Abstract: Technical solutions are described for inter-controller communication in a protocol agnostic manner. For example, a method includes generating, by a sending controller, a protocol agnostic data frame including a pattern identifier, a rolling counter, a message identifier, a signal group, a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), a complement of the pattern identifier, and a complement of the rolling counter. The method further includes sending, by the sending controller, the protocol agnostic data frame to a first receiving controller that uses a first communication protocol, and sending, by the sending controller, the protocol agnostic data frame to a second receiving controller that uses a second communication protocol.

Abstract: The technical solutions described herein address technical challenges in case of redundant communication channels between microcontrollers (MCU)s, which communicate the same information and use rolling counter(s). For example, the technical solutions include a method to evaluate a sequence of communication messages between the MCUs in a redundant communication network and react responsively.

Abstract: Technical solutions are described for providing a redundant processor. An example processing unit includes a source processor coupled with a system communication bus via a first communication line; a backup processor coupled with the system communication bus via a second communication line; and an inter-microprocessor communication channel for communication between the source processor and the backup processor. The backup processor monitors for a failure of the source processor by monitoring the first communication line for communication messages being transmitted by the source processor. The backup processor determines a failure of the source processor in response to an absence of the communication messages on the first communication line for a predetermined duration. The backup processor, in response to a failure of the source processor, takes over control of communication of the processing unit by sending a status update on the inter-microprocessor communication channel.

Abstract: Embodiments are described for prognostication of real time operating system (RTOS) health. An example computer-implemented method includes monitoring, for a task from a plurality of tasks being executed by the RTOS, an execution time, an inter-arrival time, and a blocking time. The method further includes computing an RTOS state of health value based on the execution time, the inter-arrival time, and the blocking time of each task from the plurality of tasks. The method further includes, in response to the RTOS state of health value being less than a predetermined threshold, initiating performance of an error handling.

Abstract: Recovery requests are scheduled and prioritized according to priority valuations of the minimum time to next failure relative to the minimum time to next recovery for corresponding storage data sets. The prioritization can be performed by an upper layer recovery scheduler that dispatches requests to different storage units and/or by lower layers and individual storage unit schedulers. Prioritizations can be reflected in tagging on recovery requests, as determined by a first entity, and/or determined dynamically at the point of dispatch and processing.

Abstract: Technical solutions are described for determining and analyzing timing parameters to prognosticate a failure of one or more RTOS tasks. An example method includes dequeing a buffer queue entry from a buffer queue. In response to determining that a first task-id from the buffer queue entry does not match a second task-id from a topmost entry of a stack comprising buffer queue entries, the method includes pushing the buffer queue entry as a top-entry in a stack, updating a previous time sample value as the timestamp of the buffer queue entry, and accumulating a temporary execution time value for the second task-id from the stack. Further, in response to the first task-id matching the second task-id, computing an execution time value for the second task-id, updating the previous time sample value as the timestamp of the buffer queue entry, and popping the topmost entry from the stack.

Abstract: The technical solutions described herein address technical challenges in case of redundant communication channels between microcontrollers (MCU)s, which communicate the same information and use rolling counter(s). For example, the technical solutions include a method to evaluate a sequence of communication messages between the MCUs in a redundant communication network and react responsively.

Abstract: Technical solutions are described for inter-controller communication in a protocol agnostic manner. For example, a method includes generating, by a sending controller, a protocol agnostic data frame including a pattern identifier, a rolling counter, a message identifier, a signal group, a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), a complement of the pattern identifier, and a complement of the rolling counter. The method further includes sending, by the sending controller, the protocol agnostic data frame to a first receiving controller that uses a first communication protocol, and sending, by the sending controller, the protocol agnostic data frame to a second receiving controller that uses a second communication protocol.

Abstract: Technical solutions are described for providing a redundant processor. An example processing unit includes a source processor coupled with a system communication bus via a first communication line; a backup processor coupled with the system communication bus via a second communication line; and an inter-microprocessor communication channel for communication between the source processor and the backup processor. The backup processor monitors for a failure of the source processor by monitoring the first communication line for communication messages being transmitted by the source processor. The backup processor determines a failure of the source processor in response to an absence of the communication messages on the first communication line for a predetermined duration. The backup processor, in response to a failure of the source processor, takes over control of communication of the processing unit by sending a status update on the inter-microprocessor communication channel.

Abstract: Embodiments are described for prognostication of real time operating system (RTOS) health. An example computer-implemented method includes monitoring, for a task from a plurality of tasks being executed by the RTOS, an execution time, an inter-arrival time, and a blocking time. The method further includes computing an RTOS state of health value based on the execution time, the inter-arrival time, and the blocking time of each task from the plurality of tasks. The method further includes, in response to the RTOS state of health value being less than a predetermined threshold, initiating performance of an error handling.

Abstract: Technical solutions are described for determining and analyzing timing parameters to prognosticate a failure of one or more RTOS tasks. An example method includes dequeing a buffer queue entry from a buffer queue. In response to determining that a first task-id from the buffer queue entry does not match a second task-id from a topmost entry of a stack comprising buffer queue entries, the method includes pushing the buffer queue entry as a top-entry in a stack, updating a previous time sample value as the timestamp of the buffer queue entry, and accumulating a temporary execution time value for the second task-id from the stack. Further, in response to the first task-id matching the second task-id, computing an execution time value for the second task-id, updating the previous time sample value as the timestamp of the buffer queue entry, and popping the topmost entry from the stack.

Abstract: Recovery requests are scheduled and prioritized according to priority valuations of the minimum time to next failure relative to the minimum time to next recovery for corresponding storage data sets. The prioritization can be performed by an upper layer recovery scheduler that dispatches requests to different storage units and/or by lower layers and individual storage unit schedulers. Prioritizations can be reflected in tagging on recovery requests, as determined by a first entity, and/or determined dynamically at the point of dispatch and processing.

Abstract: A storage system creates a snapshot of a virtual hard disk by switching an I/O request target for the virtual hard disk. A requestor may issue requests to the storage system requesting that specific operations of the process should be performed. A request may specify that more than one operation should be performed in one operation. After initializing a new virtual hard disk file, I/O requests directed to a target virtual hard disk file are held for later deliver. The I/O request target is switched from the target to the new virtual hard disk file. I/O requests are unblocked and the stored requests are delivered to the new virtual hard disk file. Additional I/O requests sent to the target virtual hard disk file may be redirected to the new virtual hard disk file.

Abstract: A server instance, which is a collection of LUNs, containing an operating system, any applications and data storage. A processing element is the physical hardware. The combination is a server as normally understood. Templates are used to define server instances and server types to simplify deploying a server instance to a processing element. A graphical user interface provides the templates where the particular storage groups are identified and then server instances are created from lists of operating systems, applications, and available storage. The management service processor is a PXE server and provides the necessary software to identify the components of the processing element and correlate between the processing element and a server instance. The management service processor then automatically provides software to the processing element to allow it correctly boot. The management service processor manages the interconnection of the processing element and the relevant LUNs.

Abstract: A server instance, which is a collection of LUNs, containing an operating system, any applications and data storage. A processing element is the physical hardware. The combination is a server as normally understood. Templates are used to define server instances and server types to simplify deploying a server instance to a processing element. A graphical user interface provides the templates where the particular storage groups are identified and then server instances are created from lists of operating systems, applications, and available storage. The management service processor is a PXE server and provides the necessary software to identify the components of the processing element and correlate between the processing element and a server instance. The management service processor then automatically provides software to the processing element to allow it correctly boot. The management service processor manages the interconnection of the processing element and the relevant LUNs.

Abstract: A server instance, which is a collection of LUNs, containing an operating system, any applications and data storage. A processing element is the physical hardware. The combination is a server as normally understood. Templates are used to define server instances and server types to simplify deploying a server instance to a processing element. A graphical user interface provides the templates where the particular storage groups are identified and then server instances are created from lists of operating systems, applications, and available storage. The management service processor is a PXE server and provides the necessary software to identify the components of the processing element and correlate between the processing element and a server instance. The management service processor then automatically provides software to the processing element to allow it correctly boot. The management service processor manages the interconnection of the processing element and the relevant LUNs.