Patent ID: 6578158
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for operating a plurality of controllers adapted to transfer data between a data storage system and at least one host computer in response to instruction therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:(a) associating a unique identifier with each controller; (b) addressing instructions from the host computer to one of said plurality of controllers via a host-side loop using the unique identifier associated with the controller; (c) detecting a failed controller from among said plurality of connected controllers; and in response, (d) disabling the failed controller, and (e) a surviving controller, different from said failed controller, responding to instructions addressed to the surviving computer and to instructions addressed to the failed controller via the host-side loop, so that failure of.the failed controller is substantially transparent to the host computer; and wherein the step of associating a unique identifier with each controller comprises the step of associating a world wide name with each controller.