Method of distributed resource management of I/O devices in a network cluster

Abstract

I/O resources are allocated to one or more hosts in a network cluster. Each host stores a cluster resource table (CRT) that identifies the configuration and allocation of I/O resources within its cluster. Each host includes an I/O resource management agent (RMA) within the operating system. A host's RMA obtains a list of all hosts and I/O units and their network addresses from the fabric services. The RMA then queries each host to obtain at least a portion of the CRTs of each of the host's in the cluster. The RMA replaces its local CRT with the most current version of the CRT (e.g., based on a time and date stamp or version number of each CRT). The host's RMA then queries each I/O unit to identify the I/O controllers and their controller number in the cluster. The RMA then queries each I/O controller in the cluster to identify the I/O devices in the cluster. The RMA then updates its CRT based on this information. The RMA can provide the updated CRT to each of the hosts in the cluster.

1 - 16  (Cancelled).  
     
     
         17 . A method comprising: 
 identifying, based upon respective input/output (I/O) resource information obtained from one or more respective hosts in a network, most current I/O resource information comprised in the respective I/O resource information; and    modifying other I/O resource information stored at another host in the network based upon the most current I/O resource information.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the network comprises a network cluster; and    the respective I/O resource information identifies configuration and allocation of I/O resources in the network cluster.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 obtaining, by the another host, one or more addresses of the one or more respective hosts in the network.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the respective I/O resource information includes time and date stamp information.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the modifying comprises modifying the other I/O resource information to conform to the most current I/O resource information.    
     
     
         22 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a first host capable of: 
 identifying, based upon respective input/output (I/O) resource information obtained from one or more other hosts in a network, most current I/O resource information comprised in the respective I/O resource information; and  
 modifying other I/O resource information stored at the first host based upon the I/O most current I/O resource information.  
   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the network comprises a network cluster; and    the respective I/O resource information identifies configuration and allocation of I/O resources in the network cluster.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 obtaining, by the first host, one or more addresses of the one or more other hosts.    
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the respective I/O resource information includes time and date stamp information.    
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the modifying comprises modifying the other I/O resource information to conform to the most current I/O resource information.    
     
     
         27 . Computer program instructions stored in a computer readable medium that when executed result in performance of operations comprising: 
 identifying, based upon respective input/output (I/O) resource information obtained from one or more respective hosts in a network, most current I/O resource information comprised in the respective I/O resource information; and    modifying other I/O resource information stored at another host in the network based upon the most current I/O resource information.    
     
     
         28 . The instructions of  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the network comprises a network cluster; and    the respective I/O resource information identifies configuration and allocation of I/O resources in the network cluster.    
     
     
         29 . The instructions of  claim 27 , wherein the instructions when executed also result in: 
 obtaining, by the another host, one or more addresses of the one or more respective hosts.    
     
     
         30 . The instructions of  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the respective I/O resource information includes time and date stamp information.    
     
     
         31 . The instructions of  claim 27 , wherein: 
 the modifying comprises modifying the other I/O resource information to conform to the most current I/O resource information.