Facilitating recovery in a coordinated timing network

• US 7,783,913 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dahlen, Dennis J., Crabtree, Donald, Sevigny, Denise M., Carlson, Scott M., Dhondy, Noshir R., Smith, Ronald M. Sr., Wierbowski, Judith A., Whitney, David E., Elko, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US11/876,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20080184060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/1, 714/55, 714/2, 714/6, 714/11, 714/12, 714/13
• US Class Current: 714/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0641 Change of the master or reference, e.g. take-over or failure of the master

Abstract

Recovery is provided in a timing network. A configuration is defined for that network, and in that configuration, an active primary server is identified that provides a clock source for the network. Additionally, an alternate server is identified that can perform the role of the active primary server, should the active primary server fail. In response to a failure of the primary server, the alternate server detects the failure and performs takeover of the primary server.

Claims

1. A computer program product for facilitating recovery in a timing network, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processor and storing instructions for execution by the processor for performing a method comprising;

predefining for a coordinated timing network having a timing facility for clock synchronization a primary server and an alternate server, wherein the predefining includes a control block indicating which server of the coordinated timing network is the primary server and which server of the coordinated timing network is the alternate server;

detecting, by the alternate server of the coordinated timing network, a failure of the primary server of the coordinated timing network, said primary server having a defined role within the coordinated timing network, including being the clock source for the coordinated timing network, and wherein the primary server provides coordinated server time and the alternate server obtains its time from the primary server;

taking over by the alternate server the defined role of the primary server; and

using by the alternate server, in response to taking over, its clock source to synchronize the coordinated timing network, wherein the alternate server, in response to taking over, provides the coordinated server time.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises one of receiving a system check signal indicating the failure, communicating with a console to learn of the failure, or obtaining an indication of the failure from an arbiter of the coordinated timing network.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a dual server configuration, and wherein the detecting comprises one of receiving a system check signal indicating the failure or communicating with a console to learn of the failure.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a triad server configuration, and wherein the detecting comprises one of obtaining an indication of the failure from an arbiter of the triad server configuration or communicating with a console to learn of the failure.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a dual server configuration, and wherein the taking over comprises:

placing remaining paths of a path group for the primary server in an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the alternate server to a defined value indicating it is the primary server; and

modifying at least one configuration block to indicate the takeover.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a triad server configuration, and wherein the taking over comprises:

placing remaining paths of a path group for the primary server in an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the alternate server to a defined value indicating it is the primary server;

modifying at least one configuration block to indicate the takeover;

putting the alternate server into a takeover mode state; and

issuing to an arbiter server of the triad server configuration a set arbiter takeover mode message.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising surrendering by the primary server its role as the primary server, in response to the primary server detecting it has entered a failure state.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a dual server configuration, and wherein the failure state is in response to entering a check stopped state.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a triad server configuration, and wherein the failure state is entered in response to a loss of attachment to the alternate server and an arbiter server of the triad configuration.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the surrendering comprises:

placing one or more paths, if any, in one or more path groups to an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the primary server to a given value indicating it is not part of the coordinated timing network;

modifying at least one control block of the surrendering primary server to indicate the surrender; and

locating a clock source for the surrendering primary server.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the primary server is in network communications with the alternate server via a coordinated timing network configured to maintain time synchronization, the primary server sending server time protocol messages by way of said coordinated timing network.

12. A computer system to facilitate recovery in a timing network, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising;

predefining for a coordinated timing network having a timing facility for clock synchronization a primary server and an alternate server, wherein the predefining includes a control block indicating which server of the coordinated timing network is the primary server and which server of the coordinated timing network is the alternate server;

detecting, by the alternate server of the coordinated timing network, a failure of the primary server of the coordinated timing network, said primary server having a defined role within the coordinated timing network, including being the clock source for the coordinated timing network, and wherein the primary server provides coordinated server time and the alternate server obtains its time from the primary server;

taking over by the alternate server the defined role of the primary server; and

using by the alternate server, in response to taking over, its clock source to synchronize the coordinated timing network, wherein the alternate server, in response to taking over, provides the coordinated server time.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a dual server configuration, and wherein the taking over comprises:

placing remaining paths of a path group for the primary server in an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the alternate server to a defined value indicating it is the primary server; and

modifying at least one configuration block to indicate the takeover.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a triad server configuration, and wherein the taking over comprises:

placing remaining paths of a path group for the primary server in an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the alternate server to a defined value indicating it is the primary server;

modifying at least one configuration block to indicate the takeover;

putting the alternate server into a takeover mode state; and

issuing to an arbiter server of the triad server configuration a set arbiter takeover mode message.

15. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the primary server surrenders its role as the primary server, in response to the primary server detecting it has entered a failure state.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the surrendering comprises:

placing one or more paths, if any, in one or more path groups to an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the primary server to a given value indicating it is not part of the coordinated timing network;

modifying at least one control block of the surrendering primary server to indicate the surrender; and

locating a clock source for the surrendering primary server.

17. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the primary server is in network communications with the alternate server via a coordinated timing network configured to maintain time synchronization, the primary server sending server time protocol messages by way of said coordinated timing network.

18. A method to facilitate recovery in a timing network, said method comprising:

predefining for a coordinated timing network having a timing facility for clock synchronization a primary server and an alternate server, wherein the predefining includes a control block indicating which server of the coordinated timing network is the primary server and which server of the coordinated timing network is the alternate server;

detecting, by the alternate server of the coordinated timing network, a failure of the primary server of the coordinated timing network, said primary server having a defined role within the coordinated timing network, including being the clock source for the coordinated timing network, and wherein the primary provides coordinated server time and the alternate server obtains its time from the primary server;

taking over by the alternate server the defined role of the primary server; and

using by the alternate server, in response to taking over, its clock source to synchronize the coordinated timing network, wherein the alternate server, in response to taking over, provides the coordinated server time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a dual server configuration, and wherein the taking over comprises:

placing remaining paths of a path group for the primary server in an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the alternate server to a defined value indicating it is the primary server; and

modifying at least one configuration block to indicate the takeover.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the primary server is the primary server of a triad server configuration, and wherein the taking over comprises:

placing remaining paths of a path group for the primary server in an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the alternate server to a defined value indicating it is the primary server;

modifying at least one configuration block to indicate the takeover;

putting the alternate server into a takeover mode state; and

issuing to an arbiter server of the triad server configuration a set arbiter takeover mode message.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising surrendering by the primary server its role as the primary server, in response to the primary server detecting it has entered a failure state.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the surrendering comprises:

placing one or more paths, if any, in one or more path groups to an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the primary server to a given value indicating it is not part of the coordinated timing network;

modifying at least one control block of the surrendering primary server to indicate the surrender; and

locating a clock source for the surrendering primary server.

23. A computer program product for facilitating recovery in a timing network, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processor and storing instructions for execution by the processor for performing a method comprising;

having access to a control block that predefines for a coordinated timing network having a timing facility for clock synchronization a primary server and an alternate server, wherein the control block indicates which server of the coordinated timing network is the primary server and which server of the coordinated timing network is the alternate server;

detecting, by the alternate server of the coordinated timing network, a failure of the primary server of the coordinated timing network, said primary server having a defined role within the coordinated timing network, including being the clock source for the coordinated timing network, and wherein the primary server provides coordinated server time and the alternate server obtains its time from the primary server;

taking over by the alternate server the defined role of the primary server; and

using by the alternate server, in response to taking over, its clock source to synchronize the coordinated timing network, wherein the alternate server, in response to taking over, provides the coordinated server time.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises surrendering by the primary server its role as the primary server, in response to the primary server detecting it has entered a failure state.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the surrendering comprises:

placing one or more paths, if any, in one or more path groups to an uninitialized state;

setting a stratum level of the primary server to a given value indicating it is not part of the coordinated timing network;

modifying at least one control block of the surrendering primary server to indicate the surrender; and

locating a clock source for the surrendering primary server.