Storage device procurement system

• US 8,782,471 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Luning, Stephen Gouze
• Primary Examiner(s): Lottich, Joshua P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arcos, Jeison C
• Application Number:
  US12/117,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20090282200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,258 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/25, 714/43, 714/48, 714/704, 714/47.1, 709/213, 705/7, 705/26, 705/27, 705/400, 705/7.12, 705/7.26, 705/727
• US Class Current: 714/47.1
• 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 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices

Abstract

A storage device procurement system for managing storage failure and full warnings and conditions to minimize a need for storage device inventory. Such a system minimizes a need for storage system administrators to be knowledgeable with procurement options and procedures. Such a system provides for an end-to-end automated storage device procurement system by combining elements of a direct order model with elements of storage array monitoring.

Claims

1. A method for automatically procuring a storage device for use with an information handling system comprising:

installing a storage device procurement system agent onto the information handling system;

monitoring storage device failure and full warnings and conditions within the information handling system via the storage device procurement system agent;

communicating with a storage device provider via the storage device procurement system agent; and

,

automatically procuring a storage device based upon the monitoring via the storage device procurement system agent;

the storage device procurement system agent connects to a supplier customer database to determine an appropriate part to be dispatched along with associated billing, dispatch and monetary transaction management;

provides device identification tagging for dispatch and tracking;

identifies a specific location for a storage device to be installed along with any associated removal or replacement process steps;

validates that the procurement process is successfully completed; and

, provides for step monitoring record keeping and activation of human intervention for delays or problems.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the information handling system comprises a plurality of storage devices; and

, the storage device procurement system agent monitors storage device failure and full warnings for a plurality of storage devices.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the information handling system comprises a plurality of storage devices; and

, the storage device procurement system agent enables both local and remote monitoring of the plurality of storage devices.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent monitors storage controller events, identifies conditions that should initiate a procurement operation, and generates local notification of a procurement suggestion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent generates storage device procurement system agent notifications that are to a local console, to a remote console, over email or via a other preferred customer interface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent suspends a procurement process until dispatched device arrives and resumes the procurement process when a dispatched device arrives based on device identification tagging.

7. An apparatus for automatically procuring a storage device for use with an information handling system comprising:

means for installing a storage device procurement system agent onto the information handling system;

means for monitoring storage device failure and full warnings and conditions within the information handling system via the storage device procurement system agent;

means for communicating with a storage device provider via the storage device procurement system agent; and

,

means for automatically procuring a storage device based upon the monitoring via the storage device procurement system agent;

the storage device procurement system agent connects to a supplier customer database to determine an appropriate part to be dispatched along with associated billing, dispatch and monetary transaction management;

provides device identification tagging for dispatch and tracking;

identifies a specific location for a storage device to be installed along with any associated removal or replacement process steps;

validates that the procurement process is successfully completed; and

,

provides for step monitoring record keeping and activation of human intervention for delays or problems.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the information handling system comprises a plurality of storage devices; and

, the storage device procurement system agent monitors storage device failure and full warnings for a plurality of storage devices.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the information handling system comprises a plurality of storage devices; and

, the storage device procurement system agent enables both local and remote monitoring of the plurality of storage devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent monitors storage controller events, identifies conditions that should initiate a procurement operation, and generates local notification of a procurement suggestion.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent generates storage device procurement system agent notifications that are to a local console, to a remote console, over email or via a other preferred customer interface.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent suspends a procurement process until dispatched device arrives and resumes the procurement process when a dispatched device arrives based on device identification tagging.

13. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a storage device procurement system agent, the storage device procurement system agent enabling automatically procuring a storage device, the storage device procurement system agent comprising instructions for;

monitoring storage device failure and full warnings and conditions within the information handling system;

communicating with a storage device provider; and

,

automatically procuring a storage device based upon the monitoring;

the storage device procurement system agent connects to a supplier customer database to determine an appropriate part to be dispatched along with associated billing, dispatch and monetary transaction management;

provides device identification tagging for dispatch and tracking;

identifies a specific location for a storage device to be installed along with any associated removal or replacement process steps;

validates that the procurement process is successfully completed; and

, provides for step monitoring record keeping and activation of human intervention for delays or problems.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of storage devices; and

wherein, the storage device procurement system agent monitors storage device failure and full warnings for a plurality of storage devices.

15. The information handling system of claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of storage devices; and

wherein, the storage device procurement system agent enables both local and remote monitoring of the plurality of storage devices.

16. The information handling system of claim 13 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent monitors storage controller events, identifies conditions that should initiate a procurement operation, and generates local notification of a procurement suggestion.

17. The information handling system of claim 13 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent generates storage device procurement system agent notifications that are to a local console, to a remote console, over email or via a other preferred customer interface.

18. The information handling system of claim 13 wherein:

the storage device procurement system agent suspends a procurement process until dispatched device arrives and resumes the procurement process when a dispatched device arrives based on device identification tagging.

19. A method for managing storage device failure to minimize storage device inventory comprising:

installing a storage device procurement system agent onto an information handling system;

monitoring storage device failure and full warnings and conditions within the information handling system via the storage device procurement system agent;

communicating with a storage device provider via the storage device procurement system agent; and

,

automatically procuring a storage device based upon the monitoring via the storage device procurement system agent; and

wherein

the storage device procurement system agent connects to a supplier customer database to determine an appropriate part to be dispatched along with associated billing, dispatch and monetary transaction management;

provides device identification tagging for dispatch and tracking;

identifies a specific location for a storage device to be installed along with any associated removal or replacement process steps;

validates that the procurement process is successfully completed; and

, provides for step monitoring record keeping and activation of human intervention for delays or problems.