Network addressable storage controller with storage drive profile comparison

• US 9,081,828 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Rubrik, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Igneous Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Timothy Rex, Hughes, Jeffrey Douglas, Rakitzis, Triantaphyllos Byron, Bhageshpur, Kiran V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, Gabriel
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTINO, PAUL F
• Application Number:
  US14/596,179
• Time in Patent Office: 182 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis
• 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 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2017 where memory access, memory control or I/O control functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005; redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3034 where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing 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 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards a controller that provides individual network accessibility to a storage drive. The controller may include a first connector operative to couple with a storage-drive connector, a second connector operative to couple with a backplane connector of a multi-storage-drive chassis, memory, and processor. The controller may convert communication received through the first connector into an Ethernet protocol for output through the second connector, and convert communication received through the second connector into a storage-drive protocol for output through the first connector. A physical shape of the controller may fit adjacent to the storage-drive connector and occupy less space than is bounded by peripheral edges of an end of a separate housing of a storage drive coupled to the storage-drive connector. The controller may manage power provided to the storage drive and may coordinate with other controllers to manage power-up sequences of multiple storage drives.

Claims

1. A wireless controller computer, comprising:

a first connector that is operative to be coupled with a storage-drive connector of a storage drive;

a wireless interface that is operative to wirelessly communicate via a waveguide, located in a multi-storage-drive chassis, with one or more other wireless controller computers and a radio adapter that provides communication over a network with one or more network computers;

a memory device for storing instructions;

a processor device that is operative to execute the instructions to perform actions, including;

converting at least a portion of communication received through the first connector from a storage-drive protocol into an Ethernet protocol for output through the wireless interface;

converting at least a portion of communication received through the wireless interface from the Ethernet protocol into the storage-drive protocol for output through the first connector;

wirelessly communicating with one or more other wireless controller computers to cooperatively manage operation of the storage drive and one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled to the one or more other wireless controller computers;

monitoring performance of the storage drive;

generating a profile for the storage drive based on the monitored performance;

determining if the storage drive is potentially failing based on variations in the storage drive'"'"'s profile as compared to profiles for the one or more other storage drives that is correspondingly coupled to one or more other wireless controller computers; and

providing an alert regarding the determined potentially failing storage drive.

2. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein the wireless controller computer is operative to communicate—

independent of the radio adapter—

with the one or more other wireless controller computers to manage power-up sequences of the storage drive and the at least one other storage drive correspondingly coupled with the one or more other wireless controller computers.

3. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein the wireless controller computer is operative to communicate—

independent of the radio adapter—

with the at least one or more other wireless controller computers to manage distributed data storage and recovery between the storage drive and the one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled with the one or more other wireless controller computers.

4. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein the wireless controller computer enables the storage drive to be network addressable independent and separate from other storage drives.

5. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one storage drive is a different type than another type of the storage drive; and

a physical shape of the wireless controller computer is operative to fit adjacent to the storage-drive connector and occupy less space than is bounded by peripheral edges of an end of a separate housing of the storage drive coupled to the storage-drive connector.

6. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein the processor device is operative to execute further instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

determining a profile of the storage drive, wherein the profile includes at least a history of one or more of power consumption, temperature, or latency of the storage drive; and

determining when the storage drive is exhibiting failure characteristics based on a comparison of the profile to with other profiles of other storage drives.

7. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein communicating with the one or more other wireless controller computers includes:

communicating with one or more of the other wireless controller computers or a network computer to cooperatively manage operation of the storage drive and the at least one other storage drive.

8. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein the first connector is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) connector, and wherein the wireless interface supports at least one standard protocol, including WiFi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15.1), WiMax (IEEE 802.16), or MiWi (IEEE 802.15.4).

9. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein the processor device is operative to execute further instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

providing a request to backup the storage drive to an administrator of the storage drive;

alerting the administrator of the storage drive of a potentially failing storage drive; and

modifying an amount of power supplied to the storage drive.

10. The wireless controller computer of claim 1, wherein the processor device is operative to execute further instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

determining one or more parameters of the storage drive;

determining a power supply of the multi-storage-drive chassis;

determining one or more power-up sequences for the storage drive based on the determined storage drive parameters and the determined power supply; and

employing one of the one or more power-up sequences that is optimal based on a request to access data on at least the storage drive.

11. A system for managing operation of a plurality of storage drives, comprising:

a wireless multi-storage-drive chassis, including;

a power supply for supplying power to the plurality of storage drives and a plurality of wireless controller computers that are correspondingly coupled to each storage drive;

a backplane for enabling communication with each storage drive located within the chassis;

a radio adapter for providing wireless communication between each wireless controller computer and communication over a network with a network computer; and

each of the plurality of wireless controller computers, including;

a first connector that is operative to be coupled with a storage-drive connector of a storage drive;

a wireless interface that is operative to wirelessly communicate via a waveguide with the radio adapter and one or more other wireless controller computers;

a memory device for storing instructions;

a processor device that is operative to execute the instructions to perform actions, including;

converting one or more portions of communication received through the first connector from a storage-drive protocol into an Ethernet protocol for output through the wireless interface;

converting one or more portions of communication received through the wireless interface from the Ethernet protocol into the storage-drive protocol for output through the first connector;

communicating with one or more other wireless controller computers to cooperatively manage operation of the storage drive and one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled to one or more other wireless controller computers;

monitoring performance of the storage drive;

generating a profile for the storage drive based on the monitored performance;

determining if the storage drive is potentially failing based on variations in the storage drive'"'"'s profile as compared to profiles for the one or more other storage drives that is correspondingly coupled to one or more other wireless controller computers; and

providing an alert regarding the determined potentially failing storage drive.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each wireless controller computer is operative to communicate—

independent of the radio adapter—

with one or more other wireless controller computers to manage power-up sequences of the storage drive and one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled with the one or more other wireless controller computers.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein each wireless controller computer is operative to communicate—

independent of the radio adapter—

with one or more other wireless controller computers to manage distributed data storage and recovery between the storage drive and one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled with the one or more other wireless controller computers.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein each wireless controller computer enables the storage drive to be network addressable independent and separate from other storage drives.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

one or more storage drives is a different type than another type of the storage drives; and

a physical shape of the wireless controller computer is operative to fit adjacent to the storage-drive connector and occupy less space than is bounded by peripheral edges of an end of a separate housing of the storage drive coupled to the storage-drive connector.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor device is operative to execute further instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

determining one or more profiles of the storage drive, wherein the profile includes one or more of a history of one or more of power consumption, temperature, or latency of the storage drive; and

determining when the storage drive is exhibiting failure characteristics based on a comparison of the one or more profile to other profiles determined for other storage drives.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein communicating with the one or more other wireless controller computers includes:

communicating with one or more other wireless controller computers or a network computer to cooperatively manage operation of the storage drive and one or more other storage drives.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the first connector is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) connector and the wireless interface supports at least one standard protocol, including WiFi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15.1), WiMax (IEEE 802.16), or MiWi (IEEE 802.15.4).

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor device is operative to execute further instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

providing a request to backup the storage drive to an administrator of the storage drive;

alerting the administrator of the storage drive of a potentially failing storage drive; and

modifying an amount of power supplied to the storage drive.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor device is operative to execute further instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

determining one or more parameters of the storage drive;

determining a power supply of the multi-storage-drive chassis;

determining one or more power-up sequences for the storage drive based on the determined storage drive parameters and the determined power supply; and

employing one of the one or more power-up sequences that is optimal based on a request to access data on the storage drive.

21. A method for employing a wireless controller computer to manage operation of a storage drive coupled to the wireless controller computer in a wireless multi-storage-drive chassis, wherein the wireless controller computer performs actions, comprising:

converting one or more portions of communication received through a first connector of the wireless controller computer from a storage-drive protocol into an Ethernet protocol for output through a wireless interface of the wireless controller computer, wherein the first connector is operative to be coupled with a storage-drive connector of the storage drive;

converting one or more portions of communication received through the wireless interface from the Ethernet protocol into the storage-drive protocol for output through the first connector, wherein the wireless interface is operative to communicate wirelessly via a waveguide with a radio adapter that provides communication over a network with one or more network computers;

wirelessly communicating with one or more other wireless controller computers to cooperatively manage operation of the storage drive and one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled to one or more other wireless controller computers;

monitoring performance of the storage drive;

generating a profile for the storage drive based on the monitored performance;

determining when the storage drive is potentially failing based on variations in the storage drive'"'"'s profile as compared to profiles determined for one or more other storage drives that is correspondingly coupled to the one or more other wireless controller computers; and

providing an alert regarding the determined potentially failing storage drive.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless controller computer performs further actions, including:

providing a request to backup the storage drive to an administrator of the storage drive;

alerting the storage drive administrator of the potentially failing storage drive; and

modifying an amount of power supplied to the storage drive.

23. The method claim 21, wherein the wireless controller computer performs further actions, including:

determining one or more parameters of the storage drive;

determining a power supply of the multi-storage-drive chassis;

determining one or more power-up sequences for the storage drive based on the determined storage drive parameters and the determined power supply; and

employing one of the one or more power-up sequences that is optimal based on a request to access data on at least the storage drive.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein communicating with one or more other wireless controller computers, includes:

communicating—

independent of the radio adapter—

with the one or more other wireless controller computers to manage power-up sequences of the storage drive and the one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled with one or more other wireless controller computers.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein communicating with the one or more other wireless controller computers, includes:

communicating—

independent of the radio adapter—

with the one or more other wireless controller computers to manage distributed data storage and recovery between the storage drive and the one or more other storage drives correspondingly coupled with the one or more other wireless controller computers.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the storage drive is independently network addressable and separate from other storage drives, and wherein a physical shape of the wireless controller computer is operative to fit adjacent to the storage-drive connector and occupy less space than is bounded by peripheral edges of an end of a separate housing of the storage drive coupled to the storage-drive connector.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless controller computer performs further actions, comprising:

determining a profile of the storage drive, wherein the profile includes at least a history of at least one of power consumption, temperature, or latency of the storage drive; and

determining when the storage drive is exhibiting failure characteristics based on a comparison of the profile to with other profiles of other storage drives.