System and method for fail-over switching in a disk storage medium
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorThomas D. Hanan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A disk drive is disclosed that is configured to be accessible in fail-over via buses associated with plural host interfaces. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the disk drive comprises a disk storage medium, a first bus connection, and a second bus connection. The disk drive comprises a switch for selectively connecting the disk storage medium to at least one of the first and second bus connections. The disk drive also comprises an interface controller for detecting whether at least one of the first and second bus connections is active and for controlling the switch in response.
Claims16
A disk drive configured to be accessible in fail-over via buses associated with plural host interfaces, the disk drive comprising:
- a disk storage medium;
- a first bus connection;
- a second bus connection;
- a switch for selectively connecting the disk storage medium to at least one of the first and second bus connections;
- and
- an interface controller for detecting whether at least one of the first and second bus connections is active and for controlling the switch in response, wherein the switch includes a multiplexer and the first and second bus connections and the multiplexer are integral to the disk drive.
A method for implementing a fail-over feature for a disk drive having an interface controller and having access to plural host interfaces, wherein first and second bus connections are separate initiator ports of the disk drive, the interface controller being configured to execute the steps of:
- determining when a first one of the plural host interfaces is in a failed state, the determining comprising:
- monitoring the first one of the plural host interfaces for a first signal;
- and
- sending a second signal to a second one of the plural host interfaces in an absence of the first signal;
- initiating a selection of a second one of the plural host interfaces in response to the step of determining;
- and
- controlling a switch used to selectively connect a disk storage medium of the disk drive to at least one of the first and second bus connections during the step of initiating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.