Storage System I/O Path Manager for Seamless Failover
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current information systems with RAID technology face inadequacies in availability due to downtime during storage apparatus failures, as they require re-booting and suspension of application processing, leading to service disruptions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a storage system with a host computer coupled to multiple storage apparatuses for remote copy functionality, where data is dynamically allocated and managed by an I/O path manager to ensure continuous operation by switching write requests between primary and secondary volumes during failures, maintaining transparency to applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If remote copy is implemented between storage apparatuses, then data redundancy and reliability are improved, but system complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
An I/O path manager is introduced as an intermediary component that transparently manages remote copy operations between storage apparatuses. This mediator handles the complexity of data synchronization, path switching, and failure recovery, isolating the application from the underlying system complexity while maintaining high data redundancy through coordinated remote copy between primary and secondary storage systems
2Reliability
If application re-boot processing is required during storage failure, then data integrity is maintained, but service availability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring secondary storage apparatuses with mirrored data and pre-establishing I/O path alternatives before failures occur. When a storage apparatus fails, the I/O path manager immediately switches write requests to the secondary storage apparatus without requiring application re-boot, thus maintaining both data integrity through pre-synchronized copies and service availability through seamless path switching
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining active I/O paths to secondary storage apparatuses that contain up-to-date data copies. Upon primary storage failure, the I/O path manager continuously redirects write requests to secondary storage without interrupting application processing, eliminating downtime while preserving data integrity through the continuous availability of synchronized data copies
3Loss of time
If seamless failover is implemented during storage failures, then service availability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The I/O path manager implements self-service by autonomously monitoring storage apparatus health, detecting failures, and switching I/O paths without external intervention or application awareness. This self-managing capability enables seamless failover that improves service availability while containing system complexity within the path manager module, preventing complexity from propagating to the entire system architecture
Data Source
AI summary
Availability of an information system including a storage apparatus and a host computer is improved. A host system includes a first storage apparatus provided with a first volume for storing data, and a second storage apparatus for storing the data sent from the first storage apparatus. In case of a failure occurring in the first storage apparatus, the host sends the data to be sent to the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus.