Server monitoring and failover mechanism
Assignee3Com Corporation
InventorsRichard A. Gahan, John Hickey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Access of a malfunctioning server to a data storage facility is blocked. Characteristics such as IAmAlive signals from a server are monitored and when out of profile a malfunction is indicated and data access of that server is inhibited. Characteristics continue to be monitored for a return from the malfunction. The system can be used in a resilient cluster of servers to shut out a malfunctioning server and enable its recovery to be indicated so as to enable readmittance to the cluster.
Claims9
A switch for linking a cluster of servers to a data storage facility, the switch comprising:
- a facility to block ports to data traffic while allowing passage of cluster monitoring traffic,
- a server malfunction monitor which monitors a characteristic from the servers for an indication of a malfunctioning server and when a malfunctioning server is indicated blocks data traffic on a respective port coupled to said malfunctioning server, and
- a repaired server monitor which monitors for an indication of correction of the malfunctioning server.
A data storage network comprising:
- (a) a resilient cluster of servers;
- (b) a data storage facility;
- and
- (c) a switch coupling each of said servers to said data storage facility;
- wherein
- (d) the servers each transmit cluster control signals that provide an indication of the functioning of a respective server, and
- (e) said switch detects said cluster control signals and when an indication of a malfunctioning server is determined, blocks access of the malfunctioning server to the storage facility but maintains monitoring for cluster control signals related to the malfunctioning server.
a method of operating a data storage network comprising a resilient cluster of servers, a data storage facility and a switch coupling each of said servers to said data storage facility, said method comprising:
- transmitting, from each of said servers to said switch, cluster control signals that provide an indication of the functioning of respectively associated servers;
- detecting, in said switch, said cluster control signals;
- and
- when an indication of a malfunctioning server is determined by said switch, blocking by means of said switch access of the malfunctioning server to the storage facility while maintaining monitoring by said switch for cluster control signals related to the malfunctioning server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.