Multipath Error Handling for Storage Device Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Backup servers with multiple data storage drives frequently encounter data communications errors, leading to time-consuming retry processes and system-wide downtime due to inability to quickly determine whether the error is caused by a faulty drive or a faulty connection.
Innovation Solution
A system with a communications interface and error handler that uses dual paths to communicate with storage devices, attempting communication via a first path and then a second path, and determining if errors or timeouts occur, thereby identifying whether the issue lies with the storage device or the communication path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If error retry processes are implemented when data communications errors occur, then system reliability is improved, but system downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication path into multiple independent paths between the host bus adapter and storage device. When an error occurs on one path, the system can retry communication through alternative segmented paths, maintaining reliability while reducing downtime by avoiding system-wide failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-establishes multiple communication paths before errors occur. When an error is detected, the system immediately switches to a pre-configured alternative path without waiting for complex error diagnosis, thereby maintaining reliability while minimizing the time loss associated with error handling.
2Reliability
If multiple retry attempts are performed for error handling, then data communication reliability is improved, but error cause determination speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where each retry attempt provides diagnostic information about the error condition. By analyzing feedback from multiple paths, the system can determine whether errors are path-specific or device-specific, improving reliability through retries while accelerating error cause determination through systematic feedback collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of communication path during retry operations. By systematically varying the path parameter across multiple retry attempts, the system can isolate whether errors are caused by specific paths or the storage device itself, thereby maintaining communication reliability while improving the speed of error diagnosis through parameter variation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for handling errors during interfacing with storage devices comprises a communications interface and an error handler. The error handler is for: indicating to provide a first instruction to the first storage device using the first path; determining whether an error or time out message is received; in the event the error handler determines that either message is received: indicating to provide a second instruction to the first storage device using a second path; determining whether a second error or second time out message is received; in the event the error handler determines that either message is received, indicating to provide a likely first storage device error message; and in the event the error handler determines that either message is not received, indicating to provide a likely first path error message and indicating to communicate using the second path.