System and method for verifying disk configuration
AssigneeNetwork Appliance, Inc.
InventorSusan M. Coatney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for verifying disconfigurations of file servers by performing a verification in real-time after any disk event which modifies the disk configuration. A disk verification layer of the storage operating system compares the updated disk topology and configuration with a set of rules associated with a particular file server configuration. If the disk topology or configuration is such that data loss or corruption can occur, the file server is halted. If the disk topology or configuration could be improved for higher availability an appropriate warning is issued to the user or administrator.
Claims19
A method for real-time verification of a configuration of a plurality of disks operatively interconnected with a computer, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting, during real-time operation of the computer, a change in the configuration in the plurality of disks;
- comparing, in response to detection of a change in the configuration, the changed configuration of the plurality of disks with a set of rules;
- and
- generating, in response to the changed configuration violating the set of rules, an error condition.
A file server for use in a network storage system having a plurality of storage devices, the plurality of storage devices contained in a shelf arrangement having a plurality of slots for receiving storage devices, the file server performing a real-time verification of the storage devices, the file server comprising:
- means for detecting, during real-time operation of the file server, a change in a configuration of the plurality of storage devices;
- means for comparing, in response to a detected change in the configuration of the storage devices, the changed configuration with a set of rules;
- means for generating, in response the changed configuration violating the set of rules, an error condition.
A method for verifying a configuration of a plurality of disks operatively interconnected with a computer, the method comprising the steps of:
- verifying, in response to a change of the configuration of the plurality of disks during runtime of the computer, that the changed configuration satisfies a set of rules.
A computer for use with a plurality of storage devices operatively interconnected with the computer, the computer comprising:
- a storage device verification layer, the storage device verification layer performing, in response to a change of a configuration of the plurality of storage devices, a real-time verification of the configuration of the plurality of storage devices.
A computer-readable medium, including program instructions executing on a computer, for verifying a configuration of storage devices operatively interconnected with the computer, the computer-readable medium including instructions for performing the steps of:
- detecting, during real-time operation of the computer, a change in the configuration in the plurality of storage devices;
- comparing the changed configuration of the plurality of storage devices with a set of rules;
- and
- generating, in response to the changed configuration not being in compliance with the set of rules, an error condition.
A method for real-time verification of configuration of storage devices operatively interconnected with a computer, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting, during runtime of the computer, a storage device event,
- updating, in response to the storage device event being a remove event, a set of data tables;
- performing, in response to the storage device event type being an add event a storage device verification routine;
- and
- performing, in response to the storage device event type being a path change event, a disk verification routine.
A method for real-time verification of a configuration of a plurality of disks operatively interconnected with a computer, the disks configured in a shelf arrangement having a predetermined total number of available slots for operatively connecting disks, the method comprising the steps of:
- comparing, in response to a detection of a change in the configuration of the plurality of disks, the changed configuration of the disks connected to each of a plurality of the available slots with a set of rules, the plurality of available slots being less in number than the predetermined total number of the available slots;
- and
- generating, in response to the changed configuration violating the set of rules, an error condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.