Abstract: A method is disclosed to identify a port that is associated with a faulty cable. In one embodiment, such a method identifies a cable to replace. The cable provides a path between a first port, residing on a first component, and a second port, residing on a second component. The method further identifies whether an alternative path, bypassing the first cable, exists between the first component and the second component. In the event the alternative path exists, the method sends, over the alternative path, from the first component to the second component, a command to activate an indicator on the second port. This command is received and executed by the second component to activate the indicator. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to reduce lock contention in a data storage system. The method dispatches, on a first processor core, a task configured to acquire a lock on a data storage resource, such as memory. The method then determines whether the first processor core is associated with the data storage resource. If the first processor core is not associated with the data storage resource, the method re-dispatches the task on a second processor core that is associated with the data storage resource. In certain embodiments, the task is only re-dispatched on the second processor core if an amount of effort required to acquire the lock is above a selected threshold. If, on the other hand, the first processor core is associated with the data storage resource, the method executes the task on the first processor core. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to identify a port that is associated with a faulty cable. In one embodiment, such a method identifies a cable to replace. The cable provides a path between a first port, residing on a first component, and a second port, residing on a second component. The method further identifies whether an alternative path, bypassing the first cable, exists between the first component and the second component. In the event the alternative path exists, the method sends, over the alternative path, from the first component to the second component, a command to activate an indicator on the second port. This command is received and executed by the second component to activate the indicator. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.