US5944838A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for fast queue restart after redundant I/O path failover
Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-03-31
•
Granted: 1999-08-31
•
Expires: 2017-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A redundant storage control module (also referred to as RDAC or multi-active controller) maintains a queue of pending I/O requests sent for processing via a first asynchronously operating I/O path. In the event of failure of the first asynchronously operating I/O path, the controller restarts the entire queue of pending I/O requests to a second I/O path without waiting for each request to individually fail from the first path. Some prior techniques required the RDAC module to await failure of each I/O request sent to the failed first I/O path before restarting each failed request on the secondary I/O path. Such techniques greatly extend the total time required to restart all operations sent to a failed I/O path, by awaiting the failure of all I/O requests previously sent to the first I/O path. Other known techniques provide non-standard features in the lower level driver modules to permit the higher level RDAC modules to directly manipulate dispatch queues maintained for each I/O path within the low level device drivers. Such prior techniques reduce the wait time for restart of failed I/O requests but at the expense of portability of the RDAC modules. The methods and structure of the present invention reduce the wait time for restart of failed I/O requests but in such a manner as to remain portable over a variety of host systems.
Inventors
- 👤 Ray M. Jantz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 03:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1402; G06F11/1415; G06F11/1443; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2002; G06F11/2007; G06F11/201; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2089; G06F11/2092
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for restart of failed input/output operations in a system having a redundant controller management component and having a plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths, the method comprising the steps of: transferring at least one I/O request from said redundant controller management component to a first I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths wherein said redundant controller management component has no access to said at least one I/O request as manipulated within said first I/O path; storing in a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component an entry containing information regarding said at least one I/O request; and restarting on a second I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths I/O requests having entries in said pending I/O queue previously transferred to said first I/O path in response to receipt of indicia of failure of said first I/O path.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for restart of failed input/output operations in a system having a redundant controller management component and having a plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths, the method comprising the steps of: transferring at least one I/O request from said redundant controller management component to a first I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths wherein said redundant controller management component has no access to said at least one I/O request as manipulated within said first I/O path; storing in a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component an entry containing information regarding said at least one I/O request; and restarting on a second I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths I/O requests having entries in said pending I/O queue previously transferred to said first I/O path in response to receipt of indicia of failure of said first I/O path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths corresponds to one of a plurality of redundant multi-active controllers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of redundant multi-active controllers is a RAID storage controller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein each of said asynchronously operating I/O paths comprises an I/O adapter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each of said asynchronously operating I/O paths comprises an intelligent I/O adapter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one I/O request comprises a plurality of I/O requests and wherein the step of restarting is performed in response to a first said receipt of indicia of failure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the step of restarting includes the step of: marking said entries in said pending I/O queue corresponding to the restarted I/O requests.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of: disregarding receipt of indicia of failure received subsequent to said first receipt of indicia and corresponding to marked ones of said entries in said pending I/O queue.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: removing said entries from said pending I/O queue in response to successful completion of processing of said at least one I/O request.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for restart of failed input/output operations in a system having a redundant controller management component and having a plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths, the method comprising the steps of: transferring at least one I/O request from said redundant controller management component to a first I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths wherein said redundant controller management component has no access to said at least one I/O request as manipulated within said first I/O path; storing in a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component an entry corresponding to said at least one I/O request transferred to first I/O path; retrieving, in response to receipt of indicia of failure generated in response to failure of said first I/O path, all entries from said pending I/O queue corresponding to I/O requests previously transferred to said first I/O path; and sending said all entries to a second I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for restart of failed input/output operations in a system having a redundant controller management component and having a plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths, the method comprising the steps of: transferring at least one I/O request from said redundant controller management component to a first I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths wherein said redundant controller management component has no access to said at least one I/O request as manipulated within said first I/O path; storing in a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component an entry corresponding to said at least one I/O request transferred to first I/O path; retrieving, in response to receipt of indicia of failure generated in response to failure of said first I/O path, all entries from said pending I/O queue corresponding to I/O requests previously transferred to said first I/O path; and sending said all entries to a second I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths corresponds to one of a plurality of redundant multi-active controllers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of redundant multi-active controllers is a RAID storage controller.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10, wherein each of said asynchronously operating I/O paths comprises an I/O adapters.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10, wherein each of said asynchronously operating I/O paths comprises an intelligent I/O adapter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one I/O request comprises a plurality of I/O requests and wherein the steps of retrieving and sending are performed in response to a first receipt of indicia of failure corresponding to a first failed I/O request.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the step of retrieving includes the step of: marking each retrieved entry in said pending I/O queue as having been resent to said second I/O path.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of: disregarding receipt of indicia of failure received subsequent to said first receipt of indicia and corresponding to marked ones of said entries in said pending I/O queue.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of: removing said entry from said pending I/O queue in response to completion of processing of a corresponding one of said at least one I/O request.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
221 words
An apparatus for requeuing failed I/O requests within an I/O subsystem, said apparatus comprising: a redundant controller management component; a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component; a first asynchronously operating I/O path coupled to said redundant controller management component and including means not accessible by said redundant controller management component for retaining I/O requests transferred from said redundant controller management component; a second asynchronously operating I/O path coupled to said redundant controller management component and including means not accessible by said redundant controller management component for retaining I/O requests transferred from said redundant controller management component; means in said redundant controller management component, responsive to receipt of an I/O request, for queueing said I/O request in said pending I/O queue; means in said redundant controller management component, responsive to receipt of an I/O request, for transferring said I/O request to said first asynchronously operating I/O path; means in said redundant controller management component for detecting a failure in the operation of said first asynchronously operating I/O path; means, responsive to detection of a failure in operation of said first asynchronously operating I/O path, for retrieving all I/O requests from said pending I/O queue previously transferred to said first asynchronously operating I/O path; and means for sending said all I/O requests to said second asynchronously operating I/O path.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
221 words
An apparatus for requeuing failed I/O requests within an I/O subsystem, said apparatus comprising: a redundant controller management component; a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component; a first asynchronously operating I/O path coupled to said redundant controller management component and including means not accessible by said redundant controller management component for retaining I/O requests transferred from said redundant controller management component; a second asynchronously operating I/O path coupled to said redundant controller management component and including means not accessible by said redundant controller management component for retaining I/O requests transferred from said redundant controller management component; means in said redundant controller management component, responsive to receipt of an I/O request, for queueing said I/O request in said pending I/O queue; means in said redundant controller management component, responsive to receipt of an I/O request, for transferring said I/O request to said first asynchronously operating I/O path; means in said redundant controller management component for detecting a failure in the operation of said first asynchronously operating I/O path; means, responsive to detection of a failure in operation of said first asynchronously operating I/O path, for retrieving all I/O requests from said pending I/O queue previously transferred to said first asynchronously operating I/O path; and means for sending said all I/O requests to said second asynchronously operating I/O path.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first asynchronously operating I/O path is a redundant multi-active controller and wherein said second asynchronously operating I/O path is a redundant multi-active controller.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said first asynchronously operating I/O path is a RAID controller and wherein said second asynchronously operating I/O path is a RAID controller.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first asynchronously operating I/O path is an I/O adapter and wherein said second asynchronously operating I/O path is an I/O adapter.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first asynchronously operating I/O path is an intelligent I/O adapter and wherein said second asynchronously operating I/O path is an intelligent I/O adapter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for detecting a failure in operation of said first asynchronously operating I/O path is responsive to receipt of first indicia of failure of a first failed I/O request from said first asynchronously operating I/O path.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising: means for discarding subsequent indicia of failure of I/O requests from said first asynchronously operating I/O path wherein said subsequent indicia of failure are received by said means for detecting subsequent to the receipt of said first indicia of failure.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
159 words
A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying programmed instructions for performing a method for restart of a failed input/output operations operable within a system having an redundant controller management component and having a plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths, the method comprising the steps of: transferring at least one I/O request from said redundant controller management component to a first I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths wherein said redundant controller management component has no access to said at least one I/O request as manipulated within said first I/O path; storing in a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component an entry containing information regarding said at least one I/O request; and restarting on a second I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths I/O requests having entries in said pending I/O queue previously transferred to said first I/O path in response to receipt of indicia of failure of said first asynchronously operating I/O path.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
159 words
A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying programmed instructions for performing a method for restart of a failed input/output operations operable within a system having an redundant controller management component and having a plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths, the method comprising the steps of: transferring at least one I/O request from said redundant controller management component to a first I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths wherein said redundant controller management component has no access to said at least one I/O request as manipulated within said first I/O path; storing in a pending I/O queue associated with said redundant controller management component an entry containing information regarding said at least one I/O request; and restarting on a second I/O path of said asynchronously operating I/O paths I/O requests having entries in said pending I/O queue previously transferred to said first I/O path in response to receipt of indicia of failure of said first asynchronously operating I/O path.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The storage medium of claim 26, wherein each of said plurality of asynchronously operating I/O paths corresponds to one of a plurality of redundant multi-active controllers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The storage medium of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of redundant multi-active controllers is a RAID storage controller.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The storage medium of claim 26, wherein each of said asynchronously operating I/O paths comprises an I/O adapter.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The storage medium of claim 26, wherein each of said asynchronously operating I/O paths comprises an intelligent I/O adapter.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The storage medium of claim 26, wherein said at least one I/O request comprises a plurality of I/O requests and wherein the method step of restarting is performed in response to a first said receipt of indicia of failure.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method step of restarting includes the step of: marking said entries in said pending I/O queue corresponding to the restarted I/O requests.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
41 words
The storage medium of claim 32 wherein the method further comprises the step of: disregarding receipt of indicia of failure received subsequent to said first receipt of indicia and corresponding to marked ones of said entries in said pending I/O queue.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
36 words
The storage medium of claim 26 wherein the method further comprises the step of: removing said entries from said pending I/O queue in response to successful completion of processing of said at least one I/O request.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE645702C
Cited
US3702006A
Cited
US5764922A
Cited
US5148432A
Cited
US5249279A
Cited
US5101492A
Cited
US5317752A
Cited
US5155845A
Cited
US5210860A
Cited
US5440743A
Cited
EP0493984A2
Cited
US5317731A
Cited
EP0551718A2
Cited
US5546535A
Cited
US5608891A
Cited
US5388108A
Cited
US5459864A
Cited
US5455934A
Cited
US5367669A
Cited
US5386324A
Cited
US5331476A
Cited
US5742239A
Cited
US5548711A
Cited
US5535365A
Cited
WO1995013583A1
Cited
US5446855A
Cited
US5463643A
Cited
EP0707269A1
Cited
US5574863A
Cited
US5787463A
Cited
US5682537A
Cited
US5790775A
Cited
US5694571A
Cited
US5708771A
Cited
US5678026A
Cited
US5787304A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-30 | 2003-03-01 | 2003-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-30 | 2007-03-01 | 2007-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-30 | 2011-03-01 | 2011-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |