US 5,708,771 A · Fault tolerant controller system and method

Abstract

Data is recovered despite a single point of failure in a data exchanging system while accommodating scaleable data transfer rate performance. In the environment of at least two disk array controllers, a serial dumping scheme assists in recovery of data from a fast memory. It is imperative to avoid loss of write data from a host computer which is received and acknowledged but not yet stored in a disk medium. The configuration ensures that at least one of the controllers will handle the data so as to correct single failure point errors and properly store that data on one of the disks of an array. A fast memory providing a buffer between a remote host computer and arrays of data storage media is managed so that data received for writing is duplicated for reliability of storage while data for reading to the host computer is manipulated with an enhanced bandwidth of fast memory operation.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method that utilizes at least a first and a second power source to enhance the reliability of operation of a controller, said controller having a plurality of power-consuming elements that operate to receive data-exchange-controlling-commands from a remote-computer, said controller having a fast-memory that operates to buffer data that accompanies said data-exchange-controlling-commands, said fast-memory operating to buffer said data between the remote-computer and at least one satellite data storage unit that is connected to an output terminal of said controller, said controller including a power-consuming-element-subset that consists of less than all of said plurality of power-consuming-elements, said power-consuming-element-subset operating to retrieve data from said fast-memory and to then transfer said retrieved data to said output terminal, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first and a second power source;
providing energizing power to all of said plurality of power-consuming elements from said first power source;
concurrently providing energizing power to said element-subset from said second power source;
sensing loss of energizing power from said first power source;
responding to said loss of energizing power;
and
thereafter utilizing said second power supply to cause said element-subset to transfer data contained in said fast-memory to said output terminal.

4 more elements

A system responding to requests from a host-computer, and operable to transfer data between said host-computer and an array of data-storing-media, said system comprising:

first and second controllers;
each of said first and second controllers having a host-interface-device, a first group of power-consuming elements that includes at least a host-interface-device, and a data-storing-media-interface-device;
each of said first and second controllers having a second group of power-consuming elements that includes at least a buffer-memory and a memory-controller;
first and second power supplies;
each of said first and second power supplies having a main-output-connection providing adequate power for energizing said first and said second group of power-consuming elements of at least one of said controllers;
each of said first and second power supplies having an auxiliary-output-connection providing adequate power for energizing said second group of power-consuming elements of at least one of said controllers;
first circuit-means coupling said main-output-connection of said first power supply to said first and second group of power-consuming elements of said first controller;
second circuit-means coupling said main-output-connection of said second power supply to said first and second group of power-consuming elements of said second controller;
third circuit-means coupling said auxiliary-output-connection of said first power supply to said second group of power-consuming elements of said second controller;
and
fourth circuit-means coupling said auxiliary-output-connection of said second power supply to said second group of power-consuming elements of said first controller.

8 more elements

In a data processing installation having a host-computer and a first and a second controller that receive data from said host-computer, wherein said first and second controllers operate to effect writing said received-data to an array of data-storing-media, a system that enhances the reliability of said writing of said received-data, said system comprising:

fast-memory means in each of said first and second controllers enabling fast-storage of said received-data, whereupon an acknowledge-signal is thereafter sent to said host-computer, and whereupon said fast-stored received-data within said fast-memory means is thereafter written to said array of data-storage-media;
first and second power supplies;
each of said first and second power supplies having a main-power-output providing power for enabling energization of one of said first and second controllers;
each of said first and second power supplies having an auxiliary-power-output providing power for enabling energization of one of said fast-memory means;
first circuit-means coupling said main-power-output of said first power supply to energize said first controller;
second circuit-means coupling said main-power-output-said second power supply to energize said second controller;
third circuit-means coupling said auxiliary-power-output of said first power supply to said fast-memory means of said second controller;
and
fourth circuit-means coupling said auxiliary-power-output of said second power supply to said fast-memory means of said first controller.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fault tolerant controller system and method

Life of this patent

Fault tolerant controller system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14