Method, apparatus and program storage device for performing fault tolerant code upgrade on a fault tolerant system by determining when functional code reaches a desired state before resuming an upgrade

• US 7,685,461 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brundidge, Jimmie Lee, Heffley, Daniel Anson, Goldberg, Itzhack, Chen, Chiahong
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy; Christopher S
• Application Number:
  US11/614,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 717/171
• US Class Current: 714/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality

Abstract

A method, apparatus and program storage device for performing fault tolerant code upgrade on a fault tolerant system by determining when functional code reaches a desired state before resuming an upgrade. A concurrent code-load to a plurality of storage controllers of a storage system is initiated. A role transition is detected. The storage system determines when the storage system returns to a desired state. The code-load is resumed when the storage system returns to the desired state.

Claims

1. A program product comprising a computer readable medium embodying at least one program of instructions executable by a computer to perform operations to provide fault tolerant code upgrades on a fault tolerant system, comprising:

initiating a concurrent code-load to a plurality of storage controllers of a storage system wherein said initiating includes initiating a command to a storage controller of said plurality of storage controllers;

detecting a role transition which causes said command to fail;

determining when the storage system returns to a desired state; and

resuming the code-load when the storage system returns to the desired state, said resuming including reinitiating said command.

2. The program product of claim 1, wherein the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failover.

3. The program product of claim 1, wherein the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failback.

4. The program product of claim 1, wherein the initiating a command further comprises initiating a quiesce command to change the storage system to a single-cluster operational mode.

5. The program product of claim 1, wherein the initiating a command includes initiating a resume command to change the storage system to a dual-cluster operational mode, the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failover, the determining when the storage system returns to a desired state further comprising determining when the storage system returns to a single-cluster operational state;

and the reinitiating said command comprises reinitiating said resume command to change the storage system to a dual-cluster operational mode.

6. The program product of claim 5 wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the code-load completed.

7. The program product of claim 1, wherein the initiating a command further comprises initiating a quiesce command and the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failback.

8. The program product of claim 7, wherein the determining when the storage system returns to a desired state further comprising determining when the storage system returns to a dual-cluster operational state.

9. The program product of claim 8, wherein said reinitiating said command further comprises reinitiating said quiesce command to change the storage system to a single-cluster operational mode.

10. The program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the code-load completed.

11. A system, comprising:

a storage system having a plurality of storage controllers which include a processor and a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a computer usable medium embodying at least one program of instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising;

initiating a concurrent code-load to the plurality of storage controllers wherein said initiating includes initiating a command to a storage controller of said plurality of storage controllers;

detecting a role transition which causes said command to fail;

determining when the storage system returns to a desired state; and

resuming the code-load when the storage system returns to the desired state said resuming including reinitiating said command.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failover.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failback.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the initiating a command comprises initiating a quiesce command to change the storage system to a single-cluster operational mode.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said initiating a command comprises initiating a resume command to change the storage system to a dual-cluster operational mode, the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failover, the determining when the storage system returns to a desired state further comprising determining when the storage system returns to a single-cluster operational state;

and the reinitiating said command comprises reinitiating said resume command to change the storage system to a dual-cluster operational mode.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the code-load completed.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the initiating a command further comprises initiating a quiesce command, the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failback, and the determining when the storage system returns to a desired state further comprises determining when the storage system returns to a dual-cluster operational state.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said reinitiating said command further comprises reinitiating said quiesce command to change the storage system to a single-cluster operational mode.

19. A method for providing fault tolerant code upgrades on a fault tolerant system, comprising:

initiating a concurrent code-load to a plurality of storage controllers of a storage system wherein said initiating includes initiating a command to a storage controller of said plurality of storage controllers;

detecting a role transition which causes said command to fail;

determining when the storage system returns to a desired state; and

resuming the code-load when the storage system returns to the desired state said resuming including reinitiating said command.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the storage system has an initial operational mode, and wherein:

if the initial operational mode is a dual-cluster operational mode, the initiating a command includes initiating a quiesce command to change the storage system to a single-cluster operational mode, the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failover, the determining when the storage system returns to a desired state further comprises determining when the storage system returns to a dual-cluster operational state and said reinitiating said command further comprises reinitiating said quiesce command to change the storage system to a single-cluster operational mode; and

if the initial operational mode is a single-cluster operational mode, the initiating a command includes initiating a resume command to change the storage system to a dual-cluster operational mode, the detecting a role transition further comprises detecting a failover, the determining when the storage system returns to a desired state further comprising determining when the storage system returns to a single-cluster operational state; and

the reinitiating said command comprises reinitiating said resume command to change the storage system to a dual-cluster operational mode; and

the method further comprising determining whether the code-load completed.