Single Connection Management for Multi-Processor Storage Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computer systems with multiple service processors, managing data storage systems is challenging when one service processor becomes unhealthy, as users must manually switch to another service processor, requiring knowledge of its network address and potentially involving direct, non-network connections, which can be inconvenient and limiting.
Innovation Solution
A method where a single communication connection is used to manage a data storage system with multiple service processors, designating one as active and the others as passive, allowing automatic failover when the active service processor becomes unhealthy, with a healthy passive service processor taking over and using an inter-service processor communication connection to proxy requests to the unhealthy service processor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple service processors are used for processing management requests, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple service processors into a single management interface by implementing a failover mechanism where a standby service processor takes over the single communication connection when the active service processor fails. This allows the system to maintain high availability through multiple processors while presenting a simplified single-connection interface to clients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a connection manager or failover mechanism as an intermediary that handles the complexity of multiple service processors. This intermediary monitors the health of service processors and automatically switches the communication connection from an unhealthy active processor to a healthy standby processor, shielding clients from the underlying complexity.
2Ease of operation
If manual switching between service processors is required, then ease of operation deteriorates, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring standby service processors and establishing monitoring mechanisms before failures occur. The system continuously monitors service processor health and maintains ready-to-switch connections, enabling automatic failover without requiring user intervention or causing downtime when failures occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting service processor failures and executing failover without human intervention. The connection manager autonomously monitors service processor health, identifies failures, and switches connections to standby processors, eliminating the need for users to manually switch connections and reducing downtime to near-zero.
3Ease of operation
If users must know network addresses of service processors, then ease of operation deteriorates, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by creating a single abstract management interface that works regardless of which service processor is active. Clients connect to a universal management endpoint that automatically routes to the appropriate service processor, eliminating the need for users to know or manage specific service processor network addresses while the system handles the complexity of multiple processors internally.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are techniques for processing data storage system management requests. A single one of a plurality of service processors of a data storage system is designated as an active service processor and a remainder of the plurality of service processors are passive service processors. Each of the service processors executes data storage system management server code including a web server. A data storage system management request is received from a client and is processed by the active service processor. When a first service processor currently designated as the active service processor becomes unhealthy, a second of said plurality of service processors which is designated as passive and is healthy is automatically selected as the active processor. Subsequent communications for data storage system management are transmitted over the network connection between the client and a web server executing on whichever service processor is currently designated as active.