Abstract:
Technology is disclosed for recovering I/O modules in a storage system using in-band alternate control path (ACP) architecture ("the technology"). The technology enables a storage server to transmit control commands, e.g., for recovering an I/O module, to the I/O module over a data path that is typically used to transmit data commands. The control commands are typically transmitted using ACP that is separate from the data path. By enabling transmission of control commands over the data path, the technology eliminates the need for separate medium for ACP, at least in part, to transmit the control commands. The technology can be implemented in a pure in-band ACP mode, which supports recovering an I/O module of a storage shelf in which at least one I/O module is responsive, and/or in a mixed in-band ACP mode, which supports recovery of I/O modules of a storage shelf in which all I/O modules are non responsive.
Abstract:
A storage system including a first boot drive configured to store an operating system, one or more data drives configured to store user data, the one or more data drives distinct from the first boot drive, and a controller configured to detect when a second boot drive is added to the storage system, and automatically configure the first boot drive and the second boot drive in a redundant array of independent disks ("RAID") configuration when the controller detects that the second boot drive is added to the storage system.
Abstract:
It is an object to improve a reliability of a data protection for a storage control apparatus that is provided with a redundant configuration that is made of a plurality of clusters. A memory unit in each of the clusters C1 and C2 is provided with a first memory 3 having a volatile property, a battery 5 that is configured to supply an electrical power to the first memory 3, and a second memory 4 that stores data that is transferred from the first memory 3 in the case of a power outage. A control unit selects an operating mode for protecting data from a normal mode, a write through mode, and an access disable mode (a not ready state) based on a remaining power level of the battery 5.
Abstract:
An object is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of improving the availability as a system while improving the reliability of a data transfer path and a data transfer method. An information processing apparatus has a data transfer path branching in a tree structure, from a root node to a plurality of nodes while communicably coupling therebetween and transmitting serial data between the root node and the plurality of nodes, including two internode data transfer paths provided between at least a pair of nodes of the plurality of nodes, through which serial data transfer is performed; and a routing processing unit provided to each terminal nodes that are the nodes on both ends of the internode data transfer path, transfers the return data from the transmission destination node to the transmission source node by using the same internode data transfer path as the internode data transfer path used for data transfer to the transmission destination node, when each of the terminal nodes transfers data received from any of another nodes being a transmission source to any of the nodes being a transmission destination via the other terminal node.
Abstract:
Provided is a storage system, which includes: a storage medium for storing data; a plurality of ports for connection to a network; and a control section, and in which: the network is connected to another storage system; the plurality of ports include a first port; the plurality of ports involve a plurality of data transfer paths extending from the plurality of ports to the another storage system, which include a first data transfer path extending from the first port to the another storage system; and the control section: transmits data to be stored into the another storage system from the plurality of ports; acquires performances of the plurality of data transfer paths; and transmits, if the performance of the first data transfer path is lower than a predetermined threshold value, the data to be stored into the another storage system from the plurality of ports excluding the first port.
Abstract:
A method, apparatus and software is disclosed for managing storage controller failure in a set of storage modules each comprising a set of one or more storage elements connected to a storage controller via connection means, in which at least one of the storage modules is provided with additional storage system fabric for providing a redundant connection to a storage controller of another storage module.
Abstract:
A storage system includes a RAID adapter, disk array switches, sub-processors, and hard disk drives (HDDs). A disk-related operation is initiated in the RAID adapter. The RAID adapter dispatches a command to a disk array processor (or sub-processor) in an enclosure for the processor to perform the operation on one or more drives. The adapter may dispatch the command to a processor in a single enclosure through a disk array switch or to processors in multiple enclosures through switches in the upstream enclosures. The adapter is then free to perform other functions. The processor commences the specified operation on one or more selected drives, either sequentially one at a time or sequentially more than one (or all) at a time. Upon completion of the operation, the results are transmitted by the processor and received by the adapter. Thus, by offloading the task to the distributed sub-processors, the burden on the RAID adapter is significantly reduced, system bandwidth usage is reduced, and access to other drives within the enclosure (as well as within other enclosures) may be maintained. Tasks which may be offloaded in such a manner include, but are not limited to, drive firmware updating, drive scrubbing and secure data erasure.
Abstract:
Network data storage systems and methods allow computers reading and writing data at a plurality of data centers separated by, potentially, large distances to replicate data between sites such that the data is protected from failures, including complete Site failures, while not allowing network latency to significantly impede the performance of read or write operations. Continued access to all data is provided even after a single failure of any component of the system or after any complete failure of all equipment located at any single geographic region or any failure that isolates access to any single geographic region. Write data is replicated synchronously from Active Sites, e.g., sites where servers are writing data to storage resources, to Protection Sites located sufficiently close to Active Sites such that network latency will not significantly impact performance, but sufficiently far apart such that a regional disaster is unlikely to affect both sites. Write data is then asynchronously copied to other sites, potentially including one or more Active sites, located at greater distances.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention is an integrated circuit implementing a storage-shelf router (1102), used in combination with path controller cards (1110) and optionally with other storage-shelf routers (1104), to interconnect SA' disks (1108) within a storage shelf (1100) or disk array to a high-bandwidth communications medium, such as an FC arbitrated loop (1008). When two, four, six, or eight or more storage-shelf routers are used within a storage shelf, and tl interconnections between the storage-shelf routers, disk drives, and external communications media are properly designed and configured, the resulting storage shelf constitutes a discrete, highly-available component that may be included in a disk array or in other types of electronic devices. The storage-shelf router features a disk-drive adaptation layer (3604) that allows a storage-shelf router to interface to, and manage, any of many different types of disk drives (3608-3611). The disk-drive adaptation layer includes a disk-profile table (3902) and associated firmware logic.