Cloud assist for storage systems

• US 10,164,841 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Inventors: Colgrove, John, Borowiec, Benjamin, Hasbani, Joseph S., Noik, Emanuel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillas, Roland J
• Application Number:
  US14/504,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20160099844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 715736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3034 where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for using a cloud assist service to generate a read-only GUI to view the status of a storage system. An authorized user can login remotely to the cloud assist service to view the read-only GUI of the storage system. The read-only GUI will present a view of the status of the storage system that is similar to a local GUI available to users connecting directly to the storage system. Responses used to generate the local GUI are recorded and simulated by the cloud assist service to create a familiar read-only GUI.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a logic system that includes a non-transitory computer readable medium and a computer processor, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium includes computer program instructions that when executed by the computer processor cause the logic system to;

receive one or more logs from a storage system that include status information for the storage system;

generate a listing that includes a plurality of correspondences between queries and responses, wherein the responses are based upon the one or more logs from the storage system;

receive, at the logic system, a query directed to the storage system, wherein the query is for status information of the storage system; and

in response to receiving the query directed to the storage system;

generate, based upon a lookup of the query in the listing instead of based upon a response from the storage system, a response indicating a status of the storage system.

2. The system as recited in claim 1,

wherein a GUI server is configured to generate a plurality of requests for conveyance to the storage system;

wherein the logic system is configured to;

receive the plurality of requests;

generate a response for each request of the plurality of requests as if the logic system were the storage system; and

convey each response to the GUI server.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage system is configured to generate a local GUI presenting a view of the status of the storage system, wherein the storage system is configured to generate a read-only GUI, and wherein an appearance of the read-only GUI is substantially similar to an appearance of the local GUI.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the logic system is configured to:

enable an authorized user to login to view the read-only GUI;

determine a version of the local GUI on the storage system; and

generate the read-only GUI to match the version of the local GUI.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the authorized user is unable to make changes to the storage system using the read-only GUI.

6. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the logic system is further configured to generate the read-only GUI when the storage system is offline.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, by a logic system, one or more logs from a storage system that includes status information for the storage system;

generating a listing that includes a plurality of correspondences between queries and responses, wherein the responses are based upon the one or more logs from the storage system;

receiving, at the logic system, a query directed to the storage system, wherein the query is for status information of the storage system; and

in response to receiving the query directed to the storage system;

generating based upon a lookup of the query in the listing instead of based upon a response from the storage system, a status of the storage system.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

generating, by a GUI server in the logic system, a plurality of requests for conveyance to the storage system;

generating a response for each request of the plurality of requests as if the logic system were the storage system; and

conveying each response to the GUI server.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the generated status of the storage system is generated for a read-only graphical user interface (GUI), and further comprising generating a local GUI on the storage system presenting a view of the status of the storage system, and wherein an appearance of the read-only GUI is substantially similar to an appearance of the local GUI.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

enabling an authorized user to login to view the read-only GUI via the logic system;

determining a version of the local GUI on the storage system; and

generating the read-only GUI to match the version of the local GUI.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the authorized user is unable to make changes to the storage system using the read-only GUI.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising generating the read-only GUI when the storage system is offline.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:

receive, by a logic system, one or more logs from a storage system that include status information for the storage system;

generate a listing that includes a plurality of correspondences between queries and responses, wherein the responses are based upon the one or more logs from the storage system;

receive, at the logic system, a query directed to the storage system, wherein the query is for status information of the storage system; and

generate, based upon a lookup of the query in the listing instead of based upon a response from the storage system, a response indicating a status of the storage system.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to:

generate, by a GUI server in the logic system, a plurality of requests for conveyance to the storage system;

generate a response for each request of the plurality of requests as if the logic system were the storage system; and

convey each response to the GUI server.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the generated status of the storage system is generated for a read-only graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to generate a local GUI on the storage system presenting a view of the status of the storage system, and wherein an appearance of the read-only GUI is substantially similar to an appearance of the local GUI.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to:

enable an authorized user to login to view the read-only GUI via the logic system;

determine a version of the local GUI on the storage system; and

generate the read-only GUI to match the version of the local GUI.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the authorized user is unable to make changes to the storage system using the read-only GUI.