Methods, systems and computer products for user-managed multi-path performance in balanced or unbalanced fabric configurations
First Claim
1. A path priority selection method, comprising:
- directing, in a storage area network system, all I/O traffic among a first I/O data path, and a second I/O data path, both the first and second I/O data paths have a default medium priority, wherein the default medium priority is between a highest priority and a lowest priority;
selecting the first I/O data path to be a highest priority path, wherein all I/O traffic is biased to the highest priority path;
selecting the second I/O data path to be a low priority path, in which no I/O traffic is directed with an availability of the highest priority path to receive all of the I/O traffic;
selecting an I/O threshold value, the I/O threshold value indicating that I/O data load is excessive;
directing the load balance of I/O traffic to the first I/O data path, thereby placing the second I/O data path in a standby state;
monitoring the first I/O data path;
determining if the first I/O data path has reached the threshold value; and
performing a controlled failover of the first I/O data path to the second I/O data path when an I/O data load on the first data path has reached the threshold value,wherein the first I/O data path has a faster speed than the second I/O data path, and wherein the second I/O data path remains online when the second I/O data path does not have any I/O traffic directed to it.
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Abstract
Methods, system and computer products for user-managed multi-path performance in balanced or unbalanced fabric configurations. Exemplary embodiments include a path priority selection method, including selecting a first I/O data path to be a highest priority path in a storage area network system, selecting a second I/O data path to be a low priority path, selecting an I/O threshold value, the I/O threshold value indicating that I/O data load is excessive, directing the load balance of I/O traffic to the first I/O data path, thereby placing the second I/O data path in a standby state, monitoring the first I/O data path, determining if the first I/O data path has reached the threshold value and performing a controlled failover of the first I/O data path to the second I/O data path when an I/O data load on the first data path has reached the threshold value.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A path priority selection method, comprising:
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directing, in a storage area network system, all I/O traffic among a first I/O data path, and a second I/O data path, both the first and second I/O data paths have a default medium priority, wherein the default medium priority is between a highest priority and a lowest priority; selecting the first I/O data path to be a highest priority path, wherein all I/O traffic is biased to the highest priority path; selecting the second I/O data path to be a low priority path, in which no I/O traffic is directed with an availability of the highest priority path to receive all of the I/O traffic; selecting an I/O threshold value, the I/O threshold value indicating that I/O data load is excessive; directing the load balance of I/O traffic to the first I/O data path, thereby placing the second I/O data path in a standby state; monitoring the first I/O data path; determining if the first I/O data path has reached the threshold value; and performing a controlled failover of the first I/O data path to the second I/O data path when an I/O data load on the first data path has reached the threshold value, wherein the first I/O data path has a faster speed than the second I/O data path, and wherein the second I/O data path remains online when the second I/O data path does not have any I/O traffic directed to it. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A path priority selection method, comprising:
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assigning a medium priority to paths in a storage area network, wherein the medium priority is between a highest priority and a lowest priority; selecting at least one of a high and a low priority for the paths in the storage area network; directing a load I/O balance of the storage area network to a path having the high priority; and selecting a path for an I/O load based on a path selection algorithm when more than one path has the high priority, the path selection algorithm including at least one of load-balancing and round-robin, wherein if there is only one path of the one or more paths having the high priority, all I/O traffic is biased to the only one high priority path, wherein the first I/O data path has a faster speed than the second I/O data path, and wherein the second I/O data path remains online when the second I/O data path does not have any I/O traffic directed to it. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A computer program product including a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for causing a computer to implement a path priority selection method, the method comprising:
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directing, in a storage area network system, all I/O traffic among a first I/O data path, and a second I/O data path, both the first and second I/O data paths have a default medium priority, wherein the default medium priority is between a highest priority and a lowest priority; selecting the first I/O data path to be a highest priority path, wherein all I/O traffic is biased to the highest priority path; selecting the second I/O data path to be a low priority path, in which no I/O traffic is directed with an availability of the highest priority path to receive all of the I/O traffic; selecting an I/O threshold value, the I/O threshold value indicating that I/O data load is excessive; directing the load balance of I/O traffic to the first I/O data path, thereby placing the second I/O data path in a standby state; monitoring the first I/O data path; determining if the first I/O data path has reached the threshold value; and performing a controlled failover of the first I/O data path to the second I/O data path when an I/O data load on the first data path has reached the threshold value, wherein the first I/O data path has a faster speed than the second I/O data path, and wherein the second I/O data path remains online when the second I/O data path does not have any I/O traffic directed to it. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A path priority selection system, comprising:
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a storage device; a plurality of adapters; a plurality of paths disposed between and communicatively coupling the storage device and the plurality of adapters, the plurality of paths having a default medium priority, wherein the default medium priority is between a highest priority and a lowest priority; and a device driver configured to; set a path priority among the plurality of paths, the path priority including at least one of a low priority and a high priority; direct all I/O traffic among a first I/O data path of the plurality of paths, and a second I/O data path of the plurality of paths; select the first I/O data path to be a highest priority path in, wherein all I/O traffic is biased to the highest priority path; select the second I/O data path to be a low priority path, in which no I/O traffic is directed with an availability of the highest priority path to receive all of the I/O traffic; select an I/O threshold value, the I/O threshold value indicating that an I/O data load is excessive; direct the load balance of I/O traffic to the first I/O data path, thereby placing the second I/O data path in a standby state; monitor the first I/O data path; determine if the first I/O data path has reached the threshold value; and perform a controlled failover of the first I/O data path to the second I/O data path when an I/O data load on the first data path has reached the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification