Abstract: Consistency for replicating data storage subsystem configurations in accordance with a “golden” configuration file. A data storage subsystem comprises a blade system with a plurality of slots, the blade system configured to support a plurality of blades and a storage system, each arranged in a predetermined slot of the blade system. The storage system arranges a logical configuration of the server blades in accordance with a “golden” configuration file. The server blade slot versus WWN information is collected and provided to the storage system. The storage system converts the “golden” configuration file slot information to WWNs. The server blades are enabled for access to said storage system as they log on with WWNs in accordance with the “golden” configuration file.

Abstract: A sector conversion device includes a non-volatile memory area that is used to save two sectors' worth of data when power is lost during the sector conversion process. These two sectors of data are stored in the non-volatile memory area within the sector conversion device itself. The non-volatile memory within the sector conversion device is connected to the main internal memory of the device by a special link that is wider than the normal word size of the buffer. When power is lost to the storage enclosure during a scenario where data is being written to the hard disk drives, which involves sector conversion, the internal processor of the sector conversion device immediately initiates a transfer from the volatile buffer queue memory to the non-volatile memory. The information that is transferred (hardened) is the two sectors of data that were involved in the sector conversion process.

Abstract: Consistency for replicating data storage subsystem configurations in accordance with a “golden” configuration file. A data storage subsystem comprises a blade system configured to support a plurality of blades and a storage system, each arranged in a predetermined slot of the blade system, and at least one zoneable switch whose zoning is disabled at power on. A management module operates the blade system to power on all slots. The storage system, in accordance with a “golden” configuration file, transfers port enablement sequencing to the switch, and the switch enables and zones ports in sequence to allow the server blades to see the storage system in accordance with the port enablement sequence. The storage system is configured with the “golden” configuration file to log on the server blades in accordance with the port enablement sequence to logically configure the server blades in accordance with the “golden” configuration file.

Abstract: Consistency for replicating data storage subsystem configurations in accordance with a “golden” configuration file. A data storage subsystem comprises a blade system with a plurality of slots, the blade system configured to support a plurality of blades and a storage system, each arranged in a predetermined slot of the blade system. A management module operates the blade system to first power on the storage system, and subsequently to power on the plurality of server blades in a sequential order that matches a blade system natural boot sequence order, skipping the storage system, and the storage system is configured with the “golden” configuration file to log on the server blades in accordance with the power on sequence to logically configure the server blades in accordance with the “golden” configuration file.

Abstract: Consistency for replicating data storage subsystem configurations in accordance with a “golden” configuration file. A data storage subsystem comprises a blade system with a plurality of slots, the blade system configured to support a plurality of blades and a storage system, each arranged in a predetermined slot of the blade system. A management module operates the blade system to first power on the storage system. In accordance with a “golden” configuration file, the storage system passes sequence information to the management module. The management module powers on the plurality of server blades in accordance with the sequence information. The storage system is configured with the “golden” configuration file to log on the server blades in accordance with the power on sequence to logically configure the server blades in accordance with the “golden” configuration file.

Abstract: Components in a data storage subsystem are tracked, and their status monitored, with the use of memory devices such as RFID tags. In the practice of the invention, a component of a data storage subsystem, such as a data recording device, is associated with a memory device, such as but not limited to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, that is capable of storing information regarding a status of the data storage component. A storage controller controls the data storage component. A reader/writer operably integrated into the storage controller, wherein the reader/writer is operable to be controlled by the storage controller to communicate in a wireless manner an update of the information within said memory device regarding the status said data storage component.

Abstract: A single fibre channel switch or serial attached SCSI expander applies zoning on the initiator ports to each of the two ports of one or more drives. The fibre channel switch or serial attached SCSI expander uses zoning to connect both ports of each drive to a single expander and set the zones in the expander such that each zone includes at least one initiator port and one drive port.

Abstract: A system and method for thresholding system power loss notifications in a data processing system are provided. Power loss detection modules are provided in a data processing system having one or more data processing devices, such as blades in an IBM BladeCenter® chassis. The power loss detection modules detect the type of infrastructure of the data processing system, a position of a corresponding data processing device within the data processing system, and a capability of the data processing system to provide power during a power loss scenario. The detection module detects various inputs identifying these types of data processing system and power system characteristics and provides logic for defining a set of behaviors during a power loss scenario, e.g., behaviors for sending system notifications of imminent power loss. The detection of the various inputs and the defining of a set of behaviors may be performed statically and/or dynamically.

Abstract: A system and method for thresholding system power loss notifications in a data processing system are provided. Power loss detection modules are provided in a data processing system having one or more data processing devices, such as blades in an IBM BladeCenter® chassis. The power loss detection modules detect the type of infrastructure of the data processing system, a position of a corresponding data processing device within the data processing system, and a capability of the data processing system to provide power during a power loss scenario. The detection module detects various inputs identifying these types of data processing system and power system characteristics and provides logic for defining a set of behaviors during a power loss scenario, e.g., behaviors for sending system notifications of imminent power loss. The detection of the various inputs and the defining of a set of behaviors may be performed statically and/or dynamically.

Abstract: A data storage enclosure management system of a plurality of service processors is configured to communicate externally via a pair of FC-AL loops. Lead and subsidiary service processors are defined and lead service processors connect to ones of the FC-AL loops with an FC-AL address, and the lead and subsidiary service processors are connected by a secondary communication link. The lead service processor(s) employ an identifier unassociated with the FC-AL address to differentiate communications of the lead service processor from communications of an associated subsidiary service processor, the lead service processor serving as a proxy for the associated subsidiary service processor with respect to the FC-AL address and communicating with the associated subsidiary service processor via the secondary communication link.

Abstract: An out-of-band to optical conversion component is provided that uses a transmit disable signal and a receive loss of signal (LOS) signal built into optical small form-factor pluggable transceiver and cable to pass the out-of-band protocol between serial attached SCSI enclosures. The transmit disable signal, when asserted, turns off the optical output, while the receive LOS signal detects the loss of signal. The out-of-band to optical conversion component sits in line on the serial attached SCSI data traffic and strips off the out-of-band signals from the serial attached SCSI expander so that only data flows over the optical cable. The out-of-band to optical conversion component sends the out-of-band signals to the other enclosure using the transmit disable pin on the small form-factor pluggable transceiver and cable. The other enclosure receives the message on the receive LOS signal and transmit it back onto the serial attached SCSI receive data pair.

Abstract: A method for providing a hot standby master on a fieldbus includes communicatively coupling a redundancy coupler to a fieldbus having at least one slave device communicatively coupled thereto. The method further includes communicatively coupling a plurality of redundant fieldbus master controllers (MCs) to the coupler and utilizing the coupler to determine which of the plurality of redundant MCs is active. Also included in the method is using the coupler to receive communications from the active MC and to forward the received communications from the active MC to the one or more slave devices via the fieldbus. In addition, the coupler is used to receive communications from the other redundant MCs and to prevent the received communications from the redundant MCs from being forwarded to the one or more slave devices.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for selective cross communications between autonomous storage modules. A RAID controller communicates through a first cascading communications loop comprising a first storage module. The first storage module includes a plurality of storage devices and is disposed in an enclosure. The RAID controller also communicates through a second cascading communications loop comprising a second storage module. The second storage module also includes a plurality of storage devices and is disposed in the enclosure. An interface module transmits messages of the first loop through the second storage module. In one embodiment, the RAID controller communicates a cross communications command to the interface module through the second storage module to enable the interface module to transmit the messages of the first loop through the second storage module in response to a failure of the first loop upstream of the first storage module.

Abstract: A radio frequency identifier (RFID) active/passive tag is provided to identify failed sub-CRU and location within a higher level CRU. When an error occurs on the base blade or within one of the sub-CRUs, the embedded processor writes failure information to the RFID. RFID tags may also contain data identifying the locations, of the sub-CRUs of the blade. Thus, when there is a failure, the RFID may report the failed component as well as the location of a failed sub-CRU. Sub-CRUs may also include an embedded processor and RFID tag. When a service action is initiated to repair or replace a blade, the RFID tag may be read by a RFID reader. The RFID reader device may then present failure information, including the identification of the failed sub-CRU and other associated information to the operator. The RFID reader device may also request associated information from a server computer.

Abstract: A sector conversion device includes a small memory area that is used to save two sector's worth of data when power is lost during the sector conversion process. As part of the sector conversion process, the sector conversion device saves two sectors of data when a power loss event occurs. These two sectors of data are stored in the memory area within the sector conversion device itself. This sector memory within the sector conversion device is defined and partitioned separately from the main internal memory of the device. This sector memory is also powered by a separate voltage boundary from a hold up voltage source, which is connected to the sector conversion device via an independent set of voltage pins. The hold up voltage source enables the sector memory contents to be retained.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to store, retrieve, and search both analog data and digital data. The method encodes information comprising a plurality of analog datasets in a holographic data storage medium to form an encoded holographic data storage medium, and further encodes digital data abstracted from the plurality of analog datasets to one or more of a plurality of non-holographic data storage media. The method then selects an analog dataset, wherein digital data abstracted from that analog dataset is written to a digital storage address on the one or more non-holographic data storage media, and illuminates the encoded holographic data storage medium with an analog dataset beam comprising the analog dataset. The encoded holographic data storage medium emits a dataset reference beam that strikes the second optical detector at one or more dataset reference beam coordinates. The method then associates the analog dataset with the dataset reference beam coordinate and with the digital storage address.

Abstract: A system (100) for connecting a fuel cell stack to an A.C. grid to provide power thereto is disclosed in which a voltage regulated D.C. bus (110) is provided to be coupled to the fuel cell stack, a bidirectional inverter (120) is coupled to the D.C. bus (110), and is to be coupled between the D.C. bus (110) and the A.C. grid. At least one D.C. auxiliary load (130) of the fuel cell stack is provided coupled to the D.C. bus (110). A D.C. to D.C. converter (140) is provided between the fuel cell stack and the D.C.

Abstract: A method to store, retrieve, and search information is disclosed. The method encodes information comprising a plurality of datasets in a holographic data storage medium to form an encoded holographic data storage medium, and encodes that same information to one or more of a plurality of non-holographic data storage media. The method then selects a dataset comprising a portion of the information, where that dataset is written to a dataset storage address on the non-holographic data storage medium, and illuminates the encoded holographic data storage medium with a dataset beam comprising that dataset to produce a dataset reference beam, such that the dataset reference beam strikes the optical detector at one or more dataset reference beam coordinates. The method then associates the dataset with the one or more dataset reference beam coordinates and with the dataset storage address.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for limiting failures in redundant signals. A coordination module generates a power status signal for each of a plurality of power modules. An input module receives a source signal. A signal generation module generates a plurality of output signals from the source signal and at least one power status signal. The output signals are not asserted if at least one power supply is operational. If a device of the signal generation module malfunctions, no more than one output signal is erroneously asserted.

Abstract: The method forms a plurality of DMA data payloads each comprising a plurality of first sectors, and sends to a sector format conversion device one or more of those DMA data payloads. The method then overlays the (i)th DMA data payload onto part or all of a plurality of second sectors to form the (i)th converted DMA data payload, enqueues that (i)th converted DMA data payload in a data queue, transmits that (i)th converted DMA data payload to a data storage device, and writes the (i)th converted DMA data payload to an information storage medium.