Method and apparatus for providing redundant access to a shared resource with a shareable spare adapter

• US 7,484,114 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schimke, Timothy Jerry, Writz, Joseph Thomas, Bakke, Brian Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manoskey; Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US09/932,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,720 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/7, 714/13, 714/42, 714/43, 714/56, 714/9, 714/11, 714/12, 709/213, 709/214, 370/450, 370/451, 370/909
• US Class Current: 714/4.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality

Abstract

An apparatus, method and program product provide access for a host device to a shared resource via a spare adapter configured to replace any of a plurality of access adapters.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of access adapters, each adapter configured to interface with an electronic resource;

at least one shareable spare adapter configured to function as a network interface that removably couples with the electronic resource; and

control circuitry configured to assign a correlation token to each of the plurality of access adapters, each correlation token for use in connection with accessing an electronic resource via the access adapter to which such correlation token is assigned, the control circuitry further configured to initiate a substitution of the shareable spare adapter for any of the plurality of access adapters to supplant a substituted access adapter without intervention by any server in electronic communication with the electronic resource, wherein the control circuitry is configured to initiate the substitution of the shareable spare adapter for the substituted access adapter by reassigning the correlation token assigned to the substituted access adapter to the shareable spare adapter.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates the substitution in response to an event.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry initiates monitoring of the event.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry initiates notification procedures regarding the event.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the event includes a change in a heartbeat signal transmitted by an access adapter.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry initiates monitoring a process that monitors the event.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a port of an access adapter of the plurality of access adapters interfaces with only a subset of the electronic resource.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a reconfiguration of an access adapter into a second shareable spare adapter.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a removal of a correlation token from an access adapter.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry initiates an assignment of the correlation token to the shareable spare adapter.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry initiates an evaluation of the correlation token.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a replacement of an access adapter.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates a disablement of the shareable spare adapter.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry initiates disabling an access adapter.

15. A method of providing access to a computer resource, wherein a plurality of access adapters each interface with the computer resource, the method comprising using a shareable spare adapter consisting essentially of a circuit board configured to function as a network, nonuser interface that removably couples with the computer resource and to supplant an interface provided by a first adapter of the plurality of access adapters, wherein the shareable spare adapter is additionally configured to supplant a second interface provided by a second access adapter of the plurality of access adapters, the method further comprising assigning a correlation token to each of the plurality of access adapters, each correlation token for use in connection with accessing the computer resource via the access adapter to which such correlation token is assigned, wherein using the shareable spare adapter to supplant the interface provided by the first adapter includes reassigning the correlation token assigned to the first access adapter to the shareable spare adapter.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the shareable spare adapter is additionally configured to supplant a third interface provided by any of the plurality of access adapters.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising supplanting the interface in response to an event.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising monitoring of the event.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising initiating notification procedures regarding the event.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising monitoring a process that monitors the event.

21. The method according to claim 15, further comprising reconfiguring the first access adapter into a second shareable spare adapter.

22. The method according to claim 15, further comprising removing a correlation token from the second access adapter.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising assigning the correlation token to the shareable spare adapter.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising evaluating the correlation token.

25. The method according to claim 15, further comprising replacing the second access adapter.

26. The method according to claim 15, further comprising disabling the shareable spare adapter.

27. The method according to claim 15, further comprising disabling the second access adapter.

28. The method according to claim 15, wherein each of the first and second adapters access a different subset of the computer resource.

29. A program product, comprising:

a program for providing access to a computer resource, wherein a plurality of access adapters each interface with the computer resource, the program configured to use a shareable spare adapter consisting essentially of a circuit board configured to function as a network, nonuser interface that removably couples with the computer resource and to supplant an interface provided by a first adapter of the plurality of access adapters, wherein the shareable spare adapter is additionally configured to supplant a second interface provided by a second access adapter of the plurality of access adapters, the program further configured to assign a correlation token to each of the plurality of access adapters, each correlation token for use in connection with accessing the computer resource via the access adapter to which such correlation token is assigned, wherein the program is configured to use the shareable spare adapter to supplant the interface provided by the first adapter by reassigning the correlation token assigned to the first access adapter to the shareable spare adapter; and

a computer-readable signal bearing recordable media bearing the program.