US 6,983,397 B2
Method, system, and program for error handling in a dual adaptor system where one adaptor is a master
Matthew John Fairhurst, Winchester (United Kingdom); Michael John Jones, Eastleigh (United Kingdom); Vernon J. Legvold, Tucson, Ariz. (US); and Michael P. Vageline, Tucson, Ariz. (US)
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. (US)
Filed on Nov. 29, 2001, as Appl. No. 9/998,463.
Prior Publication US 2003/0101371 A1, May 29, 2003
Int. Cl. G06F 11/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 714—9 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method 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 at least one storage device, comprising:
detecting an error in a system including a first adaptor, wherein the first adaptor is capable of communicating on the storage network after the error is detected;
determining whether the first adaptor is designated a master of the storage network after the error is detected;
starting a master switch timer that is less than a system timeout period if the first adaptor is the master after detecting the error, wherein an error recovery procedure in the system including the first adaptor is initiated after the system timeout period has expired;
initiating an operation to designate a second 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; and
sending a reset request to the first adaptor after the master switch timer expires, wherein the reset causes a reset of the first adaptor and not other components within the system including the first adaptor.