Abstract: A storage system including: channel control portions each including a circuit board on which a file access processing portion for receiving file-by-file data input/output requests sent from information processors through a network and an I/O processor for outputting I/O requests corresponding to the data input/output requests to storage devices are formed; disk control portions for performing data input/output of the storage devices in response to the I/O requests sent from the I/O processors; and a computer communicatably connected to the channel control portions and the disk control portions. The storage system is formed so that when one of the channel control portions detects occurrence of failure in the channel control portion, the channel control portion gives a notice of occurrence of failure to the computer.

Abstract: A node, within a networked computer system, is capable of supporting communications with other nodes relating to operating multiple application instances in a master-slave configuration. Each node periodically generates and sends a Heartbeat message that indicates the operational status and configuration information for one or more application instances being managed by the node. When a node receives a Heartbeat message from a remote node, it determines whether new configuration information should be obtained for each of the application instances the node is managing, and establishes a connection with a remote node that can access the new configuration information. The connection is an HTTP connection, in one embodiment. The node then requests and receives that new configuration information from the remote node. In one embodiment, the new configuration information is received in an XML format.

Abstract: A self-reparable semiconductor includes multiple functional units that perform the same function and that include sub-functional units. The semiconductor includes one or more full or partial spare functional units that are integrated into the semiconductor. If a defect in a sub-functional unit is detected, then that sub-functional unit is switched out and replaced with a sub-functional unit in the full or partial spare functional unit. The reconfiguration is realized with switching devices that are associated with the sub-functional units. Defective functional or sub-functional units can be detected after assembly, during power up, periodically during operation, and/or manually.

Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and program for processing Input/Output (I/O) requests to a storage network including at least one storage device and at least two adaptors, wherein each adaptor is capable of communicating I/O requests to the at least one storage device. An error is detected in a system including a first adaptor, wherein the first adaptor is capable of communicating on the network after the error is detected. In response to detecting the error, a master switch timer is started that is less than a system timeout period if the first adaptor is the master. An error recovery procedure in the system including the first adaptor would be initiated after the system timeout period has expired. An operation is initiated to designate another adaptor in the storage network as the master if the first adaptor is the master in response to detecting an expiration of the master switch timer.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a programmable circuit in which information is programmed, an information holding circuit which electrically holds information programmed in the programmable circuit, a compression circuit which compresses information held in the information holding circuit, an information output circuit which outputs expected value information, and a detection circuit which checks whether information held in the information holding circuit is destroyed or not. The detecting circuit compares expected value information of the information output circuit with compression information of the information compression circuit to check destruction of information held in the information holding circuit.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a computer accessible medium comprises a plurality of instructions which, when executed: cause a modification of an image of files created from a computer system having first hardware; and cause the image to be copied to a computer system having second hardware different from the first hardware. A difference between the first hardware and the second hardware necessitates that the modification of the image be performed. For example, the difference may indicate that a different device driver is to be included in the image, or that HAL or kernel code is to be changed. A similar method of modifying the image and copying the image is also contemplated.

Abstract: Respective WWNs (World Wide Names) which can be allocated to a plurality of computers, business application identity information of programs to be booted and area identity information, of areas in a storage system in which the programs are stored, are associated and stored. In response to the entry of a boot request including the business application identity information of a designated computer to be booted, the WWN and the area identity information corresponding to the business application identity information are sent to the computer in order to boot the program. In the computer, the sent WWN is set and the area identity information is set as the area to be booted. Subsequently, by means of a restart of the computer, the program stored in the area is booted to operate.

Abstract: A distributed computing system can be operated in a fault tolerant manner using a set of computing devices. A set of computing devices can tolerate a number of failures by implementing identical replicas of a state machine and selecting proposals. The set of computing devices participating in the distributed computing system by hosting replicas can be modified by adding or removing a computing device from the set, or by specifying particular computing devices for participation. Changing the participating computing devices in the set increases fault tolerance by replacing defective devices with operational devices, or by increasing the amount of redundancy in the system.

Abstract: A network storage appliance integrates a plurality of servers and a plurality of storage controllers into a single chassis. The storage controllers control transfers of data between the servers and storage devices controlled by the storage controllers. The servers and storage controllers comprise a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs) that plug into a backplane also enclosed in the chassis. The FRUs are redundant such that any one of the FRUs may fail without incurring loss of availability of the data stored on the storage devices. One of the storage controllers detects a failure of one of the servers and responsively kills the failed server. The failure may be a stopped heartbeat from the failed server. Additionally, one of the storage controllers detects a failure of a heartbeat link coupling the servers and responsively inactivates one of the servers to enable failover to the live server.

Abstract: A method for maintaining full performance of a file system in the presence of a failure is provided. The file system having N storage devices, where N is an integer greater than zero and N primary file servers where each file server is operatively connected to a corresponding storage device for accessing files therein. The file system further having a secondary file server operatively connected to at least one of the N storage devices. The method including: switching the connection of one of the N storage devices to the secondary file server upon a failure of one of the N primary file servers; and switching the connections of one or more of the remaining storage devices to a primary file server other than the failed file server as necessary so as to prevent a loss in performance and to provide each storage device with an operating file server.

Abstract: High reliability is achieved using logical computers without having to provide logical computers for a standby system in advance. By monitoring a status of an active system to predict failures, standby logical computers are newly created to switch logical computers running the system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process data collection system characterized by the following points: Two real servers which can access process data are provided. One real server is used as the control server and the other as the standby server. The real control server is set to be accessible to process data. The real standby server stops access to process data and does not collect data that are not used. This minimizes the communication load for accessing process data.

Abstract: In a continuous data protection system having a primary volume and a secondary volume, a method for data recovery begins by selecting a snapshot of the primary volume to be recovered and a location on which the snapshot is to be loaded. A point in time (PIT) map is created for the selected snapshot, and the selected snapshot is loaded at the selected location. A data block from the PIT map is resolved to determine which block on the secondary volume is presented as being part of the snapshot. The snapshot is accessed via a host computer as if the snapshot was the primary volume at an earlier point in time, corresponding to the time of the selected snapshot.

Abstract: A method for operating a data processing system and a redundancy data processing unit for executing the method is disclosed. Two or more active data processing units are assigned to each redundancy data processing unit. The redundancy data processing unit stores a copy of the active data stock of each active data processing unit assigned to it. Each of the active data processing units periodically ascertains changes in its current active data relative to the copy of its active data stored in the redundancy data processing unit and transfers correction data describing any changes. By means of the transferred correction data, the redundancy data processing unit updates its stored copy of the active data and, in the event of the failure of an assigned active data processing unit, assumes the function of the failed data processing unit based upon its stored data copy from the failed data processing unit.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing more rapid takeover of a failed filer by a clustered takeover partner filer in the presence of a coredump procedure (e.g. a transfer of the failed filer's working memory) is provided. To save time, the coredump is allowed to occur contemporaneously with the takeover of the failed filer's regular, active file service disks by the partner so that the takeover need not await completion of the coredump to begin. This is accomplished, briefly stated, by the following techniques. The coredump is written to a single disk that is not involved in regular file service, so that takeover of regular file services can proceed without interference from coredump. A reliable means for both filers in a cluster to identify the coredump disk is provided, which removes takeover dependence upon unreliable communications mechanisms.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a method for proactive failover using user-defined rules. An event log of a first server node is monitored to check for user-specified application events. One of the user-specified application events corresponding to an impending failure in an application running on a first server node is detected. In automatic response to the detected impending failure, a proactive failover process is executed to transfer the application to a second server node for continued execution, the second server node being connected to the first server node in a cluster.

Abstract: Goal-based availability and change management are handled over groups of heterogeneous storage controllers. Probabilistic and deterministic methods are employed to determine the allocation and placement of storage volumes to storage controllers, as well as the degree of data redundancy necessary to achieve data availability goals. The probabilistic methods can take into account past observations of controller availability, and operator beliefs, as well as the state of storage controller configuration, in coming up with a probabilistic estimate of future availability.

Abstract: A method is described comprising: maintaining a plurality of data relating to client streaming connections across a plurality of servers; and assigning a particular client streaming connection to a first server upon detecting that a second server previously serving a streaming connection to the client has become inoperative.

Abstract: Disclosed is a communication mechanism among hardware, firmware and system software in order to redirect interrupts or other hardware events to only one thread execution context of an error domain for a multi-threaded processing system. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and system wherein data is structured so that writes may be continuously duplicated and a protected volume may be restored to a particular point in time as desired. Writes are continuously duplicated on a secondary volume and organized into delta maps. The delta maps indicate which memory blocks were written to during a particular time frame.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for recovering a BIOS in a computer is described, comprising: unattendingly loading a BIOS recovery code image into system ROM stored on a bootable device; and unattendingly rebooting the computer.

Abstract: Singleton services can be automatically migrated from one application server to another in a cluster using a lease table and a migration master in case of a failure of the first application server.

Abstract: An application and method for transmitting copies of data to a remote back-up site for storage, and for retrieving copies of the previously stored data from the remote back-up site. A user designates files from an originating computer for which to transfer copies to a destination computer. A uniquely assigned application ID is used to identify the location of the second computer. The originating computer submits a transfer request to the destination computer. The destination computer authenticates the transfer request. If the request is authenticated, the originating computer transfers copies of the designated files to the destination computer at the identified location via a communication network. Alternatively, a user designates previously stored files to retrieve from the destination computer. The originating computer submits a retrieval request to the destination computer for the designated back-up copy files. The destination computer authenticates the retrieval request.

Abstract: A method for checkpointing a multithreaded application program, based on the egalitarian and competitive active replication strategy. The invention enables different threads to be checkpointed at different times in such a way that the checkpoints restore a consistent state of the threads at a new or recovering replica, even though the threads operate concurrently and asynchronously. Separate checkpoints are generated for the local state of each thread and for the data that are shared between threads and are protected by mutexes. The checkpoint of the shared data is communicated in a special message that also determines the order in which the claims of mutexes are granted to the threads. A source-code preprocessor tool is described for inserting code into an application program to checkpoint the state of the thread during normal operation and to restore the state of the thread from the checkpoint subsequently.

Abstract: A system and method for re-routing a failed video call schedules one or more reserve video devices for use in the event of failure of the video devices selected to support a video call. Upon detection of a failure of a video device, the video network platform re-establishes the video call by using the reserve video devices to replace the failed video device, thus avoiding the waste of video network resources and delays in the completion of a video call. More efficient use of reserve video devices is obtained by pooling the reserve video devices with a reserve video network that supports plural primary video networks.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a monitoring device (e.g., a slave device) may be configured to perform a plurality of monitoring functions. For example, the monitoring device may comprise a watchdog timer configured to monitor communications between the processing unit (e.g., a host processor) and the monitoring device. The watchdog timer may cause the monitoring device to enter a failsafe mode of operation if the processing unit fails to communicate with the monitoring device within a predetermined period of time. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to perform thermal management functions via one or more temperature sensors. The monitoring device may enter the failsafe mode of operation if a sensed temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature limit. Furthermore, the monitoring device may also comprise a status unit that is operable to provide the processing unit an indication of a state of the monitoring device.

Abstract: A memory dump program boot method includes the steps of defining, in non-volatile variables that are managed by a boot firmware of a computer system, boot information of a plurality of stand-alone dump programs that are installed in the computer system, and a table variable indicating a corresponding relationship of the plurality of stand-alone dump programs and a plurality of operating systems, specifying the boot information of a corresponding one of the plurality of stand-alone dump programs from the table variables when the boot firmware boots an arbitrary one of the plurality of operating systems, and writing information indicating the specified boot information in the non-volatile variables that are referred to when executing a stand-alone dump, and booting the corresponding one of the plurality of stand-alone dump programs when a booting of the stand-alone dump is instructed, by checking existence of variables that are referred to when executing the stand-alone dump and referring to information of the

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic repair and replacement of computing machines are disclosed. The system may generally include a database including configuration information for the available replacement machines and a failed machine, a machine assignment module to assign a replacement machine based on a comparison of the configuration information for the failed machine and the available replacement machines, and a configuration module for generating configuration data for replacement of the failed machine with the replacement machine in the computer network. The machine assignment module may compare certain configuration parameters such as processor speed, disk drive size, and/or amount of RAM, between the failed machine and the available replacement machines. A replacement module may copy data from another copy of the failed machine in the computer network into the replacement machine. An installation module may install the configuration data in, e.g., dependent machines, and restart the dependent machines.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a network entity enable a detection of a connection fault and perform the switch-over in less than 50 ms. CV packets are being sent, for example, 1/10 ms (1 CV packet per 10 ms) or 1/15 ms (1 CV packet per 15 ms). The interval of the CV packets, consequently the frequency for sending CV packet, can be any interval that makes the switch-over time for a protected substantially real-time connection achievable. Moreover, the interval (the frequency) should be such that the interval makes the fault detection from the fault event to occur in less than 50 ms and triggers the switch-over to occur also in less than 50 ms from the occurrence of the fault event.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for re-establishing sessions between a server and its clients following a failure of the server, planned reboot of the server, or takeover by another server. At critical points within a server/client session, state is saved so as to be reliable and consistent. Upon reboot of the system, state is restored using that which was saved; returning the server to its pre-crash state and preserving sessions that were in progress prior to the reboot. Additionally, state saved by a first sever prior to failure or elective shutdown can be transferred to a second server in a takeover configuration also preserving sessions in progress.

Abstract: A system and method for disaster recovery for processing resources using configurable deployment platform. A primary site has a configuration of processing resources. A specification of the configuration of processing resources of the primary site is generated. The specification is provided to a fail-over site that has a configurable processing platform capable of deploying processing area networks in response to software commands. Using the specification, software commands are generated to the configurable platform to deploy processing area network corresponding to the specifications.

Abstract: Incremental single and multiprocess checkpointing and restoration is described, which is transparent in that the application program need not be modified, re-compiled, or re-linked to gain the benefits of the invention. The processes subject to checkpointing can be either single or multi-threaded. The method includes incremental page-boundary checkpointing, as well as storage checkpointing of data files associated with applications to ensure correct restoration without the need to restore files for other application programs. Incremental and full checkpoints are asynchronously merged to ensure proper operation while reducing checkpointing delay. By way of example a user-level programming library is described for loading into the address space of the application in conjunction with a loadable kernel module (LKM) or device driver used to capture and restore process state on behalf of the application. These techniques are particularly well suited for use with high-availability (HA) protection programming.

Abstract: An arbitration mechanism is provided for arbitrating between redundant controllers having outputs electrically connected together and provided as input to at least one device under control. The arbitration mechanism includes logic for automatically determining which controller of the redundant controllers is active controller, and a hardware output interlock for the redundant controllers to ensure that output controlled by only the active controller is enabled as input to the at least one device. The arbitration mechanism also includes logic for monitoring the active controller for failure, and upon detection of failure, for automatically switching active control to another controller of the redundant controllers transparent to the at least one device.

Abstract: A video distribution system is implemented on a hierarchical parallel processing system that has clusters that are automatically formed from nodes of computer processing systems. Each cluster has a cluster supervising processor or group leader system that controls cluster configuration, fault detection and isolation, and data distribution. The group leader is determined according to a priority determined during the configuring of the hierarchical parallel processing system. The clusters are able to be reconfigured to allow removal and addition of nodes without impact on operation of the parallel processor system. The cluster provide a node status or heartbeat message that which provides detection and isolation of failure of nodes and disk storage devices within a cluster. The nodes within the cluster are able to join or leave a cluster and not affect performance.

Abstract: A shared-nothing virtual cluster including multiple virtual servers located on a corresponding number of physical servers linked together via a network. The virtual servers collectively form an active/passive (A/P) cluster including an active virtual server and at least one passive server. The shared-nothing virtual cluster further includes an interlink and multiple virtual drives located on the physical servers. The active virtual server handles a cluster load and executes a first operating system that operates the virtual drives in a data redundant configuration that collectively stores a data set for the cluster. Each passive virtual server, when activated, is coupled to a sufficient number of the virtual drives with redundant information to recover the data set for the cluster. The interlink is operatively configured to detect failure of the active server and to initiate promotion of a virtual server to active status to resume handling the cluster load after failover.

Abstract: A grid coordinator which has been configured for autonomic failover can include a monitor communicatively linked to a multiplicity of grid hosts in a services grid. A metrics store can be coupled to the monitor and configured to store service metrics for individual service instances in the grid hosts. Optimization logic can be programmed to compute a best-fit between metrics stored for a set of service instances in a failed grid host, and platform metrics determined for a proposed replacement grid host. Finally, a failover processor can be coupled to the monitor and the optimization logic and communicatively linked to the grid hosts to create a new set of service instances in the proposed replacement grid host to replace the set of service instances in the failed grid host according to the best-fit in the optimization logic.

Abstract: A method of operation within a data processing system that includes a plurality of processing nodes each having access to a set of shared resources. Failure of one of the processing nodes is detected, followed by receipt of a request to access a first resource of the set of shared resources. Access to the first resource is granted if the failed node was not responsible for controlling access to the first resource and did not have exclusive access to the first resource when the failure was detected.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus and an information storage server are connected with each other through a network. A storage part of the substrate processing apparatus stores set information and a control program, for controlling operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the set information and the control program. The substrate processing apparatus is provided with a schedule function, for transmitting a backup instructional command according to the schedule. In response to this instructional command, the substrate processing apparatus generates a duplicate of specified information stored in the aforementioned storage part and transfers the duplicate information to the information storage server through the network. The information storage server stores the received duplicate information in a hard disk as backup data. The information storage server can also store only differential data of the duplicate information.

Abstract: A microelectronic complex including a body of semi-conductor material containing an integrated circuit, and a plurality of contact pads on the body for receiving signal conducting members for connection to an external substrate. The contact pads allow signals to be exchanged between the integrated circuit and the external substrate via the signal conducting members. A majority of the contact pads are disposed on the body of the microelectronic complex according to a configuration whereby the stress effects on the signal conducting members caused by thermal expansion mismatch between the microelectronic complex and the external substrate are minimized. In a specific configuration, a majority of the contact pads form a cluster circumscribing a predetermined area of the microelectronic complex body, whereby the cluster is characterized by a minimum inter-pad distance among the majority of contact pads on the body of the microelectronic complex.

Abstract: Provided is a method causing a node of a local site or of a remote site to take over a file server when a failure occurs to a node of the local site. The method includes the steps of: setting a priority of the failover to the respective nodes of the local site; setting a failover destination of the respective nodes of the local site to a node of the remote site or the local site based on correspondences between the priority and an extent of the failover destination set in advance; backing up data to respective nodes of the determined failover destination; causing the failover destinations and nodes to mutually detect a failure; and causing a node of the failover destination to take over a task if the node of the failover destination detects a failure.

Abstract: A data-management apparatus and method, the apparatus including: a display unit to display a user interface that includes management options for a plurality of load-balancing cluster-based devices connected through a network; an input unit to receive a selection value; and a control unit to manage the plurality of load-balancing cluster-based devices according to the inputted selection value.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for replacement of a failing processor of a multi-processor system running at least one operating system are provided. In contrast to the prior art, the replacement may be performed by system firmware without intervention by the operating system (i.e., the replacement may be transparent to the operating system). For some embodiments, the multi-processor system may be logically partitioned and the methods may be utilized to replace one or more shared or dedicated processors assigned to a logical partition, transparent to an operating system running on the partition.

Abstract: A Dynamic Storage Subsystem Morphing (DSSM) mechanism (40) is connected to a plurality of storage subsystem resources, which reserve some storage area each non-donor ECU (12), ready for a “slot-down/up” access by a respective non-donor ECU having a storage subsystem (24) breakdown. The slot-down process enables the use of a high physical address range by the non-donor processor provided with addressing capabilities sufficient only for addressing lower ranges.

Abstract: A method of restoring processes within a process domain begins with a step of restoring a tree of processes in which at least two of the processes share at least a resource. The method continues with a step of restoring a checkpoint state of each resource used by the processes after a time when a possible need for a restoration state of the resource exists. According to an embodiment, the restoration state comprises information used by the method during the step of restoring the tree of processes. According to another embodiment, the restoration state comprises information used by the method during the step of restoring the checkpoint state of one or more particular resources. The method concludes with a step of resuming execution of each process after restoration of the checkpoint state of the resources used by the process.

Abstract: Provided is a method of managing an active server in a computer system. According to this method, the standby server receives, from one of the active servers, a request for registration of the active server, the request including information about the active server and information about a recovery program that is executed when a failure occurs in the active server. The standby server stores, in a storage unit, the information about the active server and the information about the recovery program based on the received request for registration. And the standby server sends to the active server that has issued the request, information indicating that the active server has successfully been registered in the standby server.

Abstract: A computer system which comprises a first processor, a second processor, a first module apart from the first and second processors, and corresponding to a first test, and a failure processor is disclosed. In that system, the failure processor is constructed and arranged to separate the first module from the computer system when the first test fails when performed by the first processor and when performed by the second processor.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to a method for collecting SNMP bandwidth data from a network device via a data collection system. The method involves simultaneously collecting data samples from a port on the network device by collecting servers. The collecting servers include a master server and at least one slave server. The method further involves producing a master text file by the master server and a slave text file by the slave server. Data computation activities are performed which include generating a clean data file utilizing the master and slave text files and computing delta values for data samples in the clean text file. Control of data computation activities is transferred to the slave server upon a failure detected at the master server. Other embodiments include a system and a storage medium.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for actively auditing a software system to determine the status. The software system includes a plurality of processes executed in an active processor domain. An active message is generated for processing in the active processor domain. Each process receiving the message modifies it by adding an active time indicator to it; thereby creating a modified active message. The status of the active processor domain is determined in response to the modified active message.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing processors in a data processing system. Monitoring is performed for a failed processor in the processors. Responsive to detecting a failed processor, a spare processor from the set of spare processors is identified. The set of spare processors are located on different modules and wherein the spare processor is identified as minimizing degradation in processing performance.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically replacing a failing processor in a server system configured with IA-32 architecture without requiring hardware changes to the IA-32 architecture or administrative effort. At least one processor of the multiprocessor system (MP) is initially provided as a reserve (or hot-spare) processor that remains in an idle, off, or low-power mode. While in that mode, the OS is prevented from initially utilizing the hot-spare processor. When a processor failure is detected, SMI code running on a good processor instructs the OS to hold off allocating processes to the failing processor. Contemporaneously, the SMI (and OS) activates and completes an initialization of the hot-spare processor to prepare it to begin receiving the held-off processes. Control is then returned to the OS, which updates the “active” processor list and allocates the threads that were running on the failing processor to the hot-spare processor.