# US 2019/0356609 A1 · Switching between mediator services for a storage system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0356609 A1 - Document ID: US20190356609A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/050,385 - Filed: 2018-07-31 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-21 - Assignees: Pure Storage, Inc. - Applicants: Pure Storage, Inc. - Inventors: DAVID GRUNWALD; RONALD KARR; THOMAS GILL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356609A1 ## CPC - G06F 16/1824: {implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture (distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097)} - H04L 49/253: using establishment or release of connections between ports - G06F 3/0614: {Improving the reliability of storage systems} - G06F 3/0617: {in relation to availability} - G06F 3/0635: {by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration} - G06F 3/0647: {Migration mechanisms} - G06F 3/065: {Replication mechanisms} - G06F 3/0653: {Monitoring storage devices or systems} - G06F 3/067: {Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]} - G06F 11/2069: {Management of state, configuration or failover} - G06F 11/2082: {Data synchronisation} - G06F 11/2094: {Redundant storage or storage space (G06F11/2056 takes precedence)} - G06F 11/2097: {maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated (initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups)} - G06F 16/275: {Synchronous replication} - G06F 16/907: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - H04L 49/356: for storage area networks - H04L 67/1095: Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes - H04L 67/1097: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] - H04L 69/40: for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection (management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06) - G06F 11/1446: Point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data - G06F 2201/805: Real-time - G06F 2201/815: Virtual - G06F 2201/82: Solving problems relating to consistency - G06F 2201/84: Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data - H04L 2012/5625: {Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A storage system switching mediators within a storage system synchronously replicating data, where the switching between mediators includes: determining, among one or more of the plurality of storage systems, a change in availability of a first mediator service, wherein one or more of the plurality of storage systems are configured to request mediation from the first mediator service; communicating, among the plurality of storage systems and responsive to determining the change in availability of the first mediator service, a second mediator service to use in response to a fault; and switching, in dependence upon the change in availability of the first mediator service, from the first mediator service to the second mediator service. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of switching mediators among a plurality of storage systems synchronously replicating data, the method comprising: determining, among one or more of the plurality of storage systems, a change in availability of a first mediator service, wherein one or more of the plurality of storage systems are configured to request mediation from the first mediator service; communicating, among the plurality of storage systems and responsive to determining the change in availability of the first mediator service, a second mediator service to use in response to a fault; and switching, in dependence upon the change in availability of the first mediator service, from the first mediator service to the second mediator service. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first mediator service and the second mediator service are among a plurality of mediator services available to the storage system, and wherein multiple mediator services from among the plurality of mediator services are operating between zones in a cloud service. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of mediator services available to the storage system is provided by a mediator service broker. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting, based on one or more factors, the second mediator service from among the list of mediator services. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of: geographic proximity, reliability information, network hops to reach a given mediator service, communication response time, availability zone, pre-defined priority information, administrative zone information, data center complex information, data center information, network layout between the storage system and a given mediator service, urban area description of the mediator service implementation, or power grid information powering a given mediator service. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the change in availability includes one or more of: a degradation of communication response time, or a lack of response. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the change in availability includes determining that a scheduled downtime for the first mediator service will result in the unavailability of the first mediator service. ### Claim 8 A storage system for switching mediators among a plurality of storage systems synchronously replicating data, the storage system comprising a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory storing computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out the steps of: determining, among one or more of the plurality of storage systems, a change in availability of a first mediator service, wherein one or more of the plurality of storage systems are configured to request mediation from the first mediator service; communicating, among the plurality of storage systems and responsive to determining the change in availability of the first mediator service, a second mediator service to use in response to a fault; and switching, in dependence upon the change in availability of the first mediator service, from the first mediator service to the second mediator service. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The storage system of claim 8, wherein the first mediator service and the second mediator service are among a plurality of mediator services available to the storage system, and wherein multiple mediator services from among the plurality of mediator services are operating between zones in a cloud service. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The storage system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of mediator services available to the storage system is provided by a mediator service broker. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The storage system of claim 8, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the storage system to carry out the steps of: selecting, based on one or more factors, the second mediator service from among the list of mediator services. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The storage system of claim 11, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of: geographic proximity, reliability information, network hops to reach a given mediator service, communication response time, availability zone, pre-defined priority information, administrative zone information, data center complex information, data center information, network layout between the storage system and a given mediator service, urban area description of the mediator service implementation, or power grid information powering a given mediator service. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The storage system of claim 8, wherein the change in availability includes one or more of: a degradation of communication response time, or a lack of response. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The storage system of claim 8, wherein determining the change in availability includes determining that a scheduled downtime for the first mediator service will result in the unavailability of the first mediator service. ### Claim 15 An apparatus for switching mediators among a plurality of storage systems synchronously replicating data, the apparatus comprising a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory storing computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of: determining, among one or more of the plurality of storage systems, a change in availability of a first mediator service, wherein one or more of the plurality of storage systems are configured to request mediation from the first mediator service; communicating, among the plurality of storage systems and responsive to determining the change in availability of the first mediator service, a second mediator service to use in response to a fault; and switching, in dependence upon the change in availability of the first mediator service, from the first mediator service to the second mediator service. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first mediator service and the second mediator service are among a plurality of mediator services available to the storage system, and wherein multiple mediator services from among the plurality of mediator services are operating between zones in a cloud service. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of mediator services available to the storage system is provided by a mediator service broker. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of: selecting, based on one or more factors, the second mediator service from among the list of mediator services. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of: geographic proximity, reliability information, network hops to reach a given mediator service, communication response time, availability zone, pre-defined priority information, administrative zone information, data center complex information, data center information, network layout between the storage system and a given mediator service, urban area description of the mediator service implementation, or power grid information powering a given mediator service. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the change in availability includes one or more of: a degradation of communication response time, or a lack of response.