US 7,681,089 B2 · Redundant storage controller system with enhanced failure analysis capability

Abstract

A redundant storage controller system that robustly provides failure analysis information (FAI) to an operator of the system is disclosed. The system includes first and second storage controllers in communication with one another, such as via a PCI-Express link. When one of the controllers fails, the FAI is transferred from the failed controller to the surviving controller over the link. The operator issues a command to the surviving storage controller, which responsively provides the FAI. In one embodiment, the failed storage controller writes the FAI to the second storage controller. In one embodiment, each storage controller periodically writes the FAI before there is a failure. In one embodiment, the second storage controller reads the FAI from the failed storage controller. The FAI may include boot logs, crash logs, debug logs, and event logs. The FAI may also be written to a disk drive connected to the controllers.

Claims87

Dependent claims

A method for robustly providing failure analysis information to an operator of a redundant storage controller system having first and second storage controllers in communication via an inter-controller link, the method comprising:

transferring from the first storage controller to the second storage controller, via the inter-controller link, information for use in analysis of a failure of the first storage controller;
and
providing, by the second storage controller, the failure analysis information to the operator;
wherein the second storage controller performs said providing the failure analysis information to the operator before the first storage controller is rebooted.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Redundant storage controller system with enhanced failure analysis capability

Life of this patent

Redundant storage controller system with enhanced failure analysis capability

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims87