Efficient mechanism to replicate data for multiple controllers
View Patent ↗An information handling system and method allows implementation of fault-tolerant storage subsystems using multiple storage controllers not themselves originally designed to support the redundancy of such fault-tolerant storage subsystems. In accordance with one embodiment, uncommitted data is efficiently and rapidly replicated across multiple commodity storage controllers, enabling faster and less expensive fault-tolerant storage subsystems. A redundant storage controller system using non-redundant storage controllers can improve the efficiency of data replication while providing failure protection against controller failure. A redundant storage controller system using non-redundant storage controllers and shared memory commonly accessible to the storage controllers can be enhanced to replicate data within host memory regions to protect against non-volatile memory failure. In accordance with at least one embodiment, an efficient data replication mechanism can be provided between storage controllers using off-the-shelf hardware.
1. A method comprising:
sending, by a host processor, a write command to a storage controller;
transferring, by the host processor, write data via a first connection to the storage controller, the write data associated with the write command;
transferring, by the host processor, an electronic copy of the write data via a second connection to a backup storage controller providing redundancy for the storage controller;
determining, by the host processor, a failure associated with the write command sent to the storage controller; and
selecting, by the host processor, the backup storage controller to provide the redundancy in response to the failure associated with the write command.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sharing a memory between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending a read command to the storage controller.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising copying the write command to the backup storage controller.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising hosting a common memory region between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending the write command to the redundant storage controller.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising resending the write command to the redundant storage controller.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the failure of the storage controller.
9. A system, comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a memory device storing instructions that when executed cause the hardware processor to perform operations, the operations including:
sending a write command to a storage controller;
transferring write data via a first connection to the storage controller, the write data associated with the write command;
transferring an electronic copy of the write data via a second connection to a backup storage controller providing redundancy for the storage controller;
determining a failure associated with the write command sent to the storage controller; and
selecting the backup storage controller to provide the redundancy in response to the failure associated with the write command.
10. The system of claim 9 , where the operations further comprise sharing a memory between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.
11. The system of claim 9 , where the operations further comprise sending a read command to the storage controller.
12. The system of claim 9 , where the operations further comprise copying the write command to the backup storage controller.
13. The system of claim 9 , where the operations further comprise hosting a common memory region between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.
14. The system of claim 9 , where the operations further comprise sending the write command to the redundant storage controller.
15. The system of claim 9 , where the operations further comprise resending the write command to the redundant storage controller.
16. The system of claim 9 , where the operations further comprise determining the failure of the storage controller.
17. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
sending a write command to a storage controller;
transferring write data via a first connection to the storage controller, the write data associated with the write command;
transferring an electronic copy of the write data via a second connection to a backup storage controller providing redundancy for the storage controller;
determining a failure associated with the write command sent to the storage controller; and
selecting the backup storage controller to provide the redundancy in response to the failure associated with the write command.
18. The memory device of claim 17 , where the operations further comprise sharing a memory between the storage controller and the redundant storage controller.
19. The memory device of claim 17 , where the operations further comprise sending a read command to the storage controller.
20. The memory device of claim 17 , where the operations further comprise copying the write command to the backup storage controller.