IP Library Granted Patent US 9,128,898
Granted Patent B2
US 9,128,898 · App. 13/859,568 · Granted Sep 8, 2015

Server and method for managing redundant array of independent disk cards

Inventor: Chih-Huang Wu (New Taipei, TW)
Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
G06F11/2005G06F11/2028G06F11/2046G06F11/1076G06F12/0646G06F12/0684
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,128,898
App. No.
13/859,568
Granted
Sep 8, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a method for managing redundant array of independent disk (RAID) cards, physical layer (PHY) chips of the RAID card is detected by a serial port. Information of a malfunctioning PHY chip and a standby PHY chip is read and stored in a firmware of a flash erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) of the RAID card. An address of the malfunctioning PHY chip is set as an address of the standby PHY chip, and a hard disk electronically connected to the malfunctioning PHY chip is connected to the standby PHY chip. A new serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) address is obtained by amending an original SAS address according to the number and address of the standby PHY chip, and a new firmware is created in the flash EPROM according to the new SAS address.

Claims (31)

1. A computer-implemented method being executed by a processor of an electronic device, the method comprising:

(a) detecting physical layer (PHY) chips of a redundant array of independent disk (RAID) card in a motherboard of the electronic device by a serial port of the RAID card;

(b) in response to detecting a malfunctioning PHY chip, reading information of the malfunctioning PHY chip and storing the information of the malfunctioning PHY chip in a firmware of a flash erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) of the RAID card;

(c) reading information of a standby PHY chip of the RAID card from the flash EPROM, and storing the information of the standby PHY chip in the firmware of the flash EPROM;

(d) setting an address of the malfunctioning PHY chip as an address of the standby PHY chip, and connecting a hard disk electronically connected to the malfunctioning PHY chip to the standby PHY chip;

(e) obtaining a new serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) address by amending an original SAS address according to the number and address of the standby PHY chip; and

(f) creating a new firmware in the flash EPROM according to the new SAS address.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the SAS address consists of numbers and addresses of eight PHY chips and comprises eight parallel paths for transmitting data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (d), the hard disk is electronically connected to the standby PHY chip using a switch of the RAID card.

4. A non-transitory storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions being executed by a processor of an electronic device, to perform a method comprising:

(a) detecting physical layer (PHY) chips of a redundant array of independent disk (RAID) card in a motherboard of the electronic device by a serial port of the RAID card;

(b) in response to detecting a malfunctioning PHY chip, reading information of the malfunctioning PHY chip and storing the information of the malfunctioning PHY chip in a firmware of a flash erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) of the RAID card;

(c) reading information of a standby PHY chip of the RAID card from the flash EPROM, and storing the information of the standby PHY chip in the firmware of the flash EPROM;

(d) setting an address of the malfunctioning PHY chip as an address of the standby PHY chip, and connecting a hard disk electronically connected to the malfunctioning PHY chip to the standby PHY chip;

(e) obtaining a new serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) address by amending an original SAS address according to the number and address of the standby PHY chip; and

(f) creating a new firmware in the flash EPROM according to the new SAS address.

5. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the SAS address consists of numbers and addresses of eight PHY chips and comprises eight parallel paths for transmitting data.

6. The non-transitory storage medium as claimed in claim 4 , wherein in step (d), the hard disk is electronically connected to the standby PHY chip using a switch of the RAID card.

7. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

a motherboard comprising one or more redundant array of independent disk (RAID) cards;

a storage unit;

at least one processor;

one or more programs that are stored in the storage unit and are executed by the at least one processor, the one or more programs comprising:

a detection module that detects physical layer (PHY) chips of the one or more RAID cards;

a reading module that reads information of a malfunctioning PHY chip and stores the information of the malfunctioning PHY chip in a firmware of a flash erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) of the RAID card, in response to detecting a malfunctioning PHY chip;

the reading module further reads information of a standby PHY chip of the RAID card from the flash EPROM, and stores the information of the standby PHY chip in the firmware of the flash EPROM;

a replacing module that sets an address of the malfunctioning PHY chip as an address of the standby PHY chip, and connects a hard disk electronically connected to the malfunctioning PHY chip to the standby PHY chip;

an amending module that obtains a new serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) address by amending an original SAS address according to the number and address of the standby PHY chip; and

a creating module that creates a new firmware in the flash EPROM according to the new SAS address.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the SAS address consists of numbers and addresses of eight PHY chips and comprises eight parallel paths for transmitting data.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the hard disk is electronically connected to the standby PHY chip using a switch of the RAID card.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2018
From: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
To: CLOUD NETWORK TECHNOLOGY SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 045281/0269 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2013
From: WU, CHIH-HUANG
To: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 030190/0542 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 101139155 A · Oct 23, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140115236A1 · Apr 24, 2014