Preferential allocation of processors for statesave in a storage controller

• US 9,766,982 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ash, Kevin J., Nguyen, Trung N., Tang, Maoyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tang, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US14/717,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20160342480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0778 Dumping, i.e. gathering error/state information after a fault for later diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/14 Error detection or correction of the data by redundancy in operation G06F11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

A determination is made of a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave. At least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units is assigned to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, where more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of component. One or more of the other central processing units are assigned to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a computational device, a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein the plurality of components are included in a storage controller whose state is stored in the statesave, wherein the first component is a cache component of the storage controller, wherein the cache component at least manages a cache of the storage controller, and wherein to generate the statesave processing is performed in a plurality of phases including a beginning phase that is performed sequentially, a main phase that is performed in parallel, and an optional ending phase that is performed sequentially or in parallel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has a set of defined criteria comprising:

a starting condition that indicates when to start work for the phase;

a central processing unit assignment condition that indicates which central processing units can perform work during the phase; and

an exit condition that indicates when the phase is complete.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein modifications to each phase includes:

indications to not start a phase for a workgroup comprising one or more components until a phase of another workgroup or another phase of the workgroup has already started;

indications to execute a portion or an entire work of the phase of the workgroup on a specific set of central processing unit; and

indications to increase or decrease a number of central processing units that are assigned.

4. A method, comprising:

determining, by a computational device, a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein the plurality of components are included in a storage controller whose state is stored in the statesave, wherein the first component is a cache component of the storage controller, wherein the cache component at least manages a cache of the storage controller, and wherein if after a beginning phase further processing of the cache component is necessary then additional central processing units up to a predetermined fraction of the plurality of central processing units are assigned for the processing of the cache component, and wherein the additional central processing units are slower than the at least one central processing unit.

5. A method, comprising:

determining, by a computational device, a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein;

each of a first set of central processing units are faster in terms of processing capabilities than each of a second set of central processing units;

the first set of central processing units are assigned to determine states of a cache component that manages a cache of a storage controller, a non-volatile adapter component that manages a non-volatile adapter of the storage controller, and a device adapter component that manages a device adapter for a storage device coupled to the storage controller; and

the second set of central processing units are assigned to determine states of additional components that are different from the cache component, the non-volatile adapter component, and the device adapter component.

6. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein a processor performs operations, the operations comprising;

determining a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein the plurality of components are included in a storage controller whose state is stored in the statesave, wherein the first component is a cache component of the storage controller, wherein the cache component at least manages a cache of the storage controller, and

wherein to generate the statesave processing is performed in a plurality of phases including a beginning phase that is performed sequentially, a main phase that is performed in parallel, and an optional ending phase that is performed sequentially or in parallel.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has a set of defined criteria comprising:

a starting condition that indicates when to start work for the phase;

a central processing unit assignment condition that indicates which central processing units can perform work during the phase; and

an exit condition that indicates when the phase is complete.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein modifications to each phase includes:

indications to not start a phase for a workgroup comprising one or more components until a phase of another workgroup or another phase of the workgroup has already started;

indications to execute a portion or an entire work of the phase of the workgroup on a specific set of central processing unit; and

indications to increase or decrease a number of central processing units that are assigned.

9. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein a processor performs operations, the operations comprising;

determining a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein the plurality of components are included in a storage controller whose state is stored in the statesave, wherein the first component is a cache component of the storage controller, wherein the cache component at least manages a cache of the storage controller, and

wherein if after a beginning phase further processing of the cache component is necessary then additional central processing units up to a predetermined fraction of the plurality of central processing units are assigned for the processing of the cache component, and wherein the additional central processing units are slower than the at least one central processing unit.

10. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein a processor performs operations, the operations comprising;

determining a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein;

each of a first set of central processing units are faster in terms of processing capabilities than each of a second set of central processing units;

the first set of central processing units are assigned to determine states of a cache component that manages a cache of a storage controller, a non-volatile adapter component that manages a non-volatile adapter of the storage controller, and a device adapter component that manages a device adapter for a storage device coupled to the storage controller; and

the second set of central processing units are assigned to determine states of additional components that are different from the cache component, the non-volatile adapter component, and the device adapter component.

11. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to perform operations on a computational device, the operations comprising:

determining a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein the plurality of components are included in a storage controller whose state is stored in the statesave, wherein the first component is a cache component of the storage controller, wherein the cache component at least manages a cache of the storage controller, and wherein to generate the statesave processing is performed in a plurality of phases including a beginning phase that is performed sequentially, a main phase that is performed in parallel, and an optional ending phase that is performed sequentially or in parallel.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has a set of defined criteria comprising:

a starting condition that indicates when to start work for the phase;

a central processing unit assignment condition that indicates which central processing units can perform work during the phase; and

an exit condition that indicates when the phase is complete.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein modifications to each phase includes:

indications to not start a phase for a workgroup comprising one or more components until a phase of another workgroup or another phase of the workgroup has already started;

indications to execute a portion or an entire work of the phase of the workgroup on a specific set of central processing unit; and

indications to increase or decrease a number of central processing units that are assigned.

14. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to perform operations on a computational device, the operations comprising:

determining a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein the plurality of components are included in a storage controller whose state is stored in the statesave, wherein the first component is a cache component of the storage controller, wherein the cache component at least manages a cache of the storage controller, and wherein if after a beginning phase further processing of the cache component is necessary then additional central processing units up to a predetermined fraction of the plurality of central processing units are assigned for the processing of the cache component, and wherein the additional central processing units are slower than the at least one central processing unit.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to perform operations on a computational device, the operations comprising:

determining a plurality of components whose states are to be determined to generate a statesave;

assigning at least one central processing unit that determines a state of a first component of the plurality of components faster than other central processing units, to determine the state of the first component to include in the statesave, wherein more processing operations have to be performed to determine the state of the first component in comparison to any other component of the plurality of components, wherein the at least one central processing unit and the other central processing units together comprise a plurality of central processing units; and

assigning one or more of the other central processing units to other components of the plurality of components to determine states of the other components to include in the statesave, wherein;

each of a first set of central processing units are faster in terms of processing capabilities than each of a second set of central processing units;

the first set of central processing units are assigned to determine states of a cache component that manages a cache of a storage controller, a non-volatile adapter component that manages a non-volatile adapter of the storage controller, and a device adapter component that manages a device adapter for a storage device coupled to the storage controller; and

the second set of central processing units are assigned to determine states of additional components that are different from the cache component, the non-volatile adapter component, and the device adapter component.