REDUNDANT ARRAY OF INDEPENDENT DISK (RAID) STORAGE RECOVERY

• US 20120089867A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fairhurst, Matthew J., Scales, William J., Bartlett, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,619,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/6.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1088 Reconstruction on already foreseen single or plurality of spare disks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1645 and the comparison itself uses redundant hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes a storage subsystem having an array of storage devices; a receiving component for receiving an error message; a determining component for determining that the error message indicates that a storage device has failed; a collecting component for collecting an array record having storage device characteristics of the failed storage device; a collating component for collating a candidate record having a plurality of candidate entries; a comparing component for comparing storage device characteristics of the failed storage device of the array record with the storage device characteristics of each of the candidate entries; and an identifying component for identifying a first candidate storage device having storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device or a second candidate storage device having storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device.

Claims

1. A system for managing storage devices, comprising:

a storage subsystem comprising an array of storage devices;

a receiving component adapted for receiving an error message;

a determining component adapted for determining that the error message indicates that at least one storage device in the array of storage devices has failed;

a collecting component adapted for collecting an array record comprising storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to determining that the error message indicates that the at least one storage device has failed;

a collating component adapted for collating a candidate record comprising a plurality of candidate entries, wherein each candidate entry comprises storage device characteristics for one of a plurality of candidate storage devices;

a comparing component adapted for comparing storage device characteristics of the failed storage device of the array record with the storage device characteristics of each of the candidate entries; and

an identifying component adapted for;

identifying a first candidate storage device having storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to the comparing component identifying a candidate entry that matches the storage device of the array record; and

identifying a second candidate storage device having storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to the comparing component not identifying a candidate entry that matches the failed storage device of the array record.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein storage device characteristics comprise at least one of:

storage device capacity;

storage device type;

storage device bandwidth;

storage device speed;

storage device input/output group;

storage device chain identification;

storage device enclosure identification; and

storage device slot identification.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an exchanging component adapted for;

exchanging the failed storage device with the first candidate storage device in response to the identifying component identifying that the first candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device;

or

exchanging the failed storage device with the second candidate storage device in response to the identifying component identifying that the second candidate storage device has storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device; and

an adding component adapted for adding a candidate entry comprising storage device characteristics associated with either the first or second candidate storage device to the candidate record,

wherein the receiving component is further adapted for receiving an update message,

wherein the update message indicates that the plurality of candidate storage devices comprises either the first candidate storage device or the second candidate storage device in response to the exchanging component exchanging the failed storage device with either the first candidate storage device or the second candidate storage device,

wherein the comparing component is further adapted for comparing the array record with the candidate entries of a third candidate storage device and either the first candidate storage device or the second candidate storage device, and

exchanging either the first or second candidate storage device with the third candidate storage device in response to determining that the third candidate storage device has more similar storage device characteristics to the storage device characteristics of the array of storage devices than the first or second candidate storage device; and

concurrently copying data from the array of storage devices onto either the first, second, or third candidate storage device.

3. The system as recited in claim l, further comprising an exchanging component adapted for:

exchanging the failed storage device with the first candidate storage device in response to the identifying component identifying that the first candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device;

or

exchanging the failed storage device with the second candidate storage device in response to the identifying component identifying that the second candidate storage device has storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the exchanging component is further adapted for concurrently copying data from one or more rage devices of the array of storage devices onto either the first or second candidate storage device,

5. The system as recited in claim 3, further comprising an adding component adapted for adding a candidate entry comprising storage device characteristics associated with either the first or second candidate storage device to the candidate record,

wherein the receiving component is further adapted for receiving an update message,

wherein the update message indicates that the plurality of candidate storage devices comprises either the first or second candidate storage device in response to the exchanging component exchanging the failed storage device with either the first or second candidate storage device,

wherein the comparing component is further adapted for comparing the array record with the candidate entries of a third candidate storage device and either the first or second candidate storage device, and

wherein the exchanging component is further adapted for exchanging either the first or second candidate storage device with the third candidate storage device in response to determining that the third candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that are more similar to the storage device characteristics of the array of storage devices than the first or second candidate storage device.

6. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the exchanging component is further adapted for concurrently copying data from one or more storage devices of the array of storage devices onto either the first, second, or third candidate storage device.

8. A method for managing storage devices in a storage subsystem ha ring an array of storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving an error message;

determining that the error message indicates that at least one storage device in the array of storage devices has failed;

collecting an array record comprising storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to the determining that the error message indicates that the at least one storage device has failed;

collating a candidate record comprising a plurality of candidate entries, wherein each candidate entry comprises storage device characteristics for one of a plurality of candidate storage devices;

comparing storage device characteristics of the failed storage device of the array record with the storage device characteristics of each of the candidate entries;

identifying a first candidate storage device having storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to identifying a candidate entry that matches the storage device of the array record; and

identifying a second candidate storage device having storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to not identifying a candidate entry that matches the failed storage device of the array record.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the storage device characteristics comprise at least one of:

storage device capacity;

storage device type;

storage device bandwidth;

storage device speed;

storage device input/output group;

storage device chain identification;

storage device enclosure identification; and

storage device slot identification.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising exchanging the faded storage device with the first candidate storage device in response to identifying that the first candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device or exchanging the failed storage device with the second candidate storage device in response to identifying that the second candidate storage device has storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

adding a candidate entry comprising storage device characteristics associated with either the first or second candidate storage device to the candidate record,

receiving an update message indicating that the plurality of candidate storage devices comprises either the first or second candidate storage device in response to exchanging the faded storage device with either the first or second candidate storage device;

comparing the array record with the candidate entries of a third candidate storage device and either the first or second candidate storage device; and

exchanging either the first or second candidate storage device with the third candidate storage device in response to determining that the third candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that are more similar to the storage device characteristics of the array of storage devices than the first or second candidate storage device.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising concurrently copying data from one or more storage devices of the array of storage devices onto either the first, second, or third candidate storage device.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

exchanging the failed storage device with the first candidate storage device in response to identifying that the first candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device or exchanging the failed storage device with the second candidate storage device in response to identifying that the second candidate storage device has storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device;

adding a candidate entry comprising storage device characteristics associated with either the first or second candidate storage device to the candidate record;

receiving an update message indicating that the plurality of candidate storage devices comprises either the first or second candidate storage device in response to exchanging the failed storage device with either the first or second candidate storage device;

comparing the array record with a candidate entry of a third candidate storage device and a candidate entry of either the first candidate storage device or the second candidate storage device;

exchanging either the first or second candidate storage device with the third candidate storage device in response to determining that the third candidate storage device has more similar storage device characteristics to the storage device characteristics of the array of storage devices than the first or second candidate storage device; and

concurrently copying data from the array of storage devices onto either the first, second, or third candidate storage device.

14. A computer program product for managing storage devices in a storage subsystem having an array of storage devices, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured for receiving an error message;

computer readable program code configured for determining that the error message indicates that at least one storage device in the array of storage devices has failed;

computer readable program code configured for collecting an array record comprising storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to the determining that the error message indicates that the at least one storage device has failed;

computer readable program code configured for collating a candidate record comprising a plurality of candidate entries, wherein each candidate entry comprises storage device characteristics for one of a plurality of candidate storage devices;

computer readable program code configured for comparing storage device characteristics of the failed storage device of the array record with the storage device characteristics of each of the candidate entries;

computer readable program code configured for identifying a first candidate storage device having storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to identifying a candidate entry that matches the storage device of the array record; and

computer readable program code configured for identifying a second candidate storage device having storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device in response to not identifying a candidate entry that matches the failed storage device of the array record.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

computer readable pr gram code configured for exchanging the failed storage device with the first candidate storage device in response to identifying that the first candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device or exchanging the failed storage device with the second candidate storage device in response to identifying that the second candidate storage device has storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device;

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer readable program code configured for concurrently copying data from one or more storage devices of the array of storage devices onto either the first or second candidate storage device.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured for adding a candidate entry comprising storage device characteristics associated with either the first or second candidate storage device to the candidate record;

computer readable program code configured for receiving an update message indicating that the plurality of candidate storage devices comprises either the first or second candidate storage device in response to exchanging the failed storage device with either the first or second candidate storage device;

computer readable program code configured for comparing the array record with the candidate entries of a third candidate storage device and either the first or second candidate storage device; and

computer readable program code configured for exchanging either the first or second candidate storage device with the third candidate storage device in response to determining that the third candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that are more similar to the storage device characteristics of the array of storage devices than the first or second candidate storage device.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer readable program code configured for concurrently copying data from one or more storage devices of the array of storage devices onto either the first, second, or third candidate storage device.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable pr gram code configured for exchanging the failed storage device with the first candidate storage device in response to identifying that the first candidate storage device has storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device or exchanging the failed storage device with the second candidate storage device in response to identifying that the second candidate storage device has storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device;

computer readable program code configured for adding a candidate entry comprising storage device characteristics associated with either the first or second candidate storage device to the candidate record;

computer readable program code configured for receiving an update message indicating that the plurality of candidate storage devices comprises either the first or second candidate storage device in response to exchanging the failed storage device with either the first or second candidate storage device;

computer readable program code configured for comparing the array record with a candidate entry of a third candidate storage device and a candidate entry of either the first candidate storage device or the second candidate storage device;

computer readable program code configured for exchanging either the first or second candidate storage device with the third candidate storage device in response to determining that the third candidate storage device has more similar storage device characteristics to the storage device characteristics of the array of storage devices than the first or second candidate storage;

device; and

computer readable program code configured for concurrently copying data from the array of storage devices onto either the first, second, or third candidate storage device.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the storage device characteristics comprise at least one of:

storage device capacity;

storage device type;

storage device bandwidth;

storage device speed;

storage device input/output group;

storage device chain identification;

storage device enclosure identification; and

storage device slot identification.