Virtual user interface failover

• US 7,949,893 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Knaus, Anton William, Ignatuk, James Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Duncan; Marc
• Application Number:
  US12/112,484
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 714/3, 714/4
• US Class Current: 714/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units

Abstract

A virtual user interface allows a collection or cluster of data storage devices (nodes of the cluster) to be managed remotely by providing access to cluster management software running on one or more nodes of the cluster. Moreover, the virtual user interface fails-over, such that, if a node hosting an instance of the virtual user interface is unable to continue hosting (e.g., communication becomes unreliable, hardware failure, etc.), the hosting duties are substantially automatically migrated to another node in the cluster. Further, failover rules are substantially automatically organized at an initiation of the cluster, and adjusted in accordance with ongoing events occurring in the cluster to provide an administrator with substantially seamless cluster management capabilities.

Claims

1. A method for managing a cluster of data storage devices, comprising:

hosting a virtual user interface for cluster management software on a particular hosting component of the cluster, wherein the hosting component is configured to host merely a single management virtual user interface and zero or more non-management virtual user interfaces;

determining if a failover condition occurs; and

automatically migrating the virtual user interface hosting to a different hosting component in the cluster if a failover condition occurs.

2. The method of claim 1, hosting a virtual user interface comprising providing access to a user interface via an internet protocol (IP) address.

3. The method of claim 1, determining if a failover condition occurs comprising at least one of:

detecting a hard failover condition; and

detecting a soft failover condition.

4. The method of claim 1, automatically migrating comprising:

moving the virtual user interface hosting to a different hosting component according to failover rules.

5. The method of claim 4, automatically migrating comprising:

determining a hosting component to which the virtual user interface hosting is to failover according to the failover rules when a failover condition is detected; and

automatically moving the hosting of the virtual user interface to a determined hosting component.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising at least one of:

failing over to a hosting component that has been most recently added as having the ability to host the VIF; and

failing over to a hosting component that has exhibited stable communication for the greatest duration.

7. The method of claim 4, comprising automatically updating the failover rules.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising, if a failover condition occurs, at least one of:

publishing a hosting component offline notification event to the cluster; and

publishing to other hosting components an indication that the different hosting component in the cluster will host the virtual user interface.

9. A method for managing a cluster of data storage devices, comprising:

hosting a virtual user interface for cluster management software on a particular hosting component of the cluster;

automatically configuring failover rules for hosting the virtual user interface as a function of the hosting of the virtual user interface; and

automatically adjusting the failover rules for hosting the virtual user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, adjusting the failover rules comprising:

examining respective hosting components in the cluster to determine whether the hosting component can host the virtual user interface; and

developing a list of failover rules for hosting components in the cluster based on hosting components that have an ability to host the virtual user interface.

11. The method of claim 9, where the failover rules are automatically adjusted based on events occurring in the cluster, the events occurring in the cluster comprising one or more of:

adding one or more hosting components to the cluster;

removing one or more hosting components from the cluster; and

an occurrence of one or more failover conditions.

12. The method of claim 11, the one or more failover conditions comprising at least one of:

a hard failover condition; and

a soft failover condition.

13. A system for hosting a virtual user interface for cluster management software on a cluster of data storage devices, the system comprising:

at least two hosting components, respective hosting components configured to host the virtual user interface for the cluster management software;

a failover condition detector component configured to detect a failover condition of a hosting component in the cluster;

a failover condition indicator component configured to communicate the failover condition to one or more respective other hosting components in the cluster; and

an automated virtual user interface migration component configured to migrate the virtual user interface hosting to a different hosting component in the cluster after a failover condition is indicated and configured to publish to other hosting components which hosting component will host the virtual user interface.

14. The system of claim 13, the virtual user interface comprising an access point to the cluster management software for interaction by a user.

15. The system of claim 14, the access point comprising an Internet protocol (IP) address.

16. The system of claim 13, the failover condition detector configured to at least one of:

detect a hard failover condition; and

detect a soft failover condition.

17. The system of claim 13, the failover condition indicator component configured to publish a hosting component offline notification event to the cluster.

18. A system for hosting a virtual user interface for cluster management software on a cluster of data storage devices, the system comprising:

at least two hosting components, respective hosting components configured to host the virtual user interface for the cluster management software;

a failover rule initiator configured to automatically organize failover rules for hosting the virtual user interface, as a function of the hosting of the virtual user interface; and

a failover rule adjuster configured to automatically adjust the failover rules for hosting the virtual user interface.

19. The system of claim 18, the failover rule adjuster configured to:

examine respective hosting components in the cluster to determine whether a hosting component can host the virtual user interface; and

develop a list of failover rules for hosting components in the cluster based on hosting components that have an ability to host the virtual user interface.

20. A method for managing a cluster of data storage devices, comprising:

hosting a virtual user interface for cluster management software on a particular hosting component of the cluster, the hosting comprising providing remote access to a virtual user interface;

automatically generating failover rules for hosting the virtual user interface as a function of the hosting of the virtual user interface;

automatically adjusting the failover rules for hosting the virtual user interface;

determining if a failover condition occurs, comprising at least one of;

detecting a soft failover condition; and

detecting a hard failover condition; and

automatically migrating the virtual user interface hosting to a different hosting component in the cluster if a failover condition occurs.