Patent ID: 8996775
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A backplane controller of a storage backplane having a plurality of drive slots configured to operatively connect to a corresponding plurality of mass storage devices, the backplane controller operative to perform functions comprising: (a) detecting whether data are actively communicated between a host bus adapter (HBA) and the storage backplane through a first general purpose input/output (SGPIO) interface coupled with the HBA, wherein the first SGPIO interface is configured to communicate, from the HBA to the storage backplane, activity status of the mass storage devices connected to a first set of drive slots on the storage backplane, wherein the first set of drive slots are selected from the plurality of drive slots according to a first drive slot assignment, comprising control parameters for the first SGPIO interface; (b) detecting whether data are actively communicated between the HBA and the storage backplane through a second SGPIO interface coupled with the HBA, wherein the second SGPIO interface is different from the first SGPIO interface, and is configured to communicate, from the HBA to the storage backplane, activity status of the mass storage devices connected to a second set of drive slots on the storage backplane, wherein the second set of drive slots are selected from the plurality of drive slots according to a second drive slot assignment, comprising control parameters for the second SGPIO interface; and (c) in response to a determination that data are not actively communicated between the HBA and the storage backplane through the first SGPIO interface, modifying the control parameters of the first drive slot assignment for the first SGPIO interface and the control parameters of the second drive slot assignment for the second SGPIO interface such that the communication of the activity status of the mass storage devices connected to the first set of drive slots between the HBA and the storage backplane is switched, according to the modified control parameters of the first drive slot assignment for the first SGPIO interface and the modified control parameters of the second drive slot assignment for the second SGPIO interface, from being through the first SGPIO interface to being through the second SGPIO interface.