Maintaining computer system operability

• US 9,632,884 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Inventors: Bittles, William, Martin, Andrew D., McCarthy, Timothy F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehne, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/291,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20150006949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Maintaining operability of a network-connected data processing apparatus is provided. In response to a requirement for failover from a first resource to a second resource, one or more processors tests an availability of the second resource, wherein the first and second resources are redundant resources of a network-connected data processing apparatus that is communicatively coupled to at least one host computer. In response to a positive determination of the availability of the second resource, one or more processors initiates the failover; and in response to a negative determination of the availability of the second resource, one or more processors provides an indication of unavailability.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in response to a requirement for failover from a first resource to a second resource, testing, by one or more processors, an availability of the second resource, wherein the first and second resources are redundant resources of a network-connected data processing apparatus that is communicatively coupled to at least one host computer;

in response to a positive determination of the availability of the second resource, initiating, by one or more processors, the failover; and

in response to a negative determination of the availability of the second resource, providing, by one or more processors, an indication of unavailability, wherein the network-connected data processing apparatus is communicatively coupled to at least one host computer,

wherein a first failover is performed from the second resource to the first resource in response to a requirement to take the second resource out of operational service, the method further comprising;

in response to a requirement for a second failover from a first resource to a second resource, testing the availability of the second resource;

in response to a positive determination of the availability of the second resource, initiating the second failover; and

in response to a negative determination of the availability of the second resource, providing an indication of unavailability of the second resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein testing availability of the second resource comprises verifying, by one or more processors, the ability of the at least one host computer to failover to the second resource.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the requirement for failover from the first resource is determined automatically in response to a request to take one of more resources out of operational service to carry out one or more resource updates.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more resource updates include updates to be performed as a sequence to update a plurality of resources, wherein an update of the first resource follows a verification of the ability to failover from the first resource to the second resource, and wherein an update of the second resource follows a verification of the ability to failover from the second resource to the first resource.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein testing the availability of the second resource comprises an update controller component requesting that the at least one host computer sends input/output commands via the second resource, and wherein the at least one host computer replies to the update controller component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second resources are data storage systems or components of a data storage system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the components of a data storage system comprise storage system controllers or communication ports of a storage system.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

in response to a requirement for failover from a first resource to a second resource, testing, by one or more processors, an availability of the second resource, wherein the first and second resources are redundant resources of a network-connected data processing apparatus that is communicatively coupled to at least one host computer;

in response to a positive determination of the availability of the second resource, initiating the failover; and

in response to a negative determination of the availability of the second resource, providing an indication of unavailability,

wherein testing the availability of the second resource comprises an update controller component requesting that the at least one host computer sends input/output commands via the second resource, and wherein the at least one host computer replies to the update controller component.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein testing availability of the second resource comprises verifying the ability of the at least one host computer to failover to the second resource.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the requirement for failover from the first resource is determined automatically in response to a request to take one of more resources out of operational service to carry out one or more resource updates.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the one or more resource updates include updates to be performed as a sequence to update a plurality of resources, wherein an update of the first resource follows a verification of the ability to failover from the first resource to the second resource, and wherein an update of the second resource follows a verification of the ability to failover from the second resource to the first resource.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the first and second resources are data storage systems or components of a data storage system.

13. A computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

in response to a requirement for failover from a first resource to a second resource, testing, by one or more processors, an availability of the second resource, wherein the first and second resources are redundant resources of a network-connected data processing apparatus that is communicatively coupled to at least one host computer;

in response to a positive determination of the availability of the second resource, initiating the failover; and

in response to a negative determination of the availability of the second resource, providing an indication of unavailability,

wherein the requirement for failover from the first resource is determined automatically in response to a request to take one of more resources out of operational service to carry out one or more resource updates.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein testing availability of the second resource comprises verifying the ability of the at least one host computer to failover to the second resource.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the one or more resource updates include updates to be performed as a sequence to update a plurality of resources, wherein an update of the first resource follows a verification of the ability to failover from the first resource to the second resource, and wherein an update of the second resource follows a verification of the ability to failover from the second resource to the first resource.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein testing the availability of the second resource comprises an update controller component requesting that the at least one host computer sends input/output commands via the second resource, and wherein the at least one host computer replies to the update controller component.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first and second resources are data storage systems or components of a data storage system.