NON-DISRUPTIVE CONTROLLER REPLACEMENT IN NETWORK STORAGE SYSTEMS

摘要

A network-based storage system includes multiple system controllers and multiple physical storage devices arranged into aggregates, with each storage device having an ownership portion indicating a system controller to which it belongs. First and second system controllers are in communication with each other, the storage devices, and a separate host server, and each system controller can be designated as a system node that controls a respective aggregate of storage devices and reads and writes to the storage devices based upon commands from the separate host server. The first system controller controls a first system node and can facilitate an automated hotswap replacement of the second system controller that originally controls a second system node with a separate third controller that subsequently controls the second system node. The first system controller can take over control of the second system node during the automated hotswap replacement of the second controller.