Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-23
2001-07-24
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2161)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C714S015000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266783
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates, in general, to data processing within a computing environment and, in particular, to reconfiguring structures within a shared facility of the computing environment.
BACKGROUND ART
One example of a shared facility is the coupling facility offered by International Business Machines Corporation. The coupling facility is a shared external storage processor that contains storage accessible by one or more processors coupled to the coupling facility and performs operations requested by the programs in those processors. Data and controls to be shared are stored in storage structures within the coupling facility. In one example, these storage structures include cache, list and/or lock structures.
It is desirable, and sometimes necessary, to reconfigure one or more of the storage structures. For example, it may be desirable or necessary to change the characteristics of a structure or to move the structure from one coupling facility to another coupling facility. If such a reconfiguration is necessary, then it is imperative that it be performed in a manner that is least disruptive for the users of the structure.
Previous attempts have been made to provide capabilities that enable reconfiguration of storage structures of a coupling facility. However, a need still exists for a reconfiguration technique that is minimally disruptive to the users of the structures, is simple from the users' perspective, and is mostly transparent to the users. A further need exists for a capability that facilitates the operation of the reconfiguration, particularly in those sysplexes where there are numerous structures and users of those structures. A need exists for a reconfiguration capability that is controlled by the operating system, rather than the users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of a method of rebuilding storage structures within a shared storage processor of a computing environment. The shared storage processor is coupled to one or more processors of the computing environment, and the method includes, for instance, initiating a rebuild of a storage structure of the shared storage processor, wherein the storage structure is owned by an exploiter of the storage structure; and rebuilding the storage structure via an operating system of the computing environment, the operating system being distinct from the exploiter and lacking knowledge of contents of the storage structure.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system of rebuilding storage structures within a shared storage processor of a computing environment is provided. The shared storage processor is coupled to one or more processors of the computing environment, and the system includes, for instance, means for initiating a rebuild of a storage structure of the shared storage processor, wherein the storage processor is owned by an exploiter of the storage structure; and means for rebuilding the storage structure via an operating system of the computing environment. The operating system is distinct from the exploiter and lacks knowledge of contents of the storage structure.
In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, at least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of rebuilding storage structures within a shared storage processor of a computing environment is provided. The shared storage processor is coupled to one or more processors of the computing environment, and the method includes, for instance, initiating a rebuild of a storage structure of the shared storage processor, wherein the storage structure is owned by an exploiter of the storage structure; and rebuilding the storage structure via an operating system of the computing environment. The operating system is distinct from the exploiter and lacks knowledge of contents of the storage structure.
The present invention advantageously provides a mechanism for rebuilding a coupling facility structure for planned reconfiguration purposes (as one example), which is simple, easy to exploit, and largely transparent to coupling facility structure exploiters. In one example, the invention provides the capability to rebuild a structure located in one coupling facility into a different coupling facility, so that the former can be taken down for maintenance or upgrade, while the exploiter instance making use of the coupling facility structure continues to operate with minimal disruption.
The system-managed structure rebuild support internalizes various steps of the rebuild process into the operating system, removing the programming burden from each coupling facility structure exploiter to provide these functions. For example, with system-managed rebuild, the operating system performs the following:
Quiesces activity against the structure, with only an optional step which may be performed by the structure exploiters to also limit or, if they choose, completely quiesce structure activity using their own protocols and techniques. An exploiter of system-managed rebuild can choose to let the system perform this activity entirely on its behalf.
Allocates a new instance of the structure which has substantially the same structure attributes as the old structure instance, and attaches active and failed-persistent connectors to the newly-allocated structure. Where structure attribute changes cannot be avoided, they are presented to the exploiter, as described below.
Propagates necessary and/or desired coupling facility structure contents from the old structure to the newly-allocated one, including the propagation (e.g., exact propagation) of control information (including list structure entry ids) from the old structure to the new structure. The operating system internalizes the complexity associated with parallelizing the copy process, so as to achieve good performance in propagating the structure contents. All necessary and/or desired data is copied, regardless of whether it is associated with any particular active or failed-persistent connector to the structure, so complexities associated with failed-persistent connectors are avoided.
Informs the users of any changes in the structure's attributes which resulted from the allocation of the new structure instance. Depending on the exploiter's protocol, it may optionally make use of some, any, or all of the presented information about structure attribute changes.
Resumes normal use of the structure at the completion of the rebuild process, including unquiescing the structure and redriving requests which were held in abeyance by the system. The structure exploiters have an optional step in which they too may resume normal use of the structure, if they chose to limit or quiesce activity themselves.
Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention.
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Allen Ruth A.
Brooks Mark A.
Elko David A.
Jones Steven B.
Jordan Michael J.
Elisca Pierre E.
Heslin & Rothenberg, P.C.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Kinnman, Jr., Esq. William A.
Schiller, Esq. Blanche E.
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