Hardware Management Console Data Protection Logic

Solution Overview

Problem

In multi-server storage systems like the IBM DS8000, data loss can occur during power outages due to insufficient battery energy or delayed initiation of data copying from non-volatile storage to more persistent storage.

Innovation Solution

A method is implemented where hardware management consoles detect the battery status of uninterruptible power supplies and trigger a data dump to more persistent storage only when both supplies are on battery, ensuring that data is promptly and reliably copied.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data copying is initiated immediately after power outage, then data protection is improved, but battery energy may be insufficient to complete the copy process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidbattery energy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of battery status before initiating the data copy operation. By checking whether the battery is in a charged state ready to supply power, the system ensures that the copy operation can be completed without power interruption, thus protecting data while ensuring sufficient energy availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring battery status and using this information to control the data copy operation. The copy operation is conditionally triggered based on real-time battery state feedback, ensuring that copying only proceeds when energy sufficiency is confirmed, thereby resolving the contradiction between data protection and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Use of energy by moving object

If data copying is delayed to ensure sufficient battery energy, then energy sufficiency is improved, but data loss risk increases due to delayed protection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery energyVSAvoiddata protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of battery status before initiating the data copy operation. By checking whether the battery is in a charged state ready to supply power, the system ensures that the copy operation can be completed without power interruption, thus protecting data while ensuring sufficient energy availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring battery status and using this information to control the data copy operation. The copy operation is conditionally triggered based on real-time battery state feedback, ensuring that copying only proceeds when energy sufficiency is confirmed, thereby resolving the contradiction between data protection and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If single hardware management console monitors battery status, then system complexity is reduced, but reliability of data protection decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoiddata protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dual hardware management console architecture where both consoles independently monitor battery status and can independently trigger data copy operations. This merging of monitoring and control functions across multiple consoles enhances system reliability through redundancy, ensuring that data protection can be initiated even if one console fails, while maintaining manageable system complexity through standardized modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11550676B2Hardware-management-console-initiated data protection

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A method for protecting data in a storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes detecting, by a first hardware management console, first battery-on status associated with a first uninterruptible power supply. The method further detects, by a second hardware management console, second battery-on status associated with a second uninterruptible power supply. The method communicates, from the first hardware management console to the second hardware management console, the first battery-on status. The method then triggers, by the second hardware management console, a dump of modified data from memory to more persistent storage upon detecting both the first battery-on status and the second battery-on status. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.