Method and system for updating status of data storage subsystem components

• US 7,486,180 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lucas, Gregg Steven, Elliott, John Charles, Kisley, Richard Victor, Cox, Aaron Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/047,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 340/505, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Components in a data storage subsystem are tracked, and their status monitored, with the use of memory devices such as RFID tags. In the practice of the invention, a component of a data storage subsystem, such as a data recording device, is associated with a memory device, such as but not limited to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, that is capable of storing information regarding a status of the data storage component. A storage controller controls the data storage component. A reader/writer operably integrated into the storage controller, wherein the reader/writer is operable to be controlled by the storage controller to communicate in a wireless manner an update of the information within said memory device regarding the status said data storage component.

Claims

1. A method for tracking information regarding components of a data storage subsystem, said data storage subsystem comprising a plurality of data storage components, said method comprising:

providing a memory device for storing information regarding a status of a data storage component;

affixing said memory device to at least one data storage component;

providing a storage controller to control the data storage component;

integrating a reader/writer into the storage controller, wherein the reader/writer is operable to be controlled by the storage controller to communicate in a wireless manner an update of the information within said memory device reading the status of said data storage component;

determining information associated with at least one of the plurality of data storage components;

storing the determined information in a database;

accessing the stored information; and

performing at least one operation on the data storage component based on the accessed information;

wherein the determined information includes a location of the data storage component and wherein the at least one operation comprises accessing the data storage component, and wherein the memory device is operably coupled to at least one of a visual and audio indicator, and further comprising;

performing a maintenance operation on the at least one data storage component, such that the determining information associates with at least one of the plurality of data storage components is based on the maintenance operation; and

indicating a response to an inquiry with the at least one of a visual and audio indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a disk failure, wherein the maintenance operation is based on the determination of a disk failure, wherein the controller updates the information in the memory device and interrogates the data storage component to trigger the memory device to indicate a response to the interrogation using the at least one of a visual and audio indicator.