Diagnostic operations within a switched fibre channel arbitrated loop system
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- maintaining at least a first zone in a fibre channel arbitrated loop system, wherein a plurality of storage devices is included in the first zone;
determining that diagnostic operations have to be performed on a storage device that is included in the plurality of storage devices;
generating a second zone that includes the storage device on which the diagnostic operations have to be performed, wherein the storage device is removed from the plurality of storage devices in the first zone leaving a remaining set of storage devices in the first zone; and
performing diagnostic operations on the storage device in the second zone while other operations are performed on the remaining set of storage devices in the first zone, wherein the fibre channel arbitrated loop system is comprised of;
a host system;
a storage controller in communication with the host system;
a plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches in communication with the storage controller, wherein the plurality of storage devices is coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches; and
a plurality of local processors coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches, wherein at least one local processor communicates with at least one storage device via at least one fibre channel arbitrate loop switch that couples the at least one local processor to the at least one storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture wherein at least a first zone is maintained in a fibre channel arbitrated loop system, and wherein a plurality of storage devices is included in the first zone. A determination is made that diagnostic operations have to be performed on a storage device that is included in the plurality of storage devices. A second zone is generated, wherein the second zone includes the storage device on which the diagnostic operations have to be performed, and wherein the storage device is removed from the plurality of storage devices in the first zone leaving a remaining set of storage devices in the first zone. Diagnostic operations are performed on the storage device in the second zone while other operations are performed on the remaining set of storage devices in the first zone.
18 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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maintaining at least a first zone in a fibre channel arbitrated loop system, wherein a plurality of storage devices is included in the first zone; determining that diagnostic operations have to be performed on a storage device that is included in the plurality of storage devices; generating a second zone that includes the storage device on which the diagnostic operations have to be performed, wherein the storage device is removed from the plurality of storage devices in the first zone leaving a remaining set of storage devices in the first zone; and performing diagnostic operations on the storage device in the second zone while other operations are performed on the remaining set of storage devices in the first zone, wherein the fibre channel arbitrated loop system is comprised of; a host system; a storage controller in communication with the host system; a plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches in communication with the storage controller, wherein the plurality of storage devices is coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches; and a plurality of local processors coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches, wherein at least one local processor communicates with at least one storage device via at least one fibre channel arbitrate loop switch that couples the at least one local processor to the at least one storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A fibre channel arbitrated loop system, comprising:
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a memory; a plurality of storage devices coupled to the memory; and processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor performs operations, the operations comprising; (i) maintaining at least a first zone in the fibre channel arbitrated loop system, wherein the plurality of storage devices is included in the first zone; (ii) determining that diagnostic operations have to be performed on a storage device that is included in the plurality of storage devices; (iii) generating a second zone that includes the storage device on which the diagnostic operations have to be performed, wherein the storage device is removed from the plurality of storage devices in the first zone leaving a remaining set of storage devices in the first zone; and (iv) performing diagnostic operations on the storage device in the second zone while other operations are performed on the remaining set of storage devices in the first zone, wherein the fibre channel arbitrated loop system further comprises; a host system; a storage controller in communication with the host system; a plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches in communication with the storage controller, wherein the plurality of storage devices is coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches; and a plurality of local processors coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches, wherein at least one local processor communicates with at least one storage device via at least one fibre channel arbitrate loop switch that couples the at least one local processor to the at least one storage device. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An article of manufacture, wherein the article of manufacture performs operations on a computer, the operations comprising:
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maintaining at least a first zone in a fibre channel arbitrated loop system, wherein a plurality of storage devices is included in the first zone; determining that diagnostic operations have to be performed on a storage device that is included in the plurality of storage devices; generating a second zone that includes the storage device on which the diagnostic operations have to be performed, wherein the storage device is removed from the plurality of storage devices in the first zone leaving a remaining set of storage devices in the first zone; and performing diagnostic operations on the storage device in the second zone while other operations are performed on the remaining set of storage devices in the first zone, wherein the fibre channel arbitrated loop system is comprised of; a host system; a storage controller in communication with the host system; a plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches in communication with the storage controller, wherein the plurality of storage devices is coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches; and a plurality of local processors coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches, wherein at least one local processor communicates with at least one storage device via at least one fibre channel arbitrate loop switch that couples the at least one local processor to the at least one storage device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for deploying computing infrastructure, comprising integrating computer-readable code stored in a tangible storage medium into a computer, wherein the code in combination with the computer is capable of performing:
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maintaining at least a first zone in a fibre channel arbitrated loop system, wherein a plurality of storage devices is included in the first zone; determining that diagnostic operations have to be performed on a storage device that is included in the plurality of storage devices; generating a second zone that includes the storage device on which the diagnostic operations have to be performed, wherein the storage device is removed from the plurality of storage devices in the first zone leaving a remaining set of storage devices in the first zone; and performing diagnostic operations on the storage device in the second zone while other operations are performed on the remaining set of storage devices in the first zone, wherein the fibre channel arbitrated loop system is comprised of; a host system; a storage controller in communication with the host system; a plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches in communication with the storage controller, wherein the plurality of storage devices is coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches; and a plurality of local processors coupled to the plurality of fibre channel arbitrated loop switches, wherein at least one local processor communicates with at least one storage device via at least one fibre channel arbitrate loop switch that couples the at least one local processor to the at least one storage device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification