Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are provided for controlling link status changes across multiple independent control modules. The apparatus includes a copy services module configured to control multiple link adapters, each configured to establish multiple communication links between a source and a target storage device. The adapter transmits a link status change notification to the copy services module and starts a timer upon transmitting the link status change notification. The copy services module simultaneously processes link status change notifications from a plurality of communication links. The system includes a communications network and a plurality of storage devices having the above described apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for communicating binary data using a self-descriptive binary data structure. The binary data structure also may be referred to as a microcode reconstruct and boot (MRB) image. The binary data structure includes a plurality of data segments, a target data set, and a data structure descriptor. Each of the data segments has a data segment header and data field. The target data set is stored within the data field and may be an executable. The data structure descriptor is descriptive of the binary data structure and identifies the location of the target data set within the data field. The binary data structure is self-descriptive in that the location of an individual target data set may be identified by the data structure descriptor.