Method for coordinated error tracking and reporting in distributed storage systems

摘要

A system for coordinating error tracking, level setting and reporting among the various layers/components of a distributed storage system. Each component of the distributed system includes a trigger generation and response (TGR) utility, which generates an error tracking trigger (ETT), comprising: (1) an action that the initiator wants the stack's error tracking mechanisms to take; (2) a message that the initiator wants the stack to immediately post in its logs; and (3) a route/direction that the trigger is to be transmitted through the stack. The ETT is transmitted one layer at a time through the stack, and each intervening layer of the stack is equipped with a utility to examine the ETT and take the appropriate action(s), designated by the trigger. An error log is maintained by each layer of the stack and used to record information about the error and enable user determination of the source, timing and cause of errors.