Sms-based backup notification system for storage systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018121281-A1
Application number	US-201615342604-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 3, 2016
Priority date	Nov 3, 2016
Publication date	May 3, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for notifying a system administrator of a storage-system-related problem is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes detecting a problem on a storage system comprising an array of storage drives. The method determines availability of a primary communication system used to notify a system administrator of the problem. In certain embodiments, this includes sending a message through the primary communication system and waiting for a response. In the event the primary communication system is available, the method notifies the system administrator of the problem through the primary communication system. In the event the primary communication system is not available, the method uses an SMS-based communication system to notify the system administrator of the problem. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

First claim

1 . A method for notifying a system administrator of a storage-system-related problem, the method comprising:
detecting a problem on a storage system comprising an array of storage drives; determining availability of a primary communication system to notify a system administrator of the problem; in the event the primary communication system is available, notifying the system administrator of the problem through the primary communication system; in the event the primary communication system is not available due to a catastrophic event, using an SMS-based communication system to notify the system administrator of the problem.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining availability of a primary communication system comprises sending a message through the primary communication system and waiting for a response.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the primary communication system is determined to be available upon receiving the response.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the primary communication system is determined to be unavailable upon not receiving the response for a selected amount of time.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary communication system is an email-based communication system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using an SMS-based communication system comprises communicating using a cellular network adapter and SIM card installed on the storage system.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising using a battery to provide backup power to the cellular network adapter and SIM card.

8 . A computer program product for notifying a system administrator of a storage-system-related problem, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer-usable program code embodied therein, the computer-usable program code configured to perform the following when executed by at least one processor:
detect a problem on a storage system comprising an array of storage drives; determine availability of a primary communication system to notify a system administrator of the problem; in the event the primary communication system is available, notify the system administrator of the problem through the primary communication system; in the event the primary communication system is not available due to a catastrophic event, use an SMS-based communication system to notify the system administrator of the problem.

9 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein determining availability of a primary communication system comprises sending a message through the primary communication system and waiting for a response.

10 . The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the primary communication system is determined to be available upon receiving the response.

11 . The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the primary communication system is determined to be unavailable upon not receiving the response for a selected amount of time.

12 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the primary communication system is an email-based communication system.

13 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein using an SMS-based communication system comprises communicating using a cellular network adapter and SIM card installed on the storage system.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein a battery is used to provide backup power to the cellular network adapter and SIM card.

15 . A system for notifying a system administrator of a storage-system-related problem, the system comprising:
at least one processor; at least one memory device coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions for execution on the at least one processor, the instructions causing the at least one processor to:
detect a problem on a storage system comprising an array of storage drives;
determine availability of a primary communication system to notify a system administrator of the problem;
in the event the primary communication system is available, notify the system administrator of the problem through the primary communication system;
in the event the primary communication system is not available due to a catastrophic event, use an SMS-based communication system to notify the system administrator of the problem.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein determining availability of a primary communication system comprises sending a message through the primary communication system and waiting for a response.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the primary communication system is determined to be available upon receiving the response.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the primary communication system is determined to be unavailable upon not receiving the response for a selected amount of time.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the primary communication system is an email-based communication system.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein using an SMS-based communication system comprises communicating using a cellular network adapter and SIM card installed on the storage system.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bowers John A
• Edgar Joseph P
• Laforteza Andrew J
• Niltchian Cyrus

Classifications

• G06F11/0709

  in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems · CPC title

• G06F11/2015

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

• G06F11/0751

  Error or fault detection not based on redundancy (power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06) · CPC title

• G06F11/0727

  in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system (drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097) · CPC title

• G06F11/2007

  using redundant communication media · CPC title