Failure detection and failure handling in cluster controller networks

• US 6,934,878 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Massa, Dieter, Lehner, Otto
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo, Bryce P.
• Application Number:
  US10/104,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 714/5, 714/7
• US Class Current: 714/5.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0727 in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0614 Improving the reliability of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A cluster network may manage the detection and handling of failures in a cluster of RAID arrays by detecting failures and reconfiguring the cluster. A storage controller may interrogate its neighboring controller to determine if the neighboring controller is active.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending an interrogation signal from a first storage controller of a plurality of storage controllers to another storage controller in said plurality of storage controllers to determine if said another storage controller is active;

if said another controller is not active, the first storage controller determining storage devices accessible to the first storage controller;

examining a storage RAID array to determine, at least in part, if data in the storage RAID array is accessible to the first storage controller; and

determining, in part, if a storage device in the storage RAID array has failed.

2. The method of claim 1 including examining a response, if any, from another storage controller to determine, in part, if the other storage controller is active.

3. The method of claim 1 including sending an interrogation signal to a neighboring storage controller.

4. The method of claim 1 including examining a storage array to determine, at least in part, if data in the storage array is accessible to the first storage controller.

5. The method of claim 4 including indicating, in part, that data in a storage array is not accessible to the first storage controller.

6. An article comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, if executed, enable a processor-based system to:

send an interrogation message from a first storage controller of a plurality of storage controllers to another storage controller of said plurality of storage controllers to determine if said another storage controller is active;

if said another storage controller is not active, determine storage devices accessible to said first storage controller;

examine a storage array to determine, at least in part, if data in the storage RAID array is accessible; and

determine, in part, if a storage device in the storage RAID array has failed.

7. The article of claim 6 wherein said medium stores instructions that, if executed, enable the processor-based system to examine a response, if any, from a storage controller to determine, in part, if the storage controller is not active.

8. The article of claim 6 wherein said medium stores instructions that, if executed, enable the processor-based system to send an interrogation signal to a neighboring storage controller.

9. A processor-based system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage coupled to said processor stating instructions that, if executed, enable the processor to send an interrogation signal to a storage controller of a first plurality of storage controllers to determine if said controller is active;

determine, at least in part, if data stored in a storage RAID array is accessible; and

determine, in part, if a storage device in the storage RAID array has failed.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said storage stores instructions that, if executed, enable the processor to examine a response, if any, from a storage controller to determine, in part, if the storage controller is not active.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said storage stores instructions that, if executed, enable the processor to send an interrogation signal to a neighboring storage controller.

12. A method comprising:

sending an interrogation signal from a first storage controller of a plurality of storage controllers to another storage controller in said plurality of storage controllers to determine if said another storage controller is active;

if said another controller is not active, the first storage controller determining storage devices accessible to the first storage controller;

examining a storage RAID array to determine, at least in part, if data in the storage RAID array is accessible to the first storage controller;

determining, in part, if a storage device in the storage RAID array has failed;

examining a storage array to determine, at least in part, if data in the storage array is accessible to the first storage controller, and

indicating, in part, that data in a storage array is not accessible to the first storage controller.