REAL-TIME FAIL-OVER RECOVERY FOR A MEDIA AREA NETWORK

摘要

A media area network (10) includes a storage system (16) having at least one storage device (18) for storing digitized information. A host bus (14) adapter provides a link between the storage system and a host system (12) that provides overall control of the media area network. Within the host bus adapter, a lower-level port driver (24) monitors communications between the storage system and the host bus adapter. In the event of a communications failure, the lower-level port driver initiates switching from a failed port to an alternative port, thereby achieving fail-over recovery. Allocating the responsibility for fail-over recovery to the lower-level port driver assures timely handling of port failures, thereby reducing potential latency delays.