Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Input/output command process
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-18
2001-08-28
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Input/output command process
C710S015000, C711S004000, C711S100000, C711S114000, C714S005110, C714S006130, C714S006130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282584
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to disk array controllers for computer systems, and more particularly to structure and method for configuring controllers and identifying controller relationships where the system includes a plurality of controller pairs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
External configurators are software tools used by various vendors, OEMs, system integrators, and the like to configure, monitor, and maintain RAID controllers. In a dual active controller environment, configurators will monitor the presence and activity of the partner controllers. External configurators generally need some means of determining the partner of a particular external RAID controller in a dual-active controller configuration, for example in controllers such as the controllers in the Mylex External RAID Controller SX/SF family, or similar controllers. Previously it was not possible to reliably determine the partner SX/SF of a particular SX/SF and therefore know which SX/SF is going away because of a Reset Controllers or other duplex effecting command.
In an environment where one or more host computers (with external configurators) and RAID controllers exist, each external configurator will need to determine the relative partnership of the attached controllers. The configurator may do so by writing a signature to the controller, which can later be read back. Through their monitoring efforts, the configurators will be able to detect a change in the state of a controller, and know which controller in a controller-pair is affected. Heretofore, configurators had not had any means to readily identify partner controllers in a dual active controller pair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides apparatus, system, and method for a new direct commands including a Write Signature command and a Read Signature Command for use in a computer system. The Write Signature Command and associated hardware structure allow an external configurator to write a signature to a controller. The Read Signature Command allows the signature to be read from the controller that was previously written to for verification, and with appropriate parameters selected (for example, a different ID), to read the signature from the partner of the addressed controller. The signature is retained by each partner of the controller-pair for reading by the host and by its partner. Provision of this capability advantageously provides the external configurator the means for determining the partner of a particular controller.
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Garroussi Mitra Mehin
Mansur Al
Flehr Hohbach Test Albritton & Herbert LLP
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lin Wen-Tai
Maung Zarni
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