System and method for management of mirrored storage devices storing device serial numbers
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a plurality of storage devices and a host computer which interacts with the storage devices, a method for managing identification of the storage devices for the host computer when data is replicated from a storage device of the plurality of storage devices to another storage device of the plurality of storage devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing storage device identification information for a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices on a first predetermined area of the first storage device;
storing the storage device identification information in a second predetermined location on a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices and that is used to copy the data from the first storage device; and
in response to an inquiry from the host computer regarding the device identification information for the second storage device, selectively responding with either (i) the device identification information for the first storage device or (ii) with storage identification information for the second storage device, wherein such selectivity is based on a predetermined criterion.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention is configured to create and use a special data structure containing a data storage device'"'"'s identification information for a storage device that will be duplicated. Upon such duplication, the special data is stored in a predetermined location on another device receiving the copied data and a flag bit is set to indicate whether or not the information in the data structure should be used to respond to a host inquiry regarding the identification of the storage device. Without reconfiguring the host'"'"'s operating software, the system employs a method to respond to and satisfy a host inquiry for the storage device'"'"'s identification information by employing the special data structure. This is done to avoid host conflict errors that might result from a conflict between identification information being replicated from the storage device and the other storage device to where its data is copied.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. In a computer system having a plurality of storage devices and a host computer which interacts with the storage devices, a method for managing identification of the storage devices for the host computer when data is replicated from a storage device of the plurality of storage devices to another storage device of the plurality of storage devices, the method comprising the steps of:
-
storing storage device identification information for a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices on a first predetermined area of the first storage device;
storing the storage device identification information in a second predetermined location on a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices and that is used to copy the data from the first storage device; and
in response to an inquiry from the host computer regarding the device identification information for the second storage device, selectively responding with either (i) the device identification information for the first storage device or (ii) with storage identification information for the second storage device, wherein such selectivity is based on a predetermined criterion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A data storage system that communicates with a host computer and which has computer-executable logic for managing identification of the storage devices for the host computer when data is replicated over more than one physical device, the data storage system comprising:
-
a plurality of storage devices including at least a first storage device and a second storage device, wherein the second storage device is configured to be able to receive data copied from the first storage device; and
computer-executable logic configured for causing the following computer-executed steps to occur;
storing storage device identification information for a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices on a first predetermined area of the first storage device;
storing the storage device identification information in a second predetermined location on a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices and that is used to copy the data from the first storage device; and
in response to an inquiry from the host computer regarding the device identification information for the second storage device, selectively responding with either (i) the device identification information for the first storage device or (ii) with storage identification information for the second storage device, wherein such selectivity is based on a predetermined criterion.
-
-
15. A program product for use in a data storage system that communicates with a host computer and that is for managing identification of the storage devices for the host computer when data is replicated over more than one physical device of the plurality of storage devices that is part of the data storage system, the program product comprising:
-
computer-executable logic contained on a computer-readable medium and which is configured for causing the following computer-executed steps to occur;
storing storage device identification information for a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices on a first predetermined area of the first storage device;
storing the storage device identification information in a second predetermined location on a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices that is used to copy the data from the first storage device; and
in response to an inquiry from the host computer regarding the device identification information for the second storage device, selectively responding with either (i) the device identification information for the first storage device or (ii) with storage identification information for the second storage device, wherein such selectivity is based on a predetermined criterion.
-
Specification