Dell Products Inc.

Alastair Taylor

James A Taylor

Ronald L Parks

Alan Ray Merrell

Michael G Panas

Craig McDermott

Shari J Nolan

Oliver C Field, Iii

A storage network that facilitates the transfer of a data set from a first storage device to a second storage device, without blocking access to the data set during the transfer is provided. An intermediate device for the storage network is provided. The intermediate device comprises a plurality of communication interfaces. Data transfer resources are coupled to the plurality of interfaces, and are used for transferring data access requests identifying the data set from a third interface at least one of a first and second interfaces. A logic engine within the intermediate device is coupled to the interfaces, and is responsive to a control signal to manage the transfer of the data set through the interfaces.

Method and system for managing data migration for a storage system

A method and apparatus used in a storage network facilitates the protection of data in, and replacement of, storage devices about to fail before the failure happens. In a network that includes a set of storage devices organized as a non-redundant (for example RAID 0) array, a storage device about to fail in the non-redundant array can be replaced by another storage device, typically from a pool of spares. The method includes detecting a condition of a first particular storage device in the non-redundant array. Conditions which are detected according to various embodiments indicate that the first particular storage device is suffering events indicating that it is likely to fail, or otherwise suffering from reduced performance. The conditions are detected for example, by the receipt of a signal from the storage device itself, or by the monitoring of statistics concerning the performance of the storage device. The method further provides for selecting a particular spare storage device, which can be used in place of the first particular storage device. In response to detecting the condition, data stored in the first particular storage device is migrated to the second particular storage device, and the second particular storage takes the place of the first particular storage device in the non-redundant array. The first particular storage device can then be gracefully removed from the network without loss of service to the clients computers.

Method and apparatus for storage unit replacement in non-redundant array

A method and apparatus used in a storage network facilitates the protection of data in, and replacement of, storage devices about to fail before the failure happens. In a network that includes a plurality of sets of storage devices which store respective data sets, a storage device about to fail in one set can be replaced by another storage device from another set of storage devices which is being used to store data having a lower priority. The method comprises assigning priorities to sets of storage devices in the network which store respective data sets. In addition, the method includes detecting a condition of a first particular storage device in a particular set of storage devices that has a first priority. Conditions which are detected according to various embodiments indicate that the first particular storage device is suffering events indicating that it is likely to fail, or otherwise suffering from reduced performance. The conditions are detected for example, by the receipt of a signal from the storage device itself, or by the monitoring of statistics concerning the performance of the storage device. The method further provides for selecting a second particular storage device in a second particular set of storage devices having a second priority, which can be used in place of the first particular storage device. In response to detecting the condition, the data set stored in the first particular storage device is migrated to the second particular storage device, and the second particular storage devices identified as a member of the first particular set. The first particular storage device can be gracefully removed from the network, while only affecting the performance of the data access in the lower priority second particular set of storage devices.

Method and apparatus for storage unit replacement according to array priority

The present invention provides a method for centralized and managed loading of boot images into one or more processors that are part of a file server for a mass storage system. In a computer system having at least one first controller, at least one input output processor (IOP), a first bus and a second bus, the present invention includes the steps of detecting readiness of the IOP to load a boot image, identifying across the first bus a location where the boot image will be loaded and loading the boot image across the second bus. The first controller may determine which of a plurality of boot images should be loaded. The first controller and the IOP may each have first and second processors, with communication between the first processors being across the first bus and boot images being accessed by the second processors across the second bus. On the IOP, the first processor may control power to the second processor and may monitor the status of the second processor, reporting across the first bus to the first controller's first processor regarding the status of the IOP's second processor. The boot image may be copied to memory local to the IOP's second processor or it may be made available across the second bus. By the method of this invention, the boot image supplied may be adapted to normal, diagnostic, crash dump or other purposes. The progress of IOP booting is tracked and monitored.

Centralized boot

A card management system architecture for managed startup of a system and for monitoring its operation is provided. Both a method and device particularly suited to carrying out the method are provided. According to one embodiment of the method, a second controller evaluates the status of power supplies and then powers up a first controller and processors on input-output processors (IOPs). The first controller evaluates the status of individual IOPs and enables additional power and data interfaces. Additional embodiments involve additional structures and steps. Redundant channels for communications among controllers and IOPs are preferred. In one embodiment, the first bus is implemented as five serial communication lines. Communication between redundant first controllers and between redundant second controllers allows determination of which controllers should be active. Determining which controllers are active may depend on whether the same controllers are in the system as had been in the system during the last proper operation of the system. Enabling a supply of power may depend on whether two or more power supplies are available. Availability of power supplies cooled by fans may depend on whether AC power is available and within appropriate voltage ranges, what the operating temperature is for the power supplies and the speed and status of the cooling fans.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Alastair Taylor