Accessing removable storage management services to obtain replacement instructions indicating whether to replace removable storage

• US 7,870,427 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wada, Shinobu, Christensen, Eric Rolf, Bates, Allen Keith, Winarski, Daniel James
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P
• Application Number:
  US11/837,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 714/27, 714/42
• US Class Current: 714/27
• 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 11/073 in a memory management context, e.g. virtual memory or cache management memory management G06F12/00; testing of static memory units G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/076 by exceeding a count or rate limit, e.g. word- or bit count limit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/108 Parity data distribution in semiconductor storages, e.g. in SSD

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for accessing removable storage management services to obtain replacement instructions indicating whether to replace removable storage. Replacement information indicating whether to replace at least one of a plurality of managed removable storages is obtained by interfacing with a service computer over a network. Read/write error information for the at least one removable storage is gathered and transmitted to the service computer. Replacement instructions indicating whether to replace the at least one removable storage are received from the service computer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

managing, by a customer computer, a plurality of removable storages coupled to the customer computer at a customer site;

interfacing, by the customer computer, with a service computer over a network to obtain replacement information indicating whether to replace at least one of the removable storages;

gathering, by the customer computer, read/write error information for the at least one removable storage;

transmitting, by the customer computer, the gathered read/write error information to the service computer;

maintaining, by the service computer, error rate threshold information specific to different removable storage types provided from vendors that provide the removable storage types;

determining, by the service computer, whether the gathered read/write error information satisfies the error rate threshold information specific to the removable storage type for which the read/write error information was gathered;

sending, by the service computer, replacement instructions, indicating whether to replace the at least one removable storage based on the gathered read/write information transmitted to the service computer, in response to determining that the gathered read/write information does not satisfy the error rate threshold information; and

receiving, by the customer computer, from the service computer the replacement instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating, by the customer computer, with at least one storage drive, wherein the removable storages are adapted to be coupled to the at least one storage drive, and wherein gathering the read/write error information comprises the customer computer sending requests to the at least one storage drive coupled to the at least one removable storage to access the read/write error information from the coupled removable storage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one removable storage comprises a removable storage media cartridge including a non-volatile memory device storing read/write error information, further comprising:

initiating, by the customer computer, wireless communication with the removable storage media cartridges to access the read/write error information from the non-volatile memory device in the removable storage media cartridges.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the customer computer, a request to the service computer for the removable storage replacement information for the at least one removable storage; and

receiving, by the customer computer, queries from the service computer for read/write error information from the at least one removable storage for which replacement information was requested in response to the request for replacement information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable storage manager manages a plurality of at least one storage drive and wherein the at least one removable storage comprises a plurality of removable storages capable of being coupled to the at least one storage drive, and wherein the read/write error information is obtained for the removable storages managed by the removable storage manager.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the read/write error information comprises at least one of total bytes read, total bytes written, total recoverable read errors, stop write rates, a total number of rewrites for total data set writes, and wherein the service computer uses the read/write error information to determine whether to instruct to replace the at least one removable storage.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the customer computer, a bill from the service computer for the replacement information indicating the at least one removable storage having read/write error rates that exceed the at least one read/write error threshold.

8. A system in communication with a customer computer over a network, wherein the customer computer manages a plurality of removable storages coupled to the customer computer, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium including code executed by the processor to cause operations, the operations comprising;

interfacing with the customer computer over the network to provide replacement information indicating whether the customer computer is to replace at least one of the removable storages;

receiving, from the customer computer, read/write error information the customer computer gathered for the at least one removable storage;

maintaining error rate threshold information specific to different removable storage types provided from vendors that provide the removable storage types;

determining whether the gathered read/write error information satisfies the error rate threshold information specific to the removable storage type for which the read/write error information was gathered and

sending to the customer computer replacement instructions indicating whether the customer computer is to replace the at least one removable storage in response to determining that the gathered read/write information does not satisfy the error rate threshold information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the customer computer is in communication with at least one storage drive, wherein the removable storages are adapted to be coupled to the at least one storage drive, and wherein the customer computer gathers the read/write error information by sending requests to the at least one storage drive coupled to the at least one removable storage to access the read/write error information from the coupled removable storage.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one removable storage comprises a removable storage media cartridge including a non-volatile memory device storing read/write error information, wherein the customer computer initiates wireless communication with the removable storage media cartridges to access the read/write error information from the non-volatile memory device in the removable storage media cartridges.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request from the customer computer for the removable storage replacement information for at least one removable storage; and

sending queries to the customer computer for read/write error information from the at least one removable storage for which replacement information was requested in response to the request for replacement information.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the customer computer further interfaces with at least one storage drive, wherein the at least one removable storage comprises a plurality of removable storages capable of being coupled to the at least one storage drive, and wherein the read/write error information is obtained for the removable storages managed by the removable storage manager.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the read/write error information comprises at least one of total bytes read, total bytes written, total recoverable read errors, stop write rates, a total number of rewrites for total data set writes, and wherein the read/write error information is used to determine whether to instruct to replace the at least one removable storage.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending a bill for the replacement information indicating the at least one removable storage having read/write error rates that exceed the at least one read/write error threshold.

15. An article of manufacture comprising computer readable mediums including code comprising a removable storage manager executing in a customer computer and a removable storage service provider executing in a service computer, wherein the customer computer is coupled to a plurality of removable storages at a customer site, wherein the customer computer and the service computer communicate over a network, and wherein the removable storage manager and removable storage service provider are executed to cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

managing, by the removable storage manager, access to the removable storages;

interfacing, by the removable storage manager, with the service computer over the network to obtain replacement information indicating whether to replace at least one of the removable storages;

gathering, by the removable storage manager, read/write error information for the at least one removable storage;

transmitting, by the removable storage manager, the gathered read/write error information to the service computer; and

maintaining, by the removable storage service provider, error rate threshold information specific to different removable storage types provided from vendors that provide the removable storage types;

determining, by the removable storage service provider, whether the gathered read/write error information satisfies the error rate threshold information specific to the removable storage type for which the read/write error information was gathered;

sending, by the removable storage service provider, replacement instructions indicating whether to replace the at least one removable storage based on the gathered read/write information transmitted to the service computer in response to determining that the gathered read/write information does not satisfy the error rate threshold information; and

receiving, by the removable storage manager, from the removable storage service provider at the service computer the replacement instructions.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

communicating, by the removable storage manager, with at least one storage drive, wherein the removable storages are adapted to be coupled to the at least one storage drive, and wherein gathering the read/write error information comprises sending, by the removable storage manager, requests to the at least one storage drive coupled to the at least one removable storage to access the read/write error information from the coupled removable storage.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one removable storage comprises a removable storage media cartridge including a non-volatile memory device storing read/write error information, and wherein the operations further comprise:

initiating, by the removable storage manager, wireless communication with the removable storage media cartridges to access the read/write error information from the non-volatile memory device in the removable storage media cartridges.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting, by the removable storage manager, a request to the service computer for removable storage replacement information for at least one removable storage;

receiving, by the removable storage manager, queries from the service computer for read/write error information from the at least one removable storage for which replacement information was requested in response to the request for replacement information.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the code is further in communication with at least one storage drive and wherein the operations further comprise:

interfacing, by the removable storage manager, with the at least one storage drive, wherein the at least one removable storage comprises a plurality of removable storages capable of being coupled to the at least one storage drive, and wherein the read/write error information is obtained for the removable storages managed by the removable storage manager.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the read/write error information comprises at least one of total bytes read, total bytes written, total recoverable read errors, stop write rates, a total number of rewrites for total data set writes, and wherein the service computer uses the read/write error information to determine whether to instruct to replace the at least one removable storage.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, by the removable storage manager, a bill from the service computer for the replacement information indicating the at least one removable storage having read/write error rates that exceed the at least one read/write error threshold.

22. A method, comprising:

managing, by a customer computer, a plurality of removable storages coupled to the customer computer at a customer site;

interfacing, by the customer computer, with a service computer over a network to obtain replacement information indicating whether to replace at least one of the removable storages;

gathering, by the customer computer, read/write error information for the at least one removable storage;

transmitting, by the customer computer, the gathered read/write error information to the service computer; and

maintaining, by the service computer, error rate threshold information specific to different removable storage types determined from empirical observation of error rate threshold at removable storages at customer sites;

determining, by the service computer, whether the gathered read/write error information satisfies the error rate threshold information specific to the removable storage type for which the read/write error information was gathered;

sending, by the service computer, replacement instructions, indicating whether to replace the at least one removable storage based on the gathered read/write information transmitted to the service computer, in response to determining that the gathered read/write information does not satisfy the error rate threshold information; and

receiving, by the customer computer, from the service computer the replacement instructions.

23. A system in communication with a customer computer over a network, wherein the customer computer manages a plurality of removable storages coupled to the customer computer, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium including code executed by the processor to cause operations, the operations comprising;

interfacing with the customer computer over the network to provide replacement information indicating whether the customer computer is to replace at least one of the removable storages;

receiving, from the customer computer, read/write error information the customer computer gathered for the at least one removable storage;

maintaining error rate threshold information specific to different removable storage types determined from empirical observation of error rate threshold at removable storages at customer sites; and

determining whether the gathered read/write error information satisfies the error rate threshold information specific to the removable storage type for which the read/write error information was gathered; and

sending to the customer computer replacement instructions, indicating whether the customer computer is to replace the at least one removable storage, in response to determining that the gathered read/write information does not satisfy the error rate threshold information.

24. An article of manufacture comprising computer readable mediums including code comprising a removable storage manager executing in a customer computer and a removable storage service provider executing in a service computer, wherein the customer computer is coupled to a plurality of removable storages, wherein the customer computer and the service computer communicate over a network, and wherein the removable storage manager and removable storage service provider are executed to cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

managing, by the removable storage manager, access to the removable storages;

interfacing, by the removable storage manager, with the service computer over the network to obtain replacement information indicating whether to replace at least one of the removable storages;

gathering, by the removable storage manager, read/write error information for the at least one removable storage;

transmitting, by the removable storage manager, the gathered read/write error information to the service computer;

maintaining, by the removable storage service provider, error rate threshold information specific to different removable storage types determined from empirical observation of error rate threshold at removable storages at customer sites;

determining, by the removable storage service provider, whether the gathered read/write error information satisfies the error rate threshold information specific to the removable storage type for which the read/write error information was gathered;

sending, by the removable storage service provider, replacement instructions, indicating whether to replace the at least one removable storage based on the gathered read/write information transmitted to the service computer, in response to determining that the gathered read/write information does not satisfy the error rate threshold information; and

receiving, by the removable storage manager, from the removable storage service provider the replacement instructions.