Patent ID: 8812913

Claim:
A method for maintaining reliable communication on a link between an expander and a storage device, comprising: detecting, by a processor coupled to the link, an error corresponding to the link; maintaining, by the processor, a count of detected errors for the link; and determining, by the processor, if the count of detected errors is above a first error threshold; if the count of detected errors is not above the first error threshold, then repeating detecting, maintaining, and determining; and if the count of detected errors is above the first error threshold, then placing, by the processor, the storage device into a segregated zone, wherein placing the storage device into the segregated zone comprises: suspending data reads and writes to the storage device; preventing participation by the storage device in device discovery processes; and testing, by the processor, the link, wherein testing the link comprises at least one of: monitoring the link for a predetermined time period; downshifting the link to a next lower transmission speed, if a lower transmission speed is available; performing at least one of read buffer commands and write buffer commands to the storage device; and detecting CRC errors on the link while monitoring the link and performing at least one of read buffer commands and write buffer commands to the storage device.