SAN Infrastructure on demand service system

• US 20030131108A1
• Filed: 01/10/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masayuki, Kagami, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides improved techniques for managing storage resources, such as disk drives, I/O ports, and the like according to user demand for these storage resources. In a specific embodiment, a centralized SIoD system manages installed storage resources in a storage subsystem and connections via a network switch responsive to user demands. Specific embodiments provide users the capability to bring new resources on line, define pathways between resources and provide billing, payment and other accounting information based upon the configurations and connections established responsive to the user demands, for example.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a service at a center system, wherein via a network, the center system is connected to a host computer, a storage subsystem and a switch whose ports are physically connected to an I/O controller of the host computer and ports of the storage subsystem, the method comprising:

receiving a request for establishing a logical data I/O path between the host computer and the storage subsystem via the switch;

directing the switch and the storage subsystem to assign at least one port for the logical data I/O path;

making account information based upon at least the number of ports assigned at the switch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the account information is made from the number of ports assigned at the storage subsystem.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a message to the storage subsystem to request storage resources;

receiving from the storage subsystem a result, the result indicating whether storage resources have been successfully allocated in accordance with the message;

sending a message to a SAN switch to request an I/O path between a host computer requesting storage and the storage subsystem;

receiving from the SAN switch a result, the result indicating whether the I/O path has been successfully established in accordance with the message; and

updating account information based upon results received from the storage subsystem and the SAN switch.

4. A storage management service system, comprising:

a storage infrastructure on demand (SIoD) center system computer;

at least one storage subsystem;

a switch, operative to connect the at least one storage subsystem to one or more host computers;

wherein;

the storage subsystem, the SIoD center system computer, and the switch are interconnected to share information;

the SIoD center system computer receives input of a request for establishing a logical data I/O path between the at least one storage subsystem and one or more host computers via the switch;

the SIoD center system computer forwards the request to the switch;

the switch establishes a connection between at least two ports, including a first port and a second port, the first port being connectable to a host computer, and the second port being connected to the at least one storage subsystem; and

at least one of the storage subsystem, the SIoD center system computer, and the switch makes account information based on at least upon a number of ports assigned.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein

the account information comprises at least one of:

payment information to one or more vendors, the vendors providing at least one of;

storage subsystem access, network access, and SAN switch access; and

billing information to one or more customers.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein

the host computer and the storage subsystem are connected directly by physical and logical connections made between at least one of a plurality of host I/O controllers and at least one of a plurality of subsystem I/O ports via a SAN switch.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein

the physical and logical connections are made by zoning definitions between ports in the SAN switch connectable to the at least one of a plurality of subsystem I/O ports of the storage subsystems and the at least one of a plurality of host I/O controllers of the host computers.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the SAN switch comprises at least one of a fibre channel network switch, an IP switch.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein

one or more host computers of one or more customers are connected to one or more storage subsystems of one or more vendors via the SAN switch of a first vendor that makes at least one connection between at least one host I/O controller of the one or more host computers and at least one subsystem I/O ports of the one or more storage subsystems.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein

the SIoD center system of a second vendor tracks port connection information for preparing billing and/or payment information for customers and/or vendors.

11. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request for storage;

means for establishing at least one logical connection between a user of storage and a provider of storage responsive to the request;

means for determining a number of resources allocated to establish the logical connection; and

means for tracking account information for at least one of the user of storage and the provider of storage.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein

the storage comprises at least one of magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magnetic-optical disk, and a semiconductor memory.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for communicating instructions to the providers of storage;

interface to a network;

means for communicating instructions to providers of connection services between storage and user; and

means for communicating account information to the users and/or the providers.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for communicating instructions to a SAN switch, the SAN switch providing capability to connect host computers to storage subsystems.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a request for establishing a logical data I/O path between a requestor of storage and a provider of storage;

directing a request for a connection between the requestor of storage and the provider of storage to a provider of switching connections; and

making account information based upon at least a number of ports assigned in making the connection.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

directing a request for storage resources between to a provider of storage resources.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

updating SAN switch resource management information; and

updating storage subsystem resource management information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

making account information based upon at least a number of ports assigned in making the connection comprises;

preparing billing information to customers and

preparing payment information to vendors based upon the SAN switch resource management information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

making account information based upon at least a number of ports assigned in making the connection comprises;

preparing billing information to customers and

preparing payment information to vendors based upon the storage subsystem resource management information.

20. A computer program product for controlling a service at a center system, wherein via a network, the center system is connected to a host computer, a storage subsystem and a switch whose ports are physically connected to an I/O controller of the host computer and ports of the storage subsystem, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a request for establishing a logical data I/O path between a requestor of storage and a provider of storage;

code that directs a request for a connection between the requester of storage and the provider of storage to a provider of switching connections;

code that makes account information based upon at least a number of ports assigned in making the connection; and

a computer readable storage medium for holding the codes.