Dynamic logical storage volumes

• US 20020133539A1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: Monday, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/808,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133539A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Techniques for dynamically and automatically incorporating storage capacity of a remote storage device into one or more existing logical storage volumes when a remote network attached storage (NAS) device is attached to a network. A NAS master coupled to the network includes a NAS sensing module configured to detect the attachment of the remote NAS storage device to a network. A NAS management module executing within the NAS master is configured to interact with a logical volume manager (LVM) and automatically incorporate storage capacity of the detected remote storage device into the existing logical storage volumes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting the attachment of a remote storage device to a network; and

automatically incorporating storage capacity of the remote storage device into a logical storage volume.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein incorporating the storage capacity comprises incorporating the storage capacity into an existing logical volume.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein incorporating the storage capacity comprises incorporating the storage capacity into a new logical volume.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically expanding a size of a storage space provided by a file system to include the storage capacity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein incorporating the storage capacity comprises incorporating the storage capacity according to one or more pre-defined policies.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein incorporating the storage capacity comprises:

forming a network-based connection with the remote storage device;

creating a physical volume for the remote storage device; and

adding the physical volume to a volume group.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting the volume group from a number of volume groups based on one of the pre-defined policies.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the attachment of the remote storage device comprises intercepting a request from the remote storage device for an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the attachment of the remote storage device comprises receiving a multicast message from the remote storage device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein incorporating the storage capacity comprises automatically controlling a logical volume manager (LVM) in response to the detected remote storage device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically controlling the LVM comprises:

instantiating a network driver to form a network-based connection with the remote storage device;

directing the LVM to create a physical volume for the remote storage device as if the remote storage device were local to the LVM; and

directing the LVM to add the physical volume to a volume group.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to incorporate the storage capacity into an existing logical volume.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to incorporate the storage capacity into a new logical volume.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to automatically expand a size of a storage space provided by a file system to include the incorporated storage capacity.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to incorporate the storage capacity according to one or more pre-defined policies.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

form a network-based connection with the remote storage device;

create a physical volume for the remote storage device; and

add the physical volume to a volume group.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions cause the processor to select the volume group from a number of volume groups based on a pre-defined policy.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to intercept a request from the remote storage device for an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to receive a multicast message from the remote storage device.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the processor to automatically control a logical volume manager (LVM) in response to the detected remote storage device.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

instantiate a network driver to form a network-based connection with the remote storage device;

direct the LVM to create a physical volume for the remote storage device as if the remote storage device were local to the LVM; and

direct the LVM to add the physical volume to a volume group.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the NAS management module directs the LVM to incorporate the storage capacity into an existing logical volume.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the NAS management module directs the LVM to incorporate the storage capacity into a new logical volume.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the NAS management module automatically expands a size of a logical storage space provided by the operating environment to include the storage capacity of the remote storage device.

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising a policy manager to define one or more policies for incorporating the storage capacity of the remote storage device.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the NAS management module directs the LVM manager to incorporate the storage capacity by forming a network-based connection with the remote storage device, creating a physical volume for the remote storage device and adding the physical volume to a volume group.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the NAS management module selects the volume group from a number of volume groups based on the policies defined by a policy manager.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the NAS sensing module intercepts a request from the remote storage device for an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the computer is configured to maintain a pool of IP addresses and conform to the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), and further wherein the NAS sensing module is configured to intercept a request from the remote storage device for an IP address.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the NAS sensing module is configured to receive a multicast message from the remote storage device.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the NAS management module is configured to automatically instantiate a network driver to form a network-based connection with the remote storage device, direct the LVM to create a physical volume for the remote storage device as if the remote storage device were local to the LVM and directing the LVM to add the physical volume to a volume group.

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising a client computer coupled to the NAS master via a second network and configured to access the logical storage volume.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the NAS master is configured to automatically expand a size of a storage space mapped to the logical volume.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the NAS master comprises a policy manager to define one or more policies for incorporating the storage capacity.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the NAS master is configured to maintain a pool of IP addresses and conform to the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

40. The method of claim 39, wherein incorporating the storage capacity comprises:

detecting the attachment of a remote storage device to a network; and

automatically incorporating storage capacity of the remote storage device into a logical storage volume.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein incorporating the storage capacity comprises incorporating the storage capacity into an existing logical volume.

12. A computer-readable medium having instructions contained therein for causing a programmable processor to:

detect the attachment of a remote storage device to a network; and

automatically incorporate storage capacity of the remote storage device into a logical storage volume.

23. A system comprising:

a logical volume manager (LVM) executing in an operating environment provided by a computer;

a network attached storage (NAS) sensing module configured to detect the attachment of a remote storage device to a network; and

a NAS management module configured to interact with the LVM and automatically incorporate storage capacity of the detected remote storage device into a logical storage volume.

34. A system comprising:

a network attached storage (NAS) device; and

a NAS master remotely coupled to the NAS device via a first network and configured to automatically incorporate storage capacity of the storage device into a logical storage volume when the NAS storage device is attached to the first network.

39. A method comprising:

adding a remote storage device to a network; and

incorporating the storage capacity of the remote storage device into the network without substantial human intervention.