Universal multi-path driver for storage systems including an external boot device with failover and failback capabilities
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- monitoring via a universal multipath driver (UMD) a first path to one of a plurality of virtual device objects, the virtual device objects being created by the UMD and corresponding to a plurality of functional device objects, the functional device objects being created by a plurality of lower level drivers and corresponding to a plurality of real physical devices having M device types including an external boot device, the UMD being a functional driver of each of the functional device objects, the lower level drivers controlling the real physical devices;
detecting via the UMD a failure of the first path to a first virtual device object corresponding to a first real physical device; and
performing via the UMD one of failover and failback for the first real physical device.
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Abstract
An embodiment of the invention is a technique for monitoring via a universal multipath driver (UMD) a first path to one of a plurality of virtual device objects. The virtual device objects are created by the UMD and correspond to a plurality of functional device objects. The functional device objects are created by a plurality of lower level drivers and correspond to a plurality of real physical devices having M device types including an external boot device. The UMD is a functional driver of each of the functional device objects. The lower level drivers control the real physical devices. The UMD detects a failure of the first path to a first virtual device object corresponding to a first real physical device and performs one of failover and failback for the first real physical device.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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monitoring via a universal multipath driver (UMD) a first path to one of a plurality of virtual device objects, the virtual device objects being created by the UMD and corresponding to a plurality of functional device objects, the functional device objects being created by a plurality of lower level drivers and corresponding to a plurality of real physical devices having M device types including an external boot device, the UMD being a functional driver of each of the functional device objects, the lower level drivers controlling the real physical devices; detecting via the UMD a failure of the first path to a first virtual device object corresponding to a first real physical device; and performing via the UMD one of failover and failback for the first real physical device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a machine-accessible storage medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising; monitoring via a universal multipath driver (UMD) a first path to one of a plurality of virtual device objects, the virtual device objects being created by the UMD and corresponding to a plurality of functional device objects, the functional device objects being created by a plurality of lower level drivers and corresponding to a plurality of real physical devices having M device types including an external boot device, the UMD being a functional driver of each of the functional device objects, the lower level drivers controlling the real physical devices; detecting via the UMD a failure of the first path to a first virtual device object corresponding to a first real physical device; and performing via the UMD one of failover and failback for the first real physical device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system comprising:
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a processor; a plurality of devices having M device types coupled to the processor via a plurality of adapters; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to; monitor via a universal multipath driver (UMD) a first path to one of a plurality of virtual device objects, the virtual device objects being created by the UMD and corresponding to a plurality of functional device objects, the functional device objects being created by a plurality of lower level drivers and corresponding to a plurality of real physical devices having M device types including an external boot device, the UMD being a functional driver of each of the functional device objects, the lower level drivers controlling the real physical devices; detect via the UMD a failure of the first path to a first virtual device object corresponding to a first real physical device; and perform via the UMD one of failover and failback for the first real physical device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification