SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHUTTING DOWN A HOST AND STORAGE ENCLOSURE IF THE STATUS OF THE STORAGE ENCLOSURE IS IN A FIRST CONDITION AND IS DETERMINED THAT THE STORAGE ENCLOSURE INCLUDES A CRITICAL STORAGE VOLUME

• US 6,892,311 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2002
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Pan, Weimin, Coppock, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Dennis M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/141,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20030212923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 714/24, 714/48
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability

Abstract

A method of shutting down an information handling system is disclosed. Power is provided to a storage enclosure that includes a first storage device, a first operating condition monitor, and a first operating condition indicator having at least a first status and a second status. The status of the first operating condition indicator is updated based on the first operating condition monitor. One or more storage volumes are configured utilizing at least a portion of the storage enclosure. A first host detects the status of the first operating condition indicator. In response to detecting the first status of the first operating condition indicator, the first host determines whether the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume and sends a shut down command from the first host to the storage enclosure. If the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume, the first host is shut down.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a storage enclosure connected to a power source and including a first storage device, a first operating condition monitor, and a first operating condition indicator coupled to the first operating condition monitor, the first operating condition indicator having at least a first status and a second status, the storage enclosure adapted to access one or more storage volumes;

a first host communicatively coupled to the storage enclosure and adapted to detect the status of the first operating condition indicator; and

wherein the first host, in response to detecting the first status of the first operating condition indicator, determines whether the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume and sends a shut down command to the storage enclosure; and

if the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume, the first host shuts itself down.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the first operating condition indicator is a thermal critical bit.

3. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the first status is a high temperature status.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein a storage volume containing a nonredundant operating system is a critical storage volume.

5. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the storage enclosure includes a shut down indicator having at least a first status and a second status and further comprising:

a second host communicatively coupled to the storage enclosure and adapted to detect the status of the shut down indicator; and

wherein the storage enclosure, in response to receiving the shut down command from the first host, sets the shut down indicator to the first status and begins a delayed shut down operation having a first delay;

the second host, in response to detecting the first status of the shut down indicator, determines whether the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume; and

if the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume, the second host sends a shut down command to the storage enclosure and shuts itself down;

the storage enclosure, in response to receiving the shut down command from the second host, begins a delayed shut down operation having the first delay.

6. The information handling system of claim 5, wherein the first and second hosts are adapted to asynchronously detect the status of the storage enclosure indicators.

7. The information handling system of claim 5, wherein the second host is adapted to detect the status of the shut down indicator at intervals smaller than the first delay.

8. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the first host is communicatively coupled to the storage enclosure through one of a router, hub, or switch.

9. The information handling system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional storage enclosures communicatively coupled to the first host.

10. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the storage enclosure includes a automatic shut down device coupled to the first operating condition monitor, the automatic shut down device adapted to immediately disconnecting the power source from the storage enclosure in response to a particular operating condition.

11. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the operating condition monitor is a temperature probe.

12. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the storage enclosure, in response to receiving the shut down command from the first host, begins a delayed shut down operation having a first delay of greater length than the duration of a first host shut down.

13. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein a storage volume containing a nonredundant page file is a critical storage volume.

14. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the storage enclosure, in response to receiving the shut down command from the first host, begins a shut down operation that includes logging status data to a nonvolatile memory.

15. A method of shut down, comprising the steps of:

providing power to a storage enclosure that includes a first storage device, a first operating condition monitor, and a first operating condition indicator having at least a first status and a second status;

updating the status of the first operating condition indicator based on the first operating condition monitor;

configuring one or more storage volumes utilizing at least a portion of the storage enclosure;

detecting the status of the first operating condition indicator at a first host;

in response to detecting the first status of the first operating condition indicator, determining whether the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume

in response to detecting the first status of the first operating condition indicator, sending a shut down command from the first host to the storage enclosure; and

if the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume, shutting the first host down.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first operating condition indicator is a thermal critical bit.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first status is a high temperature status.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein a storage volume containing a nonredundant operating system is a critical storage volume.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the storage enclosure includes a shut down indicator having at least a first status and a second status and further comprising the steps of:

detecting the status of the shut down indicator at a second host;

in response to the storage enclosure receiving the shut down command from the first host, setting the shut down indicator to the first status and beginning a delayed shut down operation having a first delay

in response to the second host detecting the first status of the shut down indicator, determining whether the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume;

if the storage enclosure includes at least a portion of a critical storage volume, sending a shut down command from the second host to the storage enclosure and shutting the second host down; and

in response to the storage enclosure receiving the shut down command from the second host, beginning a delayed shut down operation having the first delay.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first and second hosts are adapted to asynchronously detect the status of the storage enclosure indicators.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the second host is adapted to detect the status of the shut down indicator at intervals smaller than the first delay.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first host detects the status of the first operating condition indicator through one of a router, hub, or switch.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the first host is communicatively coupled to a plurality of additional storage enclosures.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

disconnecting power from the storage enclosure in response to a particular operating condition.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the operating condition monitor is a temperature probe.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

in response to the storage enclosure receiving the shut down command from the first host, beginning a delayed shut down operation having a first delay of greater length than the duration of a first host shut down.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein a storage volume containing a nonredundant page file is a critical storage volume.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

in response to the storage enclosure receiving the shut down command from the first host, beginning a shut down operation that includes logging status data to a nonvolatile memory.