System, method, and program for determining the availability of interfaces to a control unit

A method for analyzing proposed interface ports to a device, comprising:

• for each proposed interface port, determining a number of single points of failure for the proposed interface port in common with interface ports currently used to access the device, wherein determining the number of single points of failure further comprises reading failure boundary data from the device indicating at cast one failure boundary of a proposed interface to the device, wherein there are a plurality of failure boundaries in the device, wherein a failure of a higher order failure boundary for one interface would cause the failure of all lower order failure boundaries for the interface, and wherein the failure of a lower order failure boundary for one interface would not cause the failure of all higher order failure boundaries in the interface;
• and
• for each proposed interface port, determining a relative availability rating based on the number of single points of failure for each proposed interface port, wherein determining the relative availability rating based on the single points of failure comprises comparing the failure boundary of the proposed interface with failure boundary data indicating at least one failure boundary of existing interfaces to the device, and wherein determining the relative availability rating comprises increasing the relative availability rating for each failure boundary whenever a failure boundary value for the proposed interface and one existing interface match, wherein a higher relative availability rating indicates that the proposed interface avoids fewer points of failure than other proposed interfaces.

A system for analyzing proposed interface ports to a device, comprising:

• means for determining, for each proposed interface port, a number of single points of failure for the proposed interface port in common with interface ports currently used to access the device, wherein the means for determining the number of single points of failure further comprises reading failure boundary data from the device indicating at least one failure boundary of a proposed interface to the device;
• means for determining, for each proposed interface port, a relative availability rating based on the number of single points of failure for each proposed interface port, wherein the means for determining the relative availability rating based on the single points of failure comprises comparing the failure boundary of the proposed interface with failure boundary data indicating at least one failure boundary of existing interfaces to the device;
• and
• means for applying at least one mask to the failure boundary data for the proposed interface and existing interfaces to determine at least one failure boundary for the proposed interface and existing interfaces, wherein the determined at least one failure boundary for the proposed and existing interfaces is compared to determine the relative availability rating.

A system for analyzing proposed interface ports to a device, comprising:

• means for determining, for each proposed interface port, a number of single points of failure for the proposed interface port in common with interface ports currently used to access the device, wherein the means for determining the number of single points of failure further comprises reading failure boundary data from the device indicating at least one failure boundary of a proposed interface to the device, wherein there are a plurality of failure boundaries in the device, wherein a failure of a higher order failure boundary for one interface would cause the failure of all lower order failure boundaries for the interface, and wherein the failure of a lower order failure boundary for one interface would not cause the failure of all higher order failure boundaries in the interface;
• means for determining, for each proposed interface port, a relative availability rating based on the number of single points of failure for each proposed interface port, wherein the means for determining the relative availability rating based on the single points of failure comprises comparing the failure boundary of the proposed interface with failure boundary data indicating at least one failure boundary of existing interfaces to the device, and wherein determining the relative availability rating comprises increasing the relative availability rating for each failure boundary whenever a failure boundary value for the proposed interface and one existing interface match, wherein a higher relative availability rating indicates that the proposed interface avoids fewer points of failure than other proposed interfaces.

An information bearing medium for analyzing proposed interface ports to a device, wherein the information bearing medium includes code capable of causing a processor to perform:

• for each proposed interface port, determining a number of single points of failure for the proposed interface port in common with interface ports currently used to access the device, wherein determining the number of single points of failure further comprises reading failure boundary data from the device indicating at least one failure boundary of a proposed interface to the device;
• for each proposed interface port, determining a relative availability rating based on the number of single points of failure for each proposed interface port, and wherein determining the relative availability rating based on the single points of failure comprises comparing the failure boundary of the proposed interface with failure boundary data indicating at least one failure boundary of existing interfaces to the device;
• and
• applying at least one mask to the failure boundary data for the proposed interface and existing interfaces to determine at least one failure boundary for the proposed interface and existing interfaces, wherein the determined at least one failure boundary for the proposed and existing interfaces is compared to determine the relative availability rating.

An information bearing medium for analyzing proposed interface ports to a device, wherein the information bearing medium includes code capable of causing a processor to perform:

• for each proposed interface port, determining a number of single points of failure for the proposed interface port in common with interface ports currently used to access the device, wherein determining the number of single points of failure further comprises reading failure boundary data from the device indicating at least one failure boundary of a proposed interface to the device, wherein there are a plurality of failure boundaries in the device, wherein a failure of a higher order failure boundary for one interface would cause the failure of all lower order failure boundaries for the interface, and wherein the failure of a lower order failure boundary for one interface would not cause the failure of all higher order failure boundaries in the interface;
• for each proposed interface port, determining a relative availability rating based on the number of single points of failure for each proposed interface port, and wherein determining the relative availability rating based on the single points of failure comprises comparing the failure boundary of the proposed interface with failure boundary data indicating at least one failure boundary of existing interfaces to the device;
• and wherein determining the relative availability rating comprises increasing the relative availability rating for each failure boundary whenever a failure boundary value for the proposed interface and one existing interface match, wherein a higher relative availability rating indicates that the proposed interface avoids fewer points of failure than other proposed interfaces.