Abstract: An error detection mechanism is provided for detecting sequential and distributed errors in a device I/O stream. The sensitivity of the errors is user definable. The result of the error detection is fed back into the path management software, which may use the error information to decide whether a device path should be disabled. The error detection mechanism sets a time span for a time window and counts the number of errors that occur during the time window. Each time a time window ends with at least one error, the sequential error count and the distributed error count are incremented. However, if an I/O returns without an error, the sequential error count is cleared. If the sequential error count reaches a predetermined limit, the path is disabled. After a predetermined number of time windows, if the distributed error count reaches a predetermined limit, the path is disabled.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for monitoring I/O activity of each device and the total I/O activity for each adapter. When there is low I/O activity for the tape subsystem, the I/O for the disk subsystems may be spread across all available adapters and paths. When I/O activity for the tape subsystem increases, the I/O activity for the disk subsystems may be reduced on the adapter processing the tape I/O, but will continue across all other adapters. If the tape subsystem begins to report errors due to I/O starvation, the disk I/O activity may be adjusted until the errors stop.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for balancing I/O among available paths connected to a device. The mechanism partitions paths so a device can use all or only a subset of available paths to a device, depending on the load of I/O for other devices that are sharing the paths. The partitioning of paths is dynamic, readjusting as I/O loads change for the devices.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for maintaining object configuration data in a data processing system is provided. A first set of attribute entries is stored in a database. The first set of attribute entries is associated with a first object classification and a second object classification. A second set and a third set of attribute entries each comprising at least one attribute entry are stored in the database. The second set of attribute entries is associated with the first object classification, and the third set of attribute entries are associated with the second object classification. A first object of the first object classification is configured with the first set of attribute entries and the second set of attribute entries, and a second object of the second object classification is configured with the first set of attribute entries and the third set of attribute entries.

Abstract: A system and method for a dual stage persistent reservation preemption protocol is presented. A first adapter registers with a shared device and obtains reservation ownership of the shared device. The first adapter sets an internal reservation owner flag to “TRUE” in response to obtaining reservation ownership. The internal flag status is analyzed if the first adapter is de-registered from the shared device. When a second adapter preempts the first adapter to obtain reservation ownership, the first adapter loses its registration with the shared device. The first adapter receives an error message from the shared device in response to a request, and the first adapter checks its internal reservation owner flag status. If the first adapter's internal reservation owner flag status is “TRUE”, the first adapter re-registers with the shared device.

Abstract: An error detection mechanism is provided for detecting sequential and distributed errors in a device I/O stream. The sensitivity of the errors is user definable. The result of the error detection is fed back into the path management software, which may use the error information to decide whether a device path should be disabled. The error detection mechanism sets a time span for a time window and counts the number of errors that occur during the time window. Each time a time window ends with at least one error, the sequential error count and the distributed error count are incremented. However, if an I/O returns without an error, the sequential error count is cleared. If the sequential error count reaches a predetermined limit, the path is disabled. After a predetermined number of time windows, if the distributed error count reaches a predetermined limit, the path is disabled.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for monitoring I/O activity of each device and the total I/O activity for each adapter. When there is low I/O activity for the tape subsystem, the I/O for the disk subsystems may be spread across all available adapters and paths. When I/O activity for the tape subsystem increases, the I/O activity for the disk subsystems may be reduced on the adapter processing the tape I/O, but will continue across all other adapters. If the tape subsystem begins to report errors due to I/O starvation, the disk I/O activity may be adjusted until the errors stop.

Abstract: A system and method for a dual stage persistent reservation preemption protocol is presented. A first adapter registers with a shared device and obtains reservation ownership of the shared device. The first adapter sets an internal reservation owner flag to “TRUE” in response to obtaining reservation ownership. The internal flag status is analyzed if the first adapter is de-registered from the shared device. When a second adapter preempts the first adapter to obtain reservation ownership, the first adapter loses its registration with the shared device. The first adapter receives an error message from the shared device in response to a request, and the first adapter checks its internal reservation owner flag status. If the first adapter's internal reservation owner flag status is “TRUE”, the first adapter re-registers with the shared device.