The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 10, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1999
William G. Deitz, Niwot, CO (US);
Keith Short, LaFayette, CO (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling a memory system comprising a plurality of controllers connected by a fibre channel arbitrated loop to provide transparent failover and failback mechanisms for failed controllers. The controllers are adapted to transfer data between a data storage system and at least one host computer in response to instructions therefrom. In the method, a unique identifier is provided to each controller . The operation of the controllers is then monitored and, when a failed controller is detected, a failover procedure is performed on a surviving controller. The failover procedure includes disabling the failed controller and instructing the surviving controller to assume the identity of the failed controller. Thus, the surviving controller is capable of responding to instructions addressed to it and instructions addressed to the failed controller, and the failure of the failed controller is transparent to the host computer . A computer program and a computer program product for implementing the method are also provided.