Handling a virtual data mover (VDM) failover situation by performing a network interface control operation that controls availability of network interfaces provided by a VDM

• US 10,146,649 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Minghui, Xiong, Tianfang, Wu, Yuanyang, Lu, Yifeng, Xu, Hongru
• Primary Examiner(s): Dudek, Jr., Edward J
• Application Number:
  US15/715,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20180095851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems

Abstract

A technique handles a VDM failover situation. The technique involves adjusting a configuration file on a first platform to indicate whether data managed by an initial VDM on that platform is being replicated to a second platform. The technique further involves, following a VDM failover event, creating a replacement VDM on the first platform to replace the initial VDM. The technique further involves, after the replacement VDM is created, performing an operation that controls interfaces provided by the replacement VDM. The operation enables the interfaces when the operation determines that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first platform was not being replicated to the second platform at the time of the event, and disables the interfaces when the operation determines that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first platform was being replicated to the second platform at that time of the event.

Claims

1. A method of handling a virtual data mover (VDM) failover situation, the method comprising:

electronically adjusting a configuration file on a first physical data mover platform to indicate whether data managed by an initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform is being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to a second physical data mover platform;

following a VDM failover event in which the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform fails, electronically creating a replacement VDM on the first physical data mover platform that replaces the initial VDM; and

after the replacement VDM is created, performing a network interface control operation that controls availability of network interfaces provided by the replacement VDM, the network interface control operation (i) enabling a set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM when the network interface control operation determines from the configuration file that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform was not being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to the second physical data mover platform at the time of the VDM failover event, and (ii) disabling the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM when the network interface control operation determines from the configuration file that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform was being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to the second physical data mover platform at the time of the VDM failover event.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein a first copy of the data resides on a first storage array that is coupled to the first physical data mover platform;

wherein the initial VDM initially manages the first copy of the data as a production version; and

wherein the method further comprises;

prior to the failover event, enabling a set of network interfaces of the initial VDM to provide host computer access to the first copy of the data that resides on the first storage array.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein a second copy of the data resides on a second storage array that is coupled to the second physical data mover platform, the second copy of the data initially forming a secondary version;

and wherein the method further comprises;

prior to the failover event, providing a replication service between the first physical data mover platform and the second physical data mover platform, the replication service replicating changes to the first copy of the data that resides on the first storage array to the second copy of the data that resides on the second storage array.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the first copy of the data includes a production logical unit of storage (LUN);

wherein the second copy of the data includes a secondary LUN; and

wherein providing the replication service includes;

creating a synchronous replication session that synchronously replicates information from the production LUN to the secondary LUN.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the VDM failover event includes encountering a failure of the initial VDM;

and wherein creating the replacement VDM on the first physical data mover platform includes;

in response to encountering the failure of the initial VDM, booting the replacement VDM on the first physical data mover platform to replace the initial VDM.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein encountering the failure of the initial VDM includes losing power to the first physical data mover platform;

and wherein booting the replacement VDM includes;

in response to restoration of power to the first physical data mover platform, automatically instantiating the replacement VDM on the first physical data mover platform.

7. A method as in claim 3 wherein the VDM failover event causes creation of a secondary VDM on the second physical data mover platform, the secondary VDM managing host computer access to the second copy of the data that resides on the second storage array;

and wherein performing the network interface control operation includes;

accessing configuration data from the configuration file, and

based on the configuration data, disabling the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM to prevent a conflict with a set of network interfaces of the secondary VDM.

8. A method as in claim 7 wherein accessing the configuration data from the configuration file includes:

reading a set of flags from the configuration file, the set of flags indicating that the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM should not be enabled, the set of flags having been set in response to creation of a replication session that replicates changes to the first copy of the data that resides on the first storage array to the second copy of the data that resides on the second storage array.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein disabling the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM includes:

creating the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM, and

placing each network interface of the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM in a “

DOWN”

state that disables that network interface of the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM, while each network interface of the set of network interfaces of the secondary VDM in an “

UP”

state that enables that network interface of the set of network interfaces of the secondary VDM.

10. A method as in claim 3 wherein each network interface is defined by a respective Internet Protocol (IP) address through which an external host computer accesses at least a portion of the data over a computerized network.

11. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

after performing the network interface control operation that controls the availability of the network interfaces provided by the replacement VDM, (i) performing a check operation that determines whether the replacement VDM is on a standby side or an active side, (ii) permanently setting the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM to a disabled state when the check operation indicates that the replacement VDM is on the standby side, and (iii) setting the network interfaces of the replacement VDM to an enabled state when the check operation indicates that the replacement VDM is on the active side.

12. Data storage equipment, comprising:

memory; and

control circuitry coupled to the memory, the memory storing instructions which, when carried out by the control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to;

electronically adjust a configuration file on a first physical data mover platform to indicate whether data managed by an initial virtual data mover (VDM) on the first physical data mover platform is being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to a second physical data mover platform,

following a VDM failover event in which the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform fails, electronically create a replacement VDM on the first physical data mover platform to replace the initial VDM, and

after the replacement VDM is created, perform a network interface control operation that controls availability of network interfaces provided by the replacement VDM, the network interface control operation (i) enabling a set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM when the network interface control operation determines from the configuration file that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform was not being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to the second physical data mover platform at the time of the VDM failover event, and (ii) disabling the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM when the network interface control operation determines from the configuration file that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform was being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to the second physical data mover platform at the time of the VDM failover event.

13. Data storage equipment as in claim 12 wherein a first copy of the data resides on a first storage array that is coupled to the first physical data mover platform;

wherein the initial VDM initially manages the first copy of the data as a production version; and

wherein the control circuitry is further constructed and arranged to;

prior to the failover event, enable a set of network interfaces of the initial VDM to provide host computer access to the first copy of the data that resides on the first storage array.

14. Data storage equipment as in claim 13 wherein a second copy of the data resides on a second storage array that is coupled to the second physical data mover platform, the second copy of the data initially forming a secondary version;

and wherein the control circuitry is further constructed and arranged to;

prior to the failover event, provide a replication service between the first physical data mover platform and the second physical data mover platform, the replication service replicating changes to the first copy of the data that resides on the first storage array to the second copy of the data that resides on the second storage array.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein each network interface is defined by a respective Internet Protocol (IP) address through which an external host computer accesses at least a portion of the data over a computerized network.

16. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium which stores a set of instructions to handle a virtual data mover (VDM) failover situation, the set of instructions, when carried out by computerized circuitry, causing the computerized circuitry to perform a method of:

electronically adjusting a configuration file on a first physical data mover platform to indicate whether data managed by an initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform is being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to a second physical data mover platform;

following a VDM failover event in which the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform fails, electronically creating a replacement VDM on the first physical data mover platform to replace the initial VDM; and

after the replacement VDM is created, performing a network interface control operation that controls availability of network interfaces provided by the replacement VDM, the network interface control operation (i) enabling a set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM when the network interface control operation determines from the configuration file that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform was not being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to the second physical data mover platform at the time of the VDM failover event, and (ii) disabling the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM when the network interface control operation determines from the configuration file that the data managed by the initial VDM on the first physical data mover platform was being replicated from the first physical data mover platform to the second physical data mover platform at the time of the VDM failover event.

17. A computer program product as in claim 16 wherein each network interface is defined by a respective Internet Protocol (IP) address through which an external host computer accesses at least a portion of the data over a computerized network.

18. A computer program product as in claim 17 wherein a first copy of the data resides on a first storage array that is coupled to the first physical data mover platform;

wherein the initial VDM initially manages the first copy of the data as a production version; and

wherein the method further comprises;

prior to the failover event, enabling a set of network interfaces of the initial VDM to provide host computer access to the first copy of the data that resides on the first storage array.

19. A computer program product as in claim 18 wherein a second copy of the data resides on a second storage array that is coupled to the second physical data mover platform, the second copy of the data initially forming a secondary version;

and wherein the method further comprises;

prior to the failover event, providing a replication service between the first physical data mover platform and the second physical data mover platform, the replication service replicating changes to the first copy of the data that resides on the first storage array to the second copy of the data that resides on the second storage array.

20. A computer program product as in claim 19 wherein the VDM failover event causes creation of a secondary VDM on the second physical data mover platform, the secondary VDM managing host computer access to the second copy of the data that resides on the second storage array;

and wherein performing the network interface control operation includes;

accessing configuration data from the configuration file, and

based on the configuration data, disabling the set of network interfaces of the replacement VDM to prevent a conflict with a set of network interfaces of the secondary VDM.