METHOD AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE HIGH AVAILABILITY OF SHARED DATA

• US 20070294563A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bose, Patrick Glen
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/5.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units

Abstract

A data storage system and method are described. The system may comprise a data repository to store data, and first and second storage controllers. The first and second storage controllers may be connected via at least one network device to the data repository. One or more clients may be connected to the first storage controller and to the second storage controller to access the data in the data repository via the first and second storage controllers. The second storage controller may be configured to at least partially inhibit network connectivity of the first storage controller if the first storage controller at least partially fails. The system may include a Storage Area Network providing the data repository, each of the first and second storage controllers being connected to the Storage Area Network via switch. Each switch comprises at least one fibre channel gateway and at least two Target Channel Adaptors.

Claims

1. A data storage system comprising:

a data repository to store data;

first and second storage controllers connected via at least one network device to the data repository; and

at least one client connected to the first storage controller and to the second storage controller to access the data in the data repository via the first and second storage controllers, wherein the second storage controller is configured to at least partially inhibit network connectivity of the first storage controller if the first storage controller at least partially fails.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first storage controller is a server actively providing the at least one client access to the data repository.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at first and second storage controllers are provided with a common virtual IP address to provide network connectivity to the at least one client.

4. The system of claim 1, which includes a Storage Area Network providing the data repository, each of the first and second storage controllers being connected to the Storage Area Network via switch.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each switch comprises:

at least one fibre channel gateway to provide network connectivity between the switch and the Storage Area Network; and

at least two Target Channel Adaptors to provide network connectivity to a Host Channel Adaptor of each of the first and second controllers.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein an initiator is created on the at least one fibre channel gateway to associate a Globally Unique Identifier of the Host Channel Adaptor and a fibre channel addresses of each switch.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the fibre channel addresses comprise a World Wide Node Name (WWNN) or a World Wide Port Name (WWPN).

8. The system of claim 5, wherein to at least partially inhibit network connectivity of the first storage controller comprises modifying a zoning configuration on the switch associated with the first storage controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein modifying the zoning configuration comprises removing an address of the first storage controller from a defined zone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second storage controllers comprises a failover module to monitor operation of the other storage controller.

12. The system of claim 1, which includes a Network File System server connected to the data repository, each of the first and second storage controllers being connected to the Network File System server via an Ethernet switch.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the switches are configured in a Virtual Local Area Network via which the first and second storage controllers access the Network File System server.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein to at least partially inhibit network connectivity of the first storage controller comprises removing a port the of the Ethernet switch to which the first storage controller is connected.