Efficient high availability for a SCSI target over a fibre channel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9852034-B2
Application number	US-201414223237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 24, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

For efficient high availability for a multi-node cluster using a processor device in a computing environment, using duplicate, standby host-bus adaptors (HBAs) for alternate nodes with respect to a node with the duplicate, standby HBAs using duplicate credentials of active HBAs of the node for shutting down the node, taking an active HBA of the node offline, and/or activating one of the alternate nodes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for efficient high availability for a small computer system interface (SCSI) target over a fibre channel using a processor device in a computing environment, the method comprising:
using a plurality of duplicate, standby host-bus adaptors (HBAs) for a plurality of alternate nodes with respect to a node, wherein the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs use duplicate credentials of active HBAs of the node for performing one of shutting down the node, taking an active HBA of the node offline, and activating one of the plurality of alternate nodes;
shutting down a failed node by an active one of the plurality of alternate nodes using a fence device;
bringing up standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs by the active node;
registering the standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs using the duplicate credentials of the failed node, wherein the duplicate credentials include at least duplicate address links of the active HBAs of the failed node; and
taking over all jobs of the failed node by the active node using a shared data structure including SCSI device assignments, SCSI reservations, and required host notifications.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including
notifying a host of port configuration changes, wherein the host logs into the standby ports.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including performing:
maintaining ports of the failed node in a down state while reactivating the failed node,
issuing a notification to an active one of the plurality of alternate nodes that the failed node is now a reactivated node,
shutting down the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs by the active one of the plurality of alternate nodes, and
activating, by the reactivated node, the HBAs of the reactivated node.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including performing at least one of:
setting or determining a total number of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs, and
maintaining a minimum number of standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including mimicking an active HBA of the node by the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs using duplicate world wide node name (WWNN) and world wide port name (WWPN) of the active HBAs of the node when the node is failing.

6. A system for efficient high availability for a small computer system interface (SCSI) target over a fibre channel in a computing environment, the system comprising:
at least one processor device operable in the computing environment, wherein the at least one processor device:
using a plurality of duplicate, standby host-bus adaptors (HBAs) for a plurality of alternate nodes with respect to a node, wherein the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs use duplicate credentials of active HBAs of the node for performing one of shutting down the node, taking an active HBA of the node offline, and activating one of the plurality of alternate nodes,
shuts down a failed node by an active one of the plurality of alternate nodes using a fence device,
brings up standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs by the active node,
registers the standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs using the duplicate credentials of the failed node, wherein the duplicate credentials include at least duplicate address links of the active HBAs of the failed node, and
takes over all jobs of the failed node by the active node using a shared data structure including SCSI device assignments, SCSI reservations, and required host notifications.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor device
notifies a host of port configuration changes, wherein the host logs into the standby ports.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor device performs:
maintaining ports of the failed node in a down state while reactivating the failed node,
issuing a notification to an active one of the plurality of alternate nodes that the failed node is now a reactivated node,
shutting down the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs by the active one of the plurality of alternate nodes, and
activating, by the reactivated node, the HBAs of the reactivated node.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor device performs at least one of:
setting or determining a total number of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs, and
maintaining a minimum number of standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor device mimics an active HBA of the node by the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs using duplicate world wide node name (WWNN) and world wide port name (WWPN) of the active HBAs of the node when the node is failing.

11. A computer program product for efficient high availability for a small computer system interface (SCSI) target over a fibre channel using a processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
a first executable portion that uses a plurality of duplicate, standby host-bus adaptors (HBAs) for a plurality of alternate nodes with respect to a node, wherein the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs use duplicate credentials of active HBAs of the node for performing one of shutting down the node, taking an active HBA of the node offline, and activating one of the plurality of alternate nodes;
shuts down a failed node by an active one of the plurality of alternate nodes using a fence device;
brings up standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs by the active node; registers the standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs using the duplicate credentials of the failed node, wherein the duplicate credentials include at least duplicate address links of the active HBAs of the failed node; and
takes over all jobs of the failed node by the active node using a shared data structure including SCSI device assignments, SCSI reservations, and required host notifications.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , further includes a second executable portion that, if the node fails,
notifies a host of port configuration changes, wherein the host logs into the standby ports.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 , further includes a second executable portion that performs:
maintaining ports of the failed node in a down state while reactivating the failed node,
issuing a notification to an active one of the plurality of alternate nodes that the failed node is now a reactivated node,
shutting down the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs by the active one of the plurality of alternate nodes, and
activating, by the reactivated node, the HBAs of the reactivated node.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , further includes a second executable portion that performs at least one of:
setting or determining a total number of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs, and
maintaining a minimum number of standby ports of the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 , further includes a second executable portion that mimics an active HBA of the node by the plurality of duplicate, standby HBAs using duplicate world wide node name (WWNN) and world wide port name (WWPN) of the active HBAs of the node when the node is failing.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Akirav Shay H
• Bar Oren
• Barsky Roman
• Maoz Itay

Classifications

• G06F11/2007 Primary

  using redundant communication media · CPC title

• G06F11/2046

  where the redundant components share persistent storage (G06F11/2043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F11/2041

  with more than one idle spare processing component · CPC title

• G06F11/2089

  Redundant storage control functionality · CPC title

• G06F11/1423

  by reconfiguration of paths · CPC title