Patent ID: 8234380
Filing Date: 2012-07-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of processing data storage system management requests comprising: providing a data that is a single data storage array including a plurality of service processors for processing data storage system management requests, each of said plurality of service processors executing data storage system management server code, said data storage system management server code including a web server; designating a single one of said plurality of service processors as an active service processor and a remainder of said plurality of service processors as passive service processors; receiving, at said data storage system, a data storage system management request for status information about a first of said plurality of service processors from a client on a network connection, said data storage system management request being processed by the active service processor, wherein, said first service processor currently designated as the active service processor becomes unhealthy and a second of said plurality of service processors which is designated as passive and is healthy is automatically selected as the active service processor replacing the first service processor, subsequent communications for data storage system management being transmitted over the network connection between the client and a web server executing on whichever service processor is currently designated as the active service processor, wherein tile client communicates over a same single network connection, the network connection, with whichever one of the plurality of service processors is designated as the active service processor thereby using the same single network connection for transmission of data storage management requests between the client and the data storage array when the first service processor is designated as the active service processor and also when the second service processor is designated as the active service processor; processing; by the second service processor, the data storage system management request requesting status information about said first service processor; issuing a request for the status information from the second service processor to the first service processor; executing; in response to receiving said request at the first service processor, a command on the first service processor to obtain the status information; returning the status information from the first service processor to the second service processor; and returning the status information to the client from the second service processor; wherein, each service processor that is healthy executes a first instance of a first type of web server, and wherein each service processor that is unhealthy executes a second instance of a second type of web server, said second type of web server being able to process only a portion of a set of commands, said first type of web server being able to process said set of commands.