Failover methods and systems for a storage environment are provided. During a takeover operation to take over storage of a first storage system node by a second storage system node, the second storage system node copies information from a first storage location to a second storage location. The first storage location points to an active file system of the first storage system node, and the second storage location is assigned to the second storage system node for the takeover operation. The second storage system node quarantines storage space likely to be used by the first storage system node for a write operation, while the second storage system node attempts to take over the storage of the first storage system node. The second storage system node utilizes information stored at the second storage location during the takeover operation to give back control of the storage to the first storage system node.

Techniques are provided for neutralizing replication errors. An operation is executed upon a first storage object and is replicated as a replicated operation for execution upon a second storage object. A first error may be received for the replicated operation. Instead of transitioning to an out of sync state and aborting the operation, a wait is performed until a result of the attempted execution of the operation is received. If the first error is the same as a second error returned for the operation, then the operation and replicated operation are considered successful and a synchronous replication relationship is kept in sync. If the first error and the second error are different errors, then an error response is returned for the operation and the synchronous replication relationship is transitioned to out of sync.

A storage network operates by: generating metadata for a data object; first disperse storage error encoding the metadata to produce a set of metadata slices, wherein the first disperse storage error encoding utilizes first dispersal parameters, the first dispersal parameters including a first decode threshold of 1; generating sets of first data slices via a second disperse storage error encoding of data segments associated with the data object, wherein the second disperse storage error encoding utilizes second dispersal parameters, the second dispersal parameters different from the first dispersal parameters and the second dispersal parameters including a second decode threshold greater than 1; producing an additional data segment associated with the data object wherein the additional data segment is different from the data segments and the metadata; and third disperse storage error encoding the additional data segment to produce a set of second data slices, wherein the third disperse storage error encoding utilizes the first dispersal parameters including the first decode threshold of 1.

Disclosed embodiments relate to opportunistically updating Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software in a vehicle. Operations may include receiving, at a controller in a vehicle, a wireless transmission indicating a need to update software running on at least one ECU in the vehicle; monitoring an operational status of the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle is in a first mode of operation in which an ECU software update is prohibited; delaying the ECU software update when the operational status is prohibited; continuing to monitor the operational status of the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle is in a second mode of operation in which the ECU software update is permitted; and enabling updating of the at least one ECU with the delayed ECU software update when it is determined that the vehicle is in the second mode of operations.

A circuit and method for verifying the operation of error checking circuitry. In one example, a circuit includes a memory, a first error checking circuit, a second error checking circuit, and a comparison circuit. The memory includes a data output. The first error checking circuit includes an input and an output. The input of the first error checking circuit is coupled to the data output of the memory. The second error checking circuit includes an input and an output. The input of the second error checking circuit is coupled to the data output of the memory. The comparison circuit includes a first input and a second input. The first input is coupled to the output of the first error checking circuit. The second input is coupled to the output of the second error checking circuit.

An error recovery method and apparatus, and a system are disclosed. At least two CPUs in a lockstep mode can exit the lockstep mode when an error occurs in at least one CPU, and the CPU in which the error occurs and a type of the error are determined. When the error can be recovered, the CPU in which the error occurs can be recovered according to a correctly running CPU. This helps the at least two CPUs run again at a position at which a service program is interrupted.

A system, in particular for controlling signal towers in rail traffic, includes at least a plurality of redundant replicants for generating redundant control signals. A voter structure having a plurality of majority voters is also provided. Each majority voter has a respective output and inputs that are connected to the outputs of the plurality of redundant replicants. The voter structure and the plurality of redundant replicants are separated from one another in terms of hardware, the outputs of the plurality of majority voters are connected to the inputs of a discriminator voter and the output of the discriminator voter provides a control signal, in particular for controlling signal towers. The discriminator voter only emits a control signal when the inputs thereof are not at variance.

A system, in particular for controlling signal towers in rail traffic, includes at least a plurality of redundant replicants for generating redundant control signals. A voter structure having a plurality of majority voters is also provided. Each majority voter has a respective output and inputs that are connected to the outputs of the plurality of redundant replicants. The voter structure and the plurality of redundant replicants are separated from one another in terms of hardware, the outputs of the plurality of majority voters are connected to the inputs of a discriminator voter and the output of the discriminator voter provides a control signal, in particular for controlling signal towers. The discriminator voter only emits a control signal when the inputs thereof are not at variance.

A first storage device capable of performing peer-to-peer communications with a second storage device includes a first submission queue for storing a first operation code; a first completion queue for storing a first indication signal; and a first controller configured to, read the first operation code stored in the first submission queue, create a command including a second operation code based on the first operation code, issue the command to the second storage device, and receive and processes a second completion signal transmitted from the second storage device.

Techniques for system recovery using a failover processor are disclosed. A first processor, with a first instruction set, is configured to execute operations of a first type; and a second processor, with a second instruction set different from the first instruction set, is configured to execute operations of a second type. A determination is made that the second processor has failed to execute at least one operation of the second type within a particular period of time. Responsive to determining that the second processor has failed to execute at least one operation of the second type within the particular period of time, the first processor is configured to execute both the operations of the first type and the operations of the second type.