Method and apparatus for storage system

A storage control system comprising:

• a plurality of controllers configured to be coupled to an external communication path and operative to service file-level I/O requests from a host device over said external communication path;
• a storage apparatus having a disk drive, a device interface that executes writing and reading data into and from said disk drive, and a memory;
• and
• an internal communication path configured for connection among said controllers and said device interface,
• each controller having a writer that writes operational information of said controller to said memory wherein a first one of said controllers writes operational information of said first controller to said memory via said internal communication path,
• each controller further operative to monitor said operational information, wherein a second one of said controllers monitors said operational information by accessing said memory via said internal communication paths,
• wherein said operational information includes information indicative of whether or not a corresponding one of said controllers has failed, said storage control system further comprising a section that makes at least one of the others of said controllers take over processing being carried out by a failed controller if it is acknowledged that there is failure in said failed controller,
• wherein said controller determines that said internal communication path has failed, if said operational information cannot be accessed.
• wherein if said controller determines that said internal communication path has failed due to not being able to access said operation information, then said controller stops data I/O processing to said internal communication path.

A control method for a storage control system, said storage control system comprising:

• a plurality of controllers, each for receiving file-level input/output requests from an external communication path;
• a storage apparatus having a disk drive and a device interface that executes writing and reading data into and from said disk drive;
• and
• an internal communication path connecting said controllers and said storage apparatus,
• said control method including monitoring an operational state among said controllers, wherein each controller sends its own operational information to the other controllers via said internal communication path,
• wherein said operational information includes information indicative of whether or not a corresponding one of said controllers has failed, said storage control system further comprising a section that makes at least one of the others of said controllers take over processing being carried out by a failed controller if it is acknowledged that there is failure in said failed controller,
• wherein said controller determines that said internal communication path has failed, if said operational information cannot be accessed,
• wherein if said controller determines that said internal communication path has failed due to not being able to access said operation information, then said controller stops data I/O processing to said internal communication path.

A control method for a storage control system comprising:

• a plurality of controllers receiving file-level I/O requests inputted via an external communication path;
• a storage apparatus having a disk drive, a device interface that executes writing and reading data into and from said disk drive, and a memory;
• and
• an internal communication path connecting said controllers and said storage apparatus,
• said control method wherein a first one of said controllers writes operational information of said first controller into said memory via said internal communication path;
• and
• a second one of said controllers different from said first controller monitors said operational information by accessing said memory via said internal communication path,
• wherein said operational information includes information indicative of whether or not a corresponding one of said controllers has failed, said storage control system further comprising a section that makes at least one of the others of said controllers take over processing being carried out by a failed controller if it is acknowledged that there is failure in said failed controller,
• wherein said controller determines that said internal communication path has failed, if said operational information cannot be accessed,
• wherein if said controller determines that said internal communication path has failed due to not being able to access said operation information, then said controller stops data I/O processing to said internal communication path.