International Business Machines Corporation

Tommy Rickard

William James Scales

Barry Douglas Whyte

There are provided a method, a system and a computer program product for minimizing data transfer latency between redundant storage controllers in a network-based storage controller system that utilizes adaptive data throttling. Each corresponding redundant storage controller calculates average time latency for round trip communications between the corresponding redundant storage controller and the other redundant storage controllers during a fixed monitoring period. The corresponding redundant storage controller, at the end of each fixed monitoring period, compares the average time latency to a fixed latency. The corresponding redundant storage controller selectively throttles data transfer between the corresponding redundant storage controller and a server and data transfer between the corresponding redundant storage controller and a back-end storage, based on the comparison.

Adaptive data throttling for storage controllers

A method for minimizing latency of data transfer between the redundant storage controllers in a network-based storage controller system that utilizes adaptive data throttling. Each redundant storage controller monitors latency for round trip communications between the redundant controllers by calculating a time required to mirror a write to the other controller and receive a write acknowledge. An average latency for round trip communications between the redundant controllers during a fixed monitoring period is calculated, and at the end of each fixed monitoring period, the average latency is compared to a fixed latency to access the average time latency for mirroring writes is good, acceptable or unacceptable. If the average time latency is good, the one controller reduces or disables throttling for data transfers between the one controller and the server, and between the one controller and back-end storage, increasing a number of this type of data transfer that can be executed in parallel. If the average time latency is acceptable, the one controller does not adjust throttling for data transfers between the one controller and the server, and between the one controller and back-end storage. If the average time latency is unacceptable, the one controller increases data throttling for data transfers between the one controller and the server, and between the controller and the back-end storage, decreasing a number of this type of data transfer that can be executed in parallel.

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Hampshire, United Kingdom

Tommy Rickard