Method and apparatus for hardware assisted takeover

1 . A processing system comprising:

a controller to manage the processing system; and

a management module coupled to said controller and a network to monitor operating conditions of said controller and the management module configured to send a message on said network responsive to operating conditions that indicate a failure of said controller to a failover partner.

2 . The processing system of claim 1 , wherein said message includes an authentication key used by said failover partner to verify that the message originated from said controller.

3 . The processing system of claim 1 , wherein said message is a simple network management protocol (SNMP) formatted message.

4 . The processing system of claim 2 , wherein said authentication key is transmitted to said failover partner from said controller prior to said failure of said controller through a secure communication link between said controller and said failover partner.

5 . The processing system of claim 4 , wherein said authentication key is a shared secret that is used only once.

6 . The processing system of claim 4 , wherein said failover partner takes over services provided by said controller responsive to said message.

7 . The processing system of claim 2 , wherein said management module operates independently of said operating conditions of said controller.

8 . The processing system of claim 2 , wherein said management module sends said message on said network responsive to operating conditions selected from a group consisting of loss of power of said controller, loss of power of a vital component of said controller, system reset because of a watchdog timeout, power on self-test errors during the boot process, abnormal system reboots, environmental problems, hardware failure, and loss of communication with software on said controller.

9 . A storage system comprising:

a first server coupled with a first mass storage device and a network to service a first set of clients;

a second server coupled with a second mass storage device and said network to service a second set of clients; and

a management module coupled with said first server and said network, wherein said management module notifies said second server of a failure of said first server through said network.

10 . The storage system of claim 9 , wherein said second server services said first set of clients upon notification of a failure of said first server.

11 . The storage system of claim 10 , wherein said services include the storage and management of shared files or other units of data.

12 . The storage system of claim 9 , wherein said management module receives information from an agent coupled with a sensor that indicates a failure.

13 . The storage system of claim 12 , wherein said management module receives information from software loaded on said first server that indicates a failure.

14 . The storage system of claim 13 , wherein said management module notifies said second server through said network by sending a simple network management protocol message upon detection of an event selected from a group consisting of loss of power of said controller, loss of power of a vital component of said controller, system reset because of a watchdog timeout, power on self-test errors during the boot process, abnormal system reboots, environmental problems, hardware failure, and loss of communication with software on said controller.

15 . The storage system of claim 13 , wherein said management module further includes a central processor unit and a power source independent of said first storage server that allows said management module to operate despite said failure of said first storage server.

16 . The storage system of claim 14 , wherein said simple network management protocol message includes an authentication key used by second server to ensure the message originated from said first server.

17 . A method comprising:

monitoring for a failure event in a first controller of a storage system coupled with a network through a remote management module;

detecting said failure event with said remote management module; and

using said remote management module to transmit a message through said network to a second controller of a storage system responsive to detecting said failure event.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said message is a packet.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said packet is a simple network management protocol formatted packet.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

servicing a client of said first controller of a storage system by said second controller of a storage system upon receipt of a packet transmitted responsive to detecting said failure event.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:

returning the servicing of said client to said first controller upon notification to said second server that said failure event in said first controller is remedied.

22 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

generating an authentication key in said first controller; and

transmitting said authentication key to said second controller through a secure communication link between said first controller and said second controller.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said packet includes said authentication key used by said second controller to verify said packet originated from said first controller.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein said authentication key is a shared secret that is regenerated after said shared secret is used to verify said packet originated from said first controller.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein said authentication key is regenerated using a random number generator.

26 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

sending a heartbeat message from said remote management module to said second controller of a storage system to confirm operation of said remote management module.