Method and apparatus for recovering from failure of a mirrored boot device

A method of recovering from the failure of one device in a set of mirrored devices configured for booting a computer system, comprising:

• detecting the failure of a first device in a set of two mirrored boot devices of a computer system;
• disabling the computer system from booting from said first device;
• attempting to remove said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• determining that said first device has been replaced with a replacement device;
• adding said replacement device to said set of mirrored boot devices;
• and enabling the computer system to boot from said replacement device;
• wherein said attempting comprises attempting to delete one or more sub-mirrors from said first device.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of recovering from failure of a mirrored boot device, the method comprising:

• detecting failure of a first device in a set of mirrored boot devices for a computer, wherein each of said mirrored boot devices stores one or more copies of state data regarding said mirroring;
• removing said first device from a stored set of devices from which the computer may boot;
• and
• removing said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• wherein said removing said first device from a set of devices from which the computer may boot is performed automatically upon said detection of said failure of said first device.

A computer system comprising a set of devices from which the system may boot, comprising:

• a set of devices configured to boot the computer system, wherein contents of said devices are mirrored;
• mirror configuration data, wherein said mirror configuration data is replicated on each of said devices;
• a boot device list configured to identify devices from which the computer may boot;
• a compensation module configured to:
• remove a failed device, of said set of devices, from said boot device list;
• and
• delete said failed device from said set of devices;
• and
• a reintegration module configured to:
• add a replacement for said failed device to said set of devices;
• and
• add said replacement to said boot device list.

A computer system configured to boot from one of a set of mirrored devices, comprising:

• a set of boot devices participating in one or more mirrors, with each mirror representing a logical partition mirrored across said boot devices, wherein:
• each said mirror comprises a sub-mirror on each of said boot devices;
• and
• each said boot device stores multiple copies of status data regarding said mirrors;
• a boot module configured to attempt to boot the computer system from said boot devices in a configurable order;
• and
• a monitor module configured to detect a failure in one of said boot devices;
• wherein, upon detection of said failure:
• said failed boot device is removed from said specified order;
• said status data is attempted to be deleted from said failed boot device;
• and
• said sub-mirrors on said failed boot device are attempted to be deleted from said mirrors.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of recovering from the failure of one device in a set of mirrored devices configured for booting a computer system, the method comprising:

• detecting the failure of a first device in a set of two mirrored boot devices of a computer system;
• disabling the computer system from booting from said first device;
• attempting to remove said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• determining that said first device has been replaced with a replacement device;
• adding said replacement device to said set of mirrored boot devices;
• and
• enabling the computer system to boot from said replacement device;
• wherein said attempting comprises attempting to delete one or more sub-mirrors from said first device.

A method of recovering from failure of a mirrored boot device, comprising:

• detecting failure of a first device in a set of mirrored boot devices for a computer, wherein each of said mirrored boot devices stores one or more copies of state data regarding said mirroring;
• removing said first device from a set of devices from which the computer may boot;
• and
• removing said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• wherein said removing said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices comprises attempting to remove said one or more copies of said state data from said first device.

A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of recovering from failure of a mirrored boot device, comprising:

• detecting failure of a first device in a set of mirrored boot devices for a computer, wherein each of said mirrored boot devices stores one or more copies of state data regarding said mirroring;
• removing said first device from a stored set of devices from which the computer may boot;
• and
• removing said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• wherein said removing said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices comprises attempting to remove said one or more copies of said state data from said first device.

A method of recovering from failure of a mirrored boot device, comprising:

• detecting failure of a first device in a set of mirrored boot devices for a computer, wherein each of said mirrored boot devices stores one or more copies of state data regarding said mirroring;
• removing said first device from a set of devices from which the computer may boot;
• and
• removing said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• wherein said state data identifies a configuration of said first device for said mirroring.

A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of recovering from failure of a mirrored boot device, comprising:

• detecting failure of a first device in a set of mirrored boot devices for a computer, wherein each of said mirrored boot devices stores one or more copies of state data regarding said mirroring;
• removing said first device from a set of devices from which the computer may boot;
• and
• removing said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• wherein said state data identifies a configuration of said first device for said mirroring.

A method of recovering from the failure of one device in a set of mirrored devices configured for booting a computer system, comprising:

• detecting the failure of a first device in a set of two mirrored boot devices of a computer system;
• disabling the computer system from booting from said first device;
• attempting to remove said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• determining that said first device has been replaced with a replacement device;
• adding said replacement device to said set of mirrored boot devices;
• and
• enabling the computer system to boot from said replacement device;
• wherein said attempting comprises attempting to delete a first set of mirror state data from said first device, said mirror state data identifying a configuration of said first device for said mirroring.

A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of recovering from the failure of one device in a set of mirrored devices configured for booting a computer system, comprising:

• detecting the failure of a first device in a set of two mirrored boot devices of a computer system;
• disabling the computer system from booting from said first device;
• attempting to remove said first device from said set of mirrored boot devices;
• determining that said first device has been replaced with a replacement device;
• adding said replacement device to said set of mirrored boot devices;
• and
• enabling the computer system to boot from said replacement device;
• wherein said attempting comprises attempting to delete a first set of mirror state data from said first device, said mirror state data identifying a configuration of said first device for said mirroring.