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Announcing High Availability FailOver for the SureStore E Disk Array XP256

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Kendall Sutton
Commercial Systems Division

General Information

High Availability FailOver (HAFO), using the XP256 high availability data storage array, is now available for MPE/iX systems as part of the Fundamental Operating System (FOS). HAFO is supported only with the XP256 with a direct connect SCSI interface.

Once the HAFO utilities are installed, the user configures the LDEV, a primary data path, and an alternate data path. In a normal state, data is routed through the primary path, while HAFO utilities continually monitor SCSI reply messages for failed SCSI data path components. Any of these three occurrences will generate a failover:

  • hung I/O

  • failed disk controller

  • failed I/O host device adapter card

In the event of a failover, the HAFO utilities create the configured alternate data path and reroute I/O to it. No application or higher level MPE/iX Operation System (above I/O subsystem--for example, file subsystem, database management, or memory management subsystem) will experience an abnormal event. All I/Os complete as normal using the alternate data path and alternate array controller.

Who Should Use HAFO

HAFO is for XP256 customers wanting protection against failure for the following components of the I/O subsystem:

  • I/O host adapter card

  • SCSI bus cabling

  • Disk controller

Required Hardware and Software

Required Hardware

  • HP e3000

  • SureStore E Disk Array XP256

Required Software:

  • MPE/iX Version 7.0 or later

  • Patches KXD2, KXD3, KXD4, LX95

NOTE: HAFO is not supported with the A5814A HP SCSI-Fibre Channel Router. HAFO for the SureStore E Disk Array XP512 will be announced in the future.

Documentation

Refer to the manual, High Availability FailOver/iX Manual (Part No. 32650-90899) included with the release for more information.



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