Method and apparatus for verifying fault tolerant configuration
First Claim
1. A method for verifying host-side cabling in a computer system, comprising:
- determining, by a first controller, an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to a first port of the first controller;
determining, by a second controller, an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to a first port of the second controller;
communicating, by the second controller to the first controller, the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller;
comparing said determined identifiers to determine whether the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of said first controller is the same as the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of said second controller; and
providing to a user, in response to said comparing, a signal indicating whether the connections to the first and second controllers have been properly completed;
wherein said first port of said first controller and said first port of said second controller are connected to one another by port interconnect circuitry, and wherein said identifier determined for said host-side port connected to the first port of the first controller is not the same as the identifier determined for the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller, the method further comprising;
determining, by one of said first and second controllers, that at least one of the host-side ports uses a pair of host bus adapters for connection to a controller;
querying a user for the identifiers of the first and second host-side ports;
comparing the identifier entered by the user for each of the host-side ports to the detected identifiers;
at least one of;
a) in response to determining that the identifiers entered by the user do not match the corresponding detected identifiers, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is improper;
b) in response to determining that the identifiers entered by the user match the corresponding detected identifiers, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is proper.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The verification of fault-tolerant connections between redundant controller pairs and nodes is provided. In particular, a node identifier seen at one port of the controllers is compared to the node identifier seen at another port of the controllers. In response to determining that proper connections have not been made, an error or warning signal may be generated. In addition, where supported by dynamic port configuration, the ports of the controllers may be reconfigured in response to the comparison to effect proper connections. In response to determining that proper connections have been made, a signal verifying that proper connections have been made may be generated.
22 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for verifying host-side cabling in a computer system, comprising:
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determining, by a first controller, an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to a first port of the first controller; determining, by a second controller, an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to a first port of the second controller; communicating, by the second controller to the first controller, the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller; comparing said determined identifiers to determine whether the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of said first controller is the same as the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of said second controller; and providing to a user, in response to said comparing, a signal indicating whether the connections to the first and second controllers have been properly completed; wherein said first port of said first controller and said first port of said second controller are connected to one another by port interconnect circuitry, and wherein said identifier determined for said host-side port connected to the first port of the first controller is not the same as the identifier determined for the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller, the method further comprising; determining, by one of said first and second controllers, that at least one of the host-side ports uses a pair of host bus adapters for connection to a controller; querying a user for the identifiers of the first and second host-side ports; comparing the identifier entered by the user for each of the host-side ports to the detected identifiers; at least one of; a) in response to determining that the identifiers entered by the user do not match the corresponding detected identifiers, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is improper; b) in response to determining that the identifiers entered by the user match the corresponding detected identifiers, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is proper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A data storage system, comprising:
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a first controller, including; a first port; a second port; a processor, wherein instructions executed by at least the processor of the first controller are operable to determine an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to the first port and an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to the second port, wherein the processor is operable to compare determined identifiers, and wherein the processor is operable to provide to a user a signal in response to said comparison; a communication interface; a second controller, including; a first port; a second port; a processor, wherein instructions executed by at least the processor of the second controller are operable to determine an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to the first port and an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to the second port; a communication interface; an inter-controller communication link, where the communication interface of the first controller is in communication with the communication interface of the second controller, wherein instructions executed by the processor of the first controller compare the determined identifiers and provides a signal to the user indicating whether the connections between the controller ports and one or more host-side ports have been properly completed; port interconnect circuitry, wherein the first port of the first controller is connected to the second port of the second controller, and wherein the second port of the first controller is connected to the first port of the second controller; a first host, comprising; a host bus adapter having a first port and a second port, wherein the host bus adapter is associated with a first identifier, and wherein the identifier associated with the first host is the first identifier; a first interconnect cable connecting the first port of the host bus adapter of the first host to the first port of the first controller; a second interconnect cable connecting the second port of the host bus adapter of the first host to the first port of the second controller, wherein the instructions executed by the processor of the first controller provides a signal to the user indicating that the connections between the controller ports and the first host have been properly completed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system having paired controllers, comprising:
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first means for controlling, including; first port means; second port means; means for determining an identity of a host-side port connected to each of said port means; second means for controlling, including; first port means; second port means; means for determining an identity of a host-side port connected to each of said port means and means for comparing a plurality of determined host-side port identities; a data link interconnecting said first means for controlling and said second means for controlling, wherein information regarding an identity of a host-side port connected to a port means can be passed from one of said means for controlling to the other of said means for controlling; and means for providing a signal to a user indicating whether said port means are properly connected to a host-side port; wherein said first port means of said first means for controlling and said first port means of said second means for controlling are connected to one another by port interconnect means, and wherein said means for determining an identity of a host-side port determined for said host-side port connected to the first port means of the first means for controlling is not the same as the means for determining an identity of a host-side port determined for the host-side port connected to the first port means of the second means for controlling, the method further comprising; determining, by one of said first and second means for controlling, that at least one of the host-side ports uses a pair of host bus adapters for connection to a means for controlling; querying a user for the means for determining an identity of a host-side port of the first and second host-side ports; comparing the means for determining an identity of a host-side port entered by the user for each of the host-side ports to the detected means for determining an identity of a host-side port; at least one of; a) in response to determining that the means for determining an identity of a host-side port entered by the user do not match the corresponding detected means for determining an identity of a host-side port, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is improper; b) in response to determining that the means for determining an identity of a host-side port entered by the user match the corresponding detected means for determining an identity of a host-side port, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is proper. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for verifying cabling in a computer system, comprising:
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determining, by a first controller, an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to a first port of the first controller; determining, by a second controller, an identifier associated with a host-side port connected to a first port of the second controller; communicating, to the first controller by the second controller, the determined identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller; determining whether port interconnect circuitry is enabled; determining whether the host-side port connected to the first port of the first controller and the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller are switches; in response to determining that the host-side port connected to the first port of the first controller and the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller are switches and determining that port interconnect circuitry is enabled, providing a signal to a user indicating that a connection is improper; in response to determining that neither the host-side port connected to the first port of the first controller nor the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller is a switch and determining that port interconnect circuitry is not enabled, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is improper; in response to determining that neither the host-side port connected to the first port of the first controller nor the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller is a switch and determining that port interconnect circuitry is enabled, performing the following steps; (A) comparing the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of the first controller to the identifier associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of the second controller; (1) wherein when the comparing indicates that the identifiers are the same providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is proper; (2) wherein when the comparing indicates that the identifiers are different, determining whether a host associated with the host-side port connected to the first port of at least one of the first controller or the second controller uses a single port host bus adapter; (B) wherein the determining indicates that at least one of the first controller and the second controller uses a single port host bus adapter, querying the user for host identifiers associated with the host-side ports connected to the first port of the first controller and the second controller; (1) in response to said querying, comparing said associated identifiers; (2) wherein said associated identifiers are the same, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is proper; (3) wherein said identifiers are different, providing a signal to the user indicating that a connection is improper. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification