Survival site load balancing

• US 9,348,714 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Jain, Abhishek, Patel, Chaitanya, Seeralan, Deepan Natesan, Riedle, Linda Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): KO, CHAE M
• Application Number:
  US14/220,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20150269042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4.11, 714/6.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1658 Data re-synchronization of a redundant component, or initial sync of replacement, additional or spare unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 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]

Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for load balancing between storage controllers. For example, a first storage controller and a second storage controller may be configured at a first storage site according to a high availability configuration, and may be configured as disaster recovery partners for a third storage controller and a fourth storage controller at a second storage site. If the first storage controller fails, the second storage controller provides failover operation for a first storage device. If a disaster occurs at the second storage site, the second storage controller provides switchover operation for a third storage device and a fourth storage device. Responsive to the first storage controller being restored, the third storage device may be reassigned from the second storage controller to the first storage controller for load balancing at the first storage site during disaster recovery of the second storage site.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a first storage controller and a second storage controller maintained at a first storage site, the first storage controller providing access to a first storage device, the second storage controller providing access to a second storage device;

identifying a third storage controller and a fourth storage controller maintained at a second storage site, the third storage controller providing access to a third storage device, the fourth storage controller providing access to a fourth storage device;

responsive to identifying a failure of the first storage controller, assigning ownership of the first storage device from the first storage controller to the second storage controller for failover operation of the first storage device; and

responsive to identifying a disaster of the second storage site;

assigning ownership of the third storage device from the third storage controller to the second storage controller for switchover operation of the third storage device;

assigning ownership of the fourth storage device from the fourth storage controller to the second storage controller for switchover operation of the fourth storage device; and

specifying that the first storage controller is an original storage site owner for the third storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller;

assigning ownership of the third storage device from the second storage controller to the first storage controller based upon the first storage controller being the original storage site owner; and

invoking the first storage controller to provide switchover operation for the third storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller, assigning ownership of the first storage device from the second storage controller to the first storage controller for normal operation of the first storage device.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising:

responsive to identifying restoration of the second storage site;

assigning ownership of the third storage device from the first storage controller to the third storage controller for normal operation of the third storage device; and

assigning ownership of the fourth storage device from the second storage controller to the fourth storage controller for normal operation of the fourth storage device.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

responsive to identifying restoration of the second storage site;

assigning ownership of the third storage device from the second storage controller to the third storage controller for normal operation of the third storage device; and

assigning ownership of the fourth storage device from the second storage controller to the fourth storage controller for normal operation of the fourth storage device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the specifying comprises:

setting an original storage site owner property of the third storage device to the first storage controller based upon the first storage controller having a disaster recovery partnership with the first storage controller.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

setting a current owner property of the third storage device to the second storage controller based upon the second storage controller being assigned current ownership of the third storage device to provide data access to the third storage device.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

setting an original owner property of the third storage device to the third storage controller based upon the third storage controller being an original owner configured to provide normal operation for the third storage device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning ownership of the first storage device to the second storage controller comprises:

invoking the second storage controller to provide failover data access to the first storage device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning ownership of the third storage device and the assigning ownership of the fourth storage device comprises:

invoking the second storage controller to provide switchover data access to the third storage device and the fourth storage device.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising:

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller;

evaluating an original storage site owner property of the third storage device; and

responsive to determining that an original storage site owner property of the third storage device is set to the first storage controller;

assigning ownership of the third storage device from the second storage controller to the first storage controller; and

invoking the first storage controller to provide switchover data access for the third storage device.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising:

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller, providing automated load balancing of the first storage device, the second storage device, the third storage device, and the fourth storage device between the first storage controller and the second storage controller based upon original storage site owner property information.

13. A computing device comprising:

a memory containing machine readable medium comprising machine executable code having stored thereon instructions for performing a method of replication; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the machine executable code to cause the processor to;

identify a first storage controller and a second storage controller maintained at a first storage site, the first storage controller providing access to a first storage device, the second storage controller providing access to a second storage device;

identify a third storage controller and a fourth storage controller maintained at a second storage site, the third storage controller providing access to a third storage device, the fourth storage controller providing access to a fourth storage device;

responsive to identifying a failure of the first storage controller, assign ownership of the first storage device from the first storage controller to the second storage controller for failover operation of the first storage device; and

responsive to identifying a disaster of the second storage site;

assign ownership of the third storage device from the third storage controller to the second storage controller for switchover operation of the third storage device;

assign ownership of the fourth storage device from the fourth storage controller to the second storage controller for switchover operation of the fourth storage device; and

specify the first storage controller as an original storage site owner for the third storage device.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the machine executable code causes the processor to:

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller;

evaluate original storage site owner properties of storage devices associated with the first storage site and the second storage site; and

responsive to determining that an original storage site owner property of the third storage device is set to the first storage controller;

assign ownership of the third storage device from the second storage controller to the first storage controller; and

invoke the first storage controller to provide switchover data access to the third storage device.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the machine executable code causes the processor to:

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller;

assign ownership of the third storage device from the second storage controller to the first storage controller based upon the first storage controller being the original storage site owner; and

invoke the first storage controller to provide switchover operation for the third storage device.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the machine executable code causes the processor to:

responsive to identifying restoration of the second storage site;

assign ownership of the third storage device from the first storage controller to the third storage controller for normal operation of the third storage device; and

assign ownership of the fourth storage device from the second storage controller to the fourth storage controller for normal operation of the fourth storage device.

17. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the machine executable code causes the processor to:

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller, provide automated load balancing of the first storage device, the second storage device, the third storage device, and the fourth storage device between the first storage controller and the second storage controller based upon original storage site owner property information.

18. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the machine executable code causes the processor to at least one of:

set an original storage site owner property of the third storage device to the first storage controller based upon the first storage controller having a disaster recovery partnership with the first storage controller;

set a current owner property of the third storage device to the second storage controller based upon the second storage controller being assigned ownership of the third storage device to provide data access to the third storage device;

or

set an original owner property of the third storage device to the third storage controller based upon the third storage controller being an original owner configured to provide normal operation of the third storage device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for performing a method comprising machine executable code which when executed by at least one machine, causes the machine to:

identify a first storage controller and a second storage controller maintained at a first storage site, the first storage controller providing access to a first storage device, the second storage controller providing access to a second storage device;

identify a third storage controller and a fourth storage controller maintained at a second storage site, the third storage controller providing access to a third storage device, the fourth storage controller providing access to a fourth storage device;

responsive to identifying a failure of the first storage controller, assign ownership of the first storage device from the first storage controller to the second storage controller for failover operation of the first storage device;

responsive to identifying a disaster of the second storage site;

assign ownership of the third storage device from the third storage controller to the second storage controller for switchover operation of the third storage device; and

assign ownership of the fourth storage device from the fourth storage controller to the second storage controller for switchover operation of the fourth storage device; and

responsive to identifying restoration of the first storage controller;

perform automated load balancing between the first storage controller and the second storage controller at the first storage site.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, the performing automated load balancing comprising:

evaluate an original storage site owner property of the third storage device; and

responsive to determining that an original storage site owner property of the third storage device is set to the first storage controller;

assign ownership of the third storage device from the second storage controller to the first storage controller; and

invoke the first storage controller to provide switchover data access for the third storage device.