A system and method for identifying a failed storage device in a storage system
comprising a plurality of storage devices connected by a ring-type network is disclosed.
In one embodiment, when a storage device fails, all storage devices on the ring-type
network are disconnected to re-establish communication on the ring-type network.
An iterative process of connecting a subset of storage devices to the ring-type
network and testing communication on the ring-type network is performed until communication
on the ring-type network is re-established. Then, individual storage devices are
connected to the ring-type communication until the connection of a storage device
causes communication on the ring-type network to fail, thereby identifying the
failed storage device. In another embodiment, devices in a reporting group are
tested on a shelf-by-shelf basis.
