Handling errors during run time backups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10592364-B2
Application number	US-201515578557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

Examples provide systems and a method for handling errors during run-time back up of volatile memory. The method includes initiating a backup of a volatile memory domain to a non-volatile memory domain. Memory registers are polled for completion of the backup. It is determined if the backup was successful. If not successful, an operating system (OS) is notified that the backup failed, and the backup is completed to an alternate media.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for handling errors during runtime memory backup, the system comprising:
a memory module having a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory; and a backup controller to:
determine that a backup should occur in the memory module;
determine a backup domain of the volatile memory;
deactivate a domain of the volatile memory, where the domain includes the backup domain; and
initiate the backup to non-volatile memory during normal runtime of the system, the backup including data in the backup domain of the volatile memory being saved to the non-volatile memory;
cause a timer to start when the backup is initiated;
listen for an indication that the backup completed successfully; and
detect a failure of the backup when the timer expires without the backup controller receiving the indication that the backup completed successfully, and, if a failure is detected, cause the data in the backup domain of the volatile memory to be saved in a different non-volatile storage external to the memory module.

2. The system of claim 1 , the backup controller to notify an operating system of the failure and the operating system to backup the data to the different non-volatile storage external to the memory module.

3. The system of claim 1 , comprising a management controller, the backup controller to notify the management controller of the failure.

4. The system of claim 3 , the management controller to backup the data to the different non-volatile storage external to the memory module.

5. The system of claim 4 , comprising a management network, the management controller to transfer the data to the different non-volatile storage external to the memory module over the management network.

6. A method for handling errors during run-time back up of volatile memory, comprising:
determining that a backup should occur in a memory module having a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory;
determining a backup domain of the volatile memory, the backup domain being defined by a range of memory addresses within the volatile memory;
deactivating a deactivation domain of the volatile memory, wherein the deactivation domain includes the backup domain;
initiating the backup of the volatile memory domain to a non-volatile memory domain;
polling memory registers for completion of the backup;
determining if the backup was successful; and, if not successful:
notifying an operating system (OS) that the backup failed; and
completing the backup to an alternate media;

scrubbing the non-volatile memory; and, if uncorrectable errors are detected:
alerting the OS that a previously completed backup has failed;
selecting, via the OS the alternate media to backup the volatile memory domain;
backing up the volatile memory domain, via the OS, to the alternate media; and
changing a health status of the non-volatile memory.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising:
selecting, via the OS, the alternate media to backup the volatile memory domain; and
backing up the volatile memory domain, via the OS, to the alternate media.

8. The method of claim 6 , comprising:
selecting, via a management controller, the alternate media to backup the volatile memory domain; and
backing up the volatile memory domain, via the management controller, to the alternate media.

9. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for partial backup during runtime, the instructions executable by a processor of a system to cause the system to:
initiate a backup of a volatile memory domain to a non-volatile memory domain, of a non-volatile memory;
poll memory registers for completion of the backup;
determine if the backup was successful; and, if not successful;
notify an operating system (OS), a management controller, or both that the backup failed; and
complete the backup to an alternate media,

scrub the non-volatile memory domain; and, if uncorrectable errors are detected:
alert the OS that a previously completed backup has failed;
select, via the OS, the alternate media to backup the volatile memory domain;
back up the volatile memory domain, via the OS, to the alternate media; change the health status of the non-volatile memory.

10. A method for handling errors during run-time back up of volatile memory, comprising:
determining that a backup should occur in a memory module having a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory;
determining a backup domain of the volatile memory, the backup domain being defined by a range of memory addresses within the volatile memory;
deactivating a deactivation domain of the volatile memory, wherein the deactivation domain includes the backup domain;
initiating the backup of the volatile memory domain to a non-volatile memory domain;
polling memory registers for completion of the backup;
determining if the backup was successful; and, if not successful:
notifying an operating system (OS) that the backup failed; and

completing the backup to an alternate media;
scrubbing the non-volatile memory; and, if uncorrectable errors are detected:
alerting a management controller that a previously completed backup has failed;
selecting, via the management controller, the alternate media to backup the volatile memory domain; and

backing up the volatile memory domain, via the management controller, to the alternate media.

11. The method of claim 10 ; comprising:
selecting, via the OS; the alternate media to backup the volatile memory domain; and
backing up the volatile memory domain, via the OS; to the alternate media.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
selecting, via a management controller, the alternate media to backup the volatile memory domain; and
backing up the volatile memory domain, via the management controller, to the alternate media.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Warnes Lidia
• Schoeller Patrick M

Classifications

• G06F11/1456

  Hardware arrangements for backup · CPC title

• G06F2201/805

  Real-time · CPC title

• G06F11/2094 Primary

  Redundant storage or storage space (G06F11/2056 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F11/2015

  Redundant power supplies (power supply failure G06F1/30) · CPC title

• G06F11/1458

  Management of the backup or restore process · CPC title