Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP

Daniel J Mazina

Jeffrey S Autor

Scott C Farrand

Paul J Muraski

Jonathan R Didner

Gregory Mart Stewart

John A Dysart

David C Burden

Jay E Allison, Jr

Cuong Van Nguyen

Matt Gates

Stanley Hatch

Christopher W Holmes

Examples disclosed herein relate to variable cache flushing. Some examples disclosed herein a storage controller may detect a cache flush failure and, in response, may execute a first reattempt of the cache flush after a first time period has elapsed. The storage controller may adjust durations of time periods between subsequent reattempts of the cache flush based on various factors.

Variable cache flushing

An embodiment includes determining which disks need an update, then copying user data from a disk to be updated to a spare disk. New data is written to both the disk to be updated and the spare disk, and a zone map is maintained for all volumes of the disk to be updated. The firmware on the disk is updated, and changed data is copied from the spare disk to the newly updated disk based on the zone map. New data is written to both the newly updated disk and the spare disk. Once the changed data has been copied to the newly updated disk, data is written to the newly updated disk.

Zero downtime hard disk firmware update

Storage volumes are provided across a plurality of storage devices, where the storage volumes include at least a first storage volume and a second storage volume. A storage controller detects fault in a portion of a particular one of the plurality of storage devices, where the portion corresponds to the first storage volume. The storage controller identifies the particular storage device as faulty for the first storage volume without identifying the particular storage device as faulty for the second storage volume.

Identifying a storage device as faulty for a first storage volume without identifying the storage device as faulty for a second storage volume

A first storage controller that is part of a cluster of storage controllers includes an interface to communicate with at least one storage subsystem having a storage volume, where the first storage controller is initially assigned to process requests for the storage volume. The first storage controller further includes a processor to receive requests to access the storage volume, where the requests include client requests from one or more client computers and proxy requests from one or more other storage controllers in the cluster. Based on monitoring the client requests and the proxy requests, it is determined that a second of the storage controllers in the cluster is to be assigned to process requests for the storage volume. In response to the determining, control of the storage volume is transferred from the first storage controller to the second storage controller.

Transfer control of a storage volume between storage controllers in a cluster

A storage subsystem has a plurality of storage devices. An indication of failure of at least one of the plurality of storage devices is detected. In response to detecting the indication of failure, monitoring is performed for a further condition. According to the monitored further condition, it is determined whether the at least one storage device has failed or whether communication has been lost to the storage subsystem. In response to determining that communication has been lost, state information of the storage subsystem is preserved to enable restoration of the storage subsystem after communication to the storage subsystem is recovered.

Preserving state information of a storage subsystem in response to communication loss to the storage subsystem

A management system for a file server having a system board, an expansion board, a disk storage system and a server manager for collecting management information from the system board. The management system arranges MIB information for the file server into a first manageable device specific subsystem containing management information describing the system board, a second, manageable device specific, subsystem containing management information describing the expansion board, a third, manageable device specific, subsystem containing management information describing the disk storage system, a fourth, non-manageable device specific, subsystem containing management information describing the configuration of the file server, a fifth, non-manageable device specific, subsystem containing management information describing the security configuration for the file server, a sixth, manageable device specific, subsystem containing management information describing the server manager, a seventh, non-manageable device specific, subsystem containing management information describing I/O ports of the file server, an eighth, non-manageable device specific, subsystem containing management information describing internal environmental conditions of the file server. The management information for each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth subsystems may then be selectively accessed using a series of GUIs.

Graphical user interface for computer management system and an

A method of managing a plurality of networked manageable devices which include at least one file server having a system board, a drive array subsystem associated with the file server and a server manager installed in the file server for monitoring the system board from a manager console using a management information base or 'MIB'. First, second and third plurality of objects which describe the system board, the drive array subsystem and the server manager, respectively, are collected and assembled into a MIB. The assembled MIB is then used to manage the file server.

Growing community of inventors

Spring, TX, United States of America

Daniel J Mazina