System and method for handling a storage resource error condition based on priority information

• US 7,725,768 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Vivek V., Colgrove, John A., Bezbaruah, Angshuman
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal; Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US12/183,324
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 714/2, 714/6, 714/11, 714/15, 714/16, 714/18, 714/20, 714/37, 714/38, 714/42
• US Class Current: 714/15
• 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 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring

Abstract

Various embodiments of systems and methods are disclosed for using priority information when handling error conditions for a storage resource. In some embodiments, a method involves detecting an error condition, which is associated with a storage resource, and selecting an error-correcting action in response to detection of the error condition. Selection of the error-correcting action is based on priority information. The priority information identifies respective priorities of several applications. At least one of the applications uses the storage resource when accessing application data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an error condition,

wherein the error condition is associated with a storage resource, and

wherein an application uses the storage resource to access application data; and

selecting an error-correcting action, in response to detection of the error condition,

wherein the selecting the error-correcting action is based on priority information,

wherein the priority information indicates respective priorities of a plurality of applications, and

wherein the plurality of applications comprises the application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the error condition creates a conflict between one or more of the applications,

the conflict arises when more than one of the applications are contending for use of the storage resource, and

the selecting the error-correcting action resolves the conflict in favor of a higher-priority application of the applications.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the error condition comprises:

detecting a failure of an active path in a multipathed storage system, wherein the multipathed storage system provides active/passive access.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selecting the error-correction action comprises:

selecting a new path in the multipathed storage system, wherein the selecting the new path is dependent upon whether the new path couples the multipathed storage system to a computing device executing a higher-priority application; and

assigning an active role to the new path.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein

a cluster comprises a plurality of computing devices, the computing devices comprising the computing device;

and

the new path does not couple a majority of the computing devices to the multipathed storage system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the error condition comprises:

detecting a failure of one or more storage devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

the one or more storage devices store application data for more than one of the applications, and

the method further comprises selecting a first portion of the application data to be recovered prior to recovery of a second portion of the application data,

wherein

the first portion of the application data is used by a higher-priority application of the applications, and

the second portion of the application data is used by a lower-priority application of the applications.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selecting the error-correcting action comprises:

selecting an additional one of a plurality of storage devices, wherein the additional one of the storage devices stores redundant data for a lower-priority application prior to being selected; and

recovering application data for a higher-priority application on the additional one of the storage devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein

the failure of the one of the storage devices causes a decrease in a redundancy level of the higher-priority application;

and

the recovering application data for the higher-priority application on the additional one of the storage devices restores the redundancy level of the higher-priority application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

the detecting the error condition comprises detecting that an amount of available storage space for use by a first file system is less than a threshold amount,

the first file system manages application data for a first application of the applications,

the priority information indicates that the first application is a higher-priority application,

the selecting the error-correcting action comprises selecting a storage device to allocate to the file system,

the storage device stores redundant data for a second application, and

the priority information indicates that the second application is a lower-priority application.

11. A system comprising:

means for detecting an error condition,

wherein the error condition is associated with a storage resource, and

wherein an application uses the storage resource to access application data; and

means for selecting an error-correcting action, in response to detection of the error condition,

wherein the selecting the error-correcting action is based on priority information,

wherein the priority information indicates respective priorities of a plurality of applications, and

wherein the plurality of applications comprises the application.

12. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to;

detect an error condition,

wherein the error condition is associated with a storage resource, and

wherein an application uses the storage resource to access application data; and

select an error-correcting action, in response to detection of the error condition,

wherein selection of the error-correcting action is based on priority information,

wherein the priority information indicates respective priorities of a plurality of applications, and

wherein the plurality of applications comprises the application.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

the error condition creates a conflict between a plurality of applications,

the conflict arises when more than one of the applications are contending for use of a storage resource, and

selection of the error-correcting action resolves the conflict in favor of a higher-priority application of the applications.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein

detection of the error condition comprises detection of a failure of an active path in a multipathed storage system,

the multipathed storage system provides active/passive access, and

selection of the error-correction action comprises:

selection of a new path in the multipathed storage system, wherein

the selecting the new path is dependent upon whether the new path couples the multipathed storage system to a computing device executing a higher-priority application; and

assignment of an active role to the new path.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein

detection of the error condition comprises detection of a failure of one or more storage devices,

the one or more storage devices store application data for more than one of the applications,

selection of the error-correcting action comprises selection of a first portion of the application data to be recovered prior to recovery of a second portion of the application data,

the first portion of the application data is used by a higher-priority application of the applications, and

the second portion of the application data is used by a lower-priority application of the applications.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein

detection of the error condition comprises detection of an amount of available storage space for use by a first file system being less than a threshold amount,

the first file system manages application data for a first application of the applications,

the priority information indicates that the first application is a higher-priority application,

selection of the error-correcting action comprises selection of a storage device to allocate to the file system,

the storage device stores redundant data for a second application of the applications, and

the priority information indicates that the second application is a lower-priority application.

17. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions executable to:

detect an error condition,

wherein the error condition is associated with a storage resource, and

wherein an application uses the storage resource to access application data; and

select an error-correcting action, in response to detection of the error condition,

wherein selection of the error-correcting action is based on priority information,

wherein the priority information indicates respective priorities of a plurality of applications, and

wherein the plurality of applications comprises the application.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein

the error condition creates a conflict between a plurality of applications,

the conflict arises when more than one of the applications are contending for use of a storage resource, and

selection of the error-correcting action resolves the conflict in favor of a higher-priority application of the applications.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein

detection of the error condition comprises detection of a failure of an active path in a multipathed storage system,

the multipathed storage system provides active/passive access, and

selection of the error-correction action comprises:

selection of a new path in the multipathed storage system, wherein

the selection of the new path is dependent upon whether the new path couples the multipathed storage system to a computing device executing a higher-priority application; and

assigning an active role to the new path.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein

detection of the error condition comprises detection of a failure of one or more storage devices,

the one or more storage devices store application data for more than one of the applications,

selection of the error-correcting action comprises selection of a first portion of the application data to be recovered prior to recovery of a second portion of the application data,

the first portion of the application data is used by a higher-priority application of the applications, and

the second portion of the application data is used by a lower-priority application of the applications.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein

detection of the error condition comprises:

detection that an amount of available storage space for use by a first file system is less than a threshold amount,

the first file system manages application data for a first application of the applications,

the priority information indicates that the first application is a higher-priority application,

selection of the error-correcting action comprises selection of a storage device to allocate to the file system,

the storage device stores redundant data for a second application, and

the priority information indicates that the second application is a lower-priority application.