Storage area network methods and apparatus for dynamically enabled storage device masking

• US 20030154267A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Drucker, Roman David, Dunham, Douglas Paul, Dickey, Clement Lambert, Dunton, Tina Lynn, Lindley, John Earle, Hobbs, Nancy Lott, Camacho, Barbara J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,069,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers

Abstract

A storage area network has one or more digital data processors, e.g., hosts, in communication with one or more storage devices. At least a selected one of the hosts has an operating system in which a storage device must be claimed before the storage device can be accessed by applications programs executing on that host. The improvement is characterized by a selectively actuable filter, e.g., loaded with the selected host operating system, that when downloaded and actuated to a host intervenes to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices.

Claims

1. In a storage area network (SAN) of the type having one or more digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices, wherein at least a selected one of the digital data processors operates under an operating system in which a storage device is claimed before it can be accessed by applications programs executing on that selected digital data processor, the improvement comprising a selectively actuable filter in communication with the operating system, the filter when actuated intervening to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices.

2. In the SAN of claim 1, the further improvement comprising

a store that maintains an enable indicator,

the filter being responsive to the enable indicator for selectively intervening to block claiming of storage devices.

3. In the SAN of claim 2, wherein the operating system has

a port driver defining a software interface between a class driver and an adapter to which one or more of the storage devices are coupled,

a class driver for claiming a storage devices for access by the operating system and any applications programs executing therein by invoking the port driver to which such device is coupled,

the further improvement comprising:

the selectively actuable filter, when actuated, intervenes to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices by the class driver.

4. In the SAN of claim 1, the further improvement comprising an interface element, coupled to the store, responsive to operator/administrator input for setting the enable indicator.

5. In a storage area network (SAN) of the type having

one or more host digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices,

wherein at least a selected host digital data processor operates under an operating system in which a storage device is claimed before it can be accessed by applications programs executing on that selected host digital data processor,

the improvement comprising

a manager digital data processor, coupled to at least the selected digital data processor, responsive to operator/administrator input for transmitting software comprising a filter to the selected host digital data processor,

the filter subsequently executing on the selected host digital data to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices by the operating system of that digital data processor.

6. In the SAN of claim 5, the further improvement wherein the filter is selectively actuable such that, when actuated, it intervenes to block claiming of storage devices and such that, when not actuated, it does not intervene to block claiming of storage devices.

7. In the SAN of claim 5, the further improvement comprising

a store that maintains an enable indicator,

the filter being responsive to the enable indicator for selectively intervening to block claiming of storage devices by the operating system of the selected host digital data processor.

8. In the SAN of claim 5, the further improvement wherein the manager digital data processor responds to operator/administrator input for assigning storage units to the host digital data processors.

9. In the storage area network of claim 8, the further improvement wherein

each of the storage devices is associated with one or more logical unit numbers (LUNs), and

the manager transmits one or more LUNs to the filter to effect assignment of the associated storage devices to the selected host digital data processors.

10. In a storage area network (SAN) of the type having

one or more host digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices,

wherein at least a selected host digital data processor operates under an operating system in which a storage device is claimed before it can be accessed by applications programs executing on that selected host digital data processor,

the improvement comprising

a manager digital data processor, coupled to at least the selected host digital data processor, responsive to operator/administrator input for assigning storage units to the host digital data processors, where each of the storage devices is associated with one or more logical unit numbers (LUNs),

a selectively actuable filter in communication with at least the operating system of the selected host digital data processor, the filter intervening to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices by that operating system,

the manager transmits one or more LUNs to the filter to effect assignment of the associated storage devices to the selected host digital data processors,

the filter, when actuated, intervening to block claiming of SAN-class storage devices other than those associated with the LUNs transmitted to the filter.

11. In the SAN of claim 10, the further improvement comprising

a store, coupled to the manager digital data processor and to at least the selected host digital data processor, the store maintaining an enable indicator,

the filter being responsive to the enable indicator for selectively intervening to block claiming of storage devices.

12. In the SAN of claim 11, the further improvement wherein the store resides on the manager digital data processor or a storage device associated therewith.

13. In the SAN of claim 12, wherein the operating system has

a port driver defining a software interface between a class driver and an adapter to which one or more of the storage devices are coupled,

a class driver for claiming a storage devices for access by the operating system and any applications programs executing therein by invoking the port driver to which such device is coupled,

the further improvement comprising:

the selectively actuable filter, when actuated, intervenes to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices by the class driver.

14. In the SAN of claim 13, the further improvement wherein the filter is responsive to the enable indicator for selectively intervening to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices by the class driver.

15. In the SAN of claim 11, the further improvement wherein the manager comprises an interface element responsive to operator/administrator input for setting the enable indicator.

16. In the SAN of claim 15, the further improvement wherein

the store maintains a further indicator,

the manager digital data processor being responsive to the further indicator to permit operator/administrator input for purposes of assigning storage units to one or more host digital data processors.

17. In a storage area network (SAN) of the type having

one or more host digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices,

wherein at least a selected host digital data processor operates under an operating system in which a storage device is claimed before it can be accessed by applications programs executing on that selected host digital data processor,

the improvement comprising

a manager digital data processor, coupled to at least the selected host digital data processor, responsive to operator/administrator input for assigning storage units to the host digital data processors, where each of the storage devices is associated with one or more logical unit numbers (LUNs),

the manager digital data processor being further responsive to operator/administrator input for transmitting software comprising a filter to the selected host digital data processor,

the manager transmitting one or more LUNs to the filter to effect assignment of the associated storage devices to the selected host digital data processors,

the filter intervening to block claiming of SAN-class storage devices other than those associated with the LUNs transmitted to the filter.

18. In the SAN of claim 17, the further improvement wherein the filter is selectively actuable such that, when actuated, it intervenes to block claiming of storage devices and such that, when not actuated, it does not intervene to block claiming of storage devices.

19. In the SAN of claim 18, the further improvement comprising

a store, coupled to the manager digital data processor and to at least the selected that maintains an enable indicator and a further indicator,

the filter being responsive to the enable indicator for selectively intervening to block claiming of storage devices by the operating system of the selected host digital data processor, and

the manager digital data processor being responsive to the further indicator to permit operator/administrator input for purposes of assigning storage units to one or more host digital data processors.