information if the second determination unit determines that the operational state indicated by the operational state information is not normal, a third determination unit that determines whether a response to the request by the second requesting unit is returned within a predetermined time, and a fourth determination unit that determines whether the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request by the second requesting unit is in process of switching to another redundant apparatus that is made redundant for the redundant apparatus if the third determination unit determines that the response to the request by the second requesting unit is returned within the predetermined time, and

the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the second requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the fourth determination unit determines that the operational state indicated by the operational state information is not in process of switching to the standby system.

4. The redundant system according to claim 1, wherein:

the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the second requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the third determination unit determines that the response to the request by the second requesting unit is not returned within the predetermined time.

5. The redundant system according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit further includes a switch unit that switches the redundant apparatus, in which the power supply is shut down, to another redundant apparatus made redundant for the redundant apparatus if the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus.

6. The redundant system according to claim 1, wherein:

the redundant apparatus further includes a reference unit that refers to operational state information of another redundant apparatus made redundant for the redundant apparatus, a fifth determination unit that determines whether the other redundant apparatus is a standby system if the operational state indicated by the operational state information referenced by the reference unit indicates that switching to the other redundant apparatus is possible, and a switch unit that switches the other redundant apparatus to an operation system if the fifth determination unit determines that the other redundant apparatus is a standby system.

7. The redundant system according to claim 1, wherein:

the redundant apparatus in the redundant configuration comprises an element of a virtual tape drive.

8. A control apparatus that controls a power supply unit that supplies power to a redundant apparatus in a redundant configuration, the control apparatus comprising:

a first requesting unit that requests a redundant apparatus that operates as an operation system for operational state information indicating an operational state of the redundant system;

a first determination unit that determines whether a response to the request by the first requesting unit is returned within a predetermined time;

a second determination unit that determines whether the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request is normal if the first determination unit determines that the response to the request by the first requesting unit is returned within the predetermined time; and

a shutdown unit that shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the first requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the second determination unit determines that the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request by the first requesting unit is not normal.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the first requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the first determination unit determines that the response to the request by the first requesting unit is not returned within the predetermined time.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a second requesting unit that requests the redundant apparatus, to which the first requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, for the operational state information if the second determination unit determines that the operational state indicated by the operational state information is not normal;

a third determination unit that determines whether the response to the request by the second requesting unit is returned within a predetermined time; and

a fourth determination unit that determines whether the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request by the second requesting unit is in process of switching to a standby system if the third determination unit determines that the response to the request by the second requesting unit is returned within the predetermined time, wherein;

the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the second requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the fourth determination unit determines that the operational state indicated by the operational state information is not in process of switching to another redundant apparatus made redundant for the redundant apparatus.

11. The control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the second requesting unit has requested for the operational state information, if the third determination unit determines that the response to the request by the second requesting unit is not returned within the predetermined time.

12. The control apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a switch unit that switches the redundant apparatus, in which the power supply is shut down, to another redundant apparatus made redundant for the redundant apparatus if the shutdown unit shuts down the power supply to the redundant apparatus.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the redundant apparatus that operates as an operation system comprises an element of a virtual tape drive.

14. A control method for controlling a power supply unit that supplies power to a redundant apparatus in a redundant configuration, the method comprising:

a first requesting procedure for requesting a redundant apparatus that operates as an operation system for operational state information indicating an operational state of the redundant apparatus;

a first determination procedure for determining whether a response to the request in the first requesting procedure is returned within a predetermined time;

a second determination procedure for determining whether an operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request is normal if it is determined in the first determination procedure that the response to the request in the first requesting procedure is returned within the predetermined time; and

a shutdown procedure for shutting down the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the operational state information is requested in the first requesting procedure, if it is determined in the second determination procedure that the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request in the first requesting procedure is not normal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

in the shutdown procedure, the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the operational state information is requested in the first requesting procedure, is shut down if it is determined in the first determination procedure that the response to the request in the first requesting procedure is not returned within the predetermined time.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

a second requesting procedure for requesting the redundant apparatus, to which the operational state information is requested in the first requesting procedure, for the operational state information if it is determined in the second determination procedure that the operational state indicated by the operational state information is not normal;

a third determination procedure for determining whether a response to the request in the second requesting procedure is returned within a predetermined time; and

a fourth determination procedure for determining whether the operational state indicated by the operational state information as the response to the request in the second requesting procedure is in process of switching to a standby system if it is determined in the third determination procedure that the response to the request in the second requesting procedure is returned within the predetermined time, wherein;

in the shutdown procedure, the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the operational state information is requested in the second questing procedure, is shut down if it is determined in the fourth determination procedure that the operational state indicated by the operational state information is not in process of switching to another redundant apparatus made redundant for the redundant apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

in the shutdown procedure, the power supply to the redundant apparatus, to which the operational state information is requested in the second requesting procedure, is shut down if it is determined in the third determination procedure that the response to the request in the second requesting procedure is not returned within the predetermined time.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

a switching procedure for switching the redundant apparatus, in which the power supply is shut down, to another redundant apparatus made redundant for the redundant apparatus if the power supply to the redundant apparatus is shut down in the shutdown procedure.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the redundant apparatus that operates as an operation system comprises an element of a virtual tape drive.