Quick failover of blade server

• US 9,229,825 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gurram, Nagendra K., Pandey, Ajay Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US13/930,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20150006950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2041 with more than one idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence

Abstract

Failover process for switching from a “failing” blade server to a “replacing” blade server. This process includes the following steps: (i) booting a replacing blade server to a set of operating system(s) including a first operating system; and (ii) subsequent to the booting of the replacing blade server, sending command data to the replacing blade server. The command data includes a command for the replacing blade server to configure itself to replace the failing blade server.

Claims

1. A computer program product for controlling, at least a portion of, a failover from a failing blade server to a replacing blade server, the computer program product comprising software stored on a non-transitory software storage device, the software comprising:

first program instructions programmed to boot a replacing blade server to a set of operating system(s) including a first operating system;

second program instructions programmed to receive, by the replacing blade server, command data while the replacing blade server is in a booted state; and

third program instructions programmed to, responsive to the command data, configure the replacing blade server to replace the failing blade server without any rebooting of the replacing blade server;

wherein;

the software is stored on a software storage device in a manner less transitory than a signal in transit; and

the third program instructions are located in an adaptation layer of the replacing blade server.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein:

the command data further includes failing server data to be used in configuration of the replacing blade server as a replacement for the failing blade server; and

the command data includes at least one of the following;

a media access control address associated with the failing blade server, a world wide port number associated with the failing blade server and/or a world wide network node number associated with the failing server.

3. The product of claim 1 wherein

the third program instructions run as runtime services underneath an operating system of the replacing blade server.

4. The product of claim 3 wherein the runtime services are runtime abstract software services.

5. The product of claim 1 wherein the replacing blade server and the failing blade servers are both proper blade servers.

6. The product of claim 1 wherein the software further comprises at least one of the following:

fourth program instructions programmed to, after the booting of the replacing server and prior to the sending of the command data, check the replacing server for good health; and

/or

fifth program instructions programmed to, after the booting of the replacing server and prior to the sending of the command data, checking the replacing server for available computing resources.

7. A computer system for controlling, at least a portion of, a failover from a failing blade server to a replacing blade server, the computer system comprising:

a processor(s) set; and

a software storage device;

wherein;

the processor set is structured, located, connected and/or programmed to run software stored on the software storage device; and

the software comprises;

first program instructions programmed to boot a replacing blade server to a set of operating system(s) including a first operating system,

second program instructions programmed to receive, by the replacing blade server, command data while the replacing blade server in a booted state, and

third program instructions programmed to, responsive to the command data, configure the replacing blade server to replace the failing blade server without any rebooting of the replacing blade server; and

wherein the third program instructions are located in an adaptation layer of the replacing blade server.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the command data further includes failing server data to be used in configuration of the replacing blade server as a replacement for the failing blade server; and

the command data includes at least one of the following;

a media access control address associated with the failing blade server, a world wide port number associated with the failing blade server and/or a world wide network node number associated with the failing server.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the third program instructions run as runtime services underneath an operating system of the replacing blade server.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the runtime services are runtime abstract software services.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the replacing blade server and the failing blade servers are both proper blade servers.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the software further comprises at least one of the following:

fourth program instructions programmed to, after the booting of the replacing server and prior to the sending of the command data, check the replacing server for good health; and

/or

fifth program instructions programmed to, after the booting of the replacing server and prior to the sending of the command data, checking the replacing server for available computing resources.