Electronic apparatus for assisting realization of storage area network system

• US 20030189929A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Yasushi, Matsumoto, Kenichi, Hasegawa, Hideaki, Usunaga, Keiko, Ohashi, Hiroki, Matsuzaki, Noriaki, Takeuchi, Soichi, Fujimoto, Fumikazu
• Application Number:
  US10/270,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189929A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0889 Techniques to speed-up the configuration process
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An apparatus for assisting the realization of a storage area network (SAN) system is provided. The assisting apparatus includes first and second information input means and plan generating means. The first information input means is provided for inputting device data of the servers, the storages and the fiber channel switches used for the SAN system. The second information input means is provided for inputting information about physical connection among the servers, the storages and the switches. The plan generating means is provided for generating, based on the information inputted through the two information input means, a plan of a virtual storage area network system. The generated plan is visually presented by a display.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assisting realization of a storage area network system in which a server with a fiber channel port, a storage with a fiber channel port and a fiber channel switch with a plurality of fiber channel ports are connected to each other via a plurality of fiber channels, the assisting apparatus comprising:

first information input means for inputting device data relating to the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch;

second information input means for inputting information relating to physical connection among the server, the storage and the fiber cannel switch via the fiber channels;

plan generating means for generating, based on the information inputted through the first and the second information input means, a plan of a virtual storage area network system in which the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch are physically connected via the fiber channels; and

display means for displaying the generated plan.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

third information input means for inputting information relating to logical connection among the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch of the virtual storage area network system;

display control means for adding, based on the information inputted through the third information input means, a logical connection representing symbol to the displayed plan; and

recording means for causing a recording medium to store information about a structure of the virtual storage area network system and information about logical connection of the virtual storage area network system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

information obtaining means for obtaining information about the fiber channel ports of the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch of a real storage area network system built in accordance with the plan of the virtual storage area network system; and

system structure checking means for checking if the real storage area network system is identical in physical connection to the virtual storage area network system, the checking being performed by comparing the obtained information about the fiber channel ports and the information about the fiber channel ports of the virtual storage area network system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information about the physical connection and the logical connection of the virtual storage area network system is generated by using tentative world wide port names set for the fiber channel ports of the server, the storage and the fiber channels.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising logical connection setting means for performing automatic logical connection setting with respect to the real storage area network system based on the information about the logical connection of the virtual storage area network system stored in the recoding means.

6. A method of assisting realization of a storage area network system in which a server with a fiber channel port, a storage with a fiber channel port and a fiber channel switch with a plurality of fiber channel ports are connected to each other via a plurality of fiber channels, the method comprising:

a first information inputting step for inputting into a computer device data relating to the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch;

a second information inputting step for inputting information relating to physical connection among the server, the storage and the fiber cannel switch via the fiber channels;

a plan generating step for generating, based on the information inputted at the first and the second information inputting steps, a plan of a virtual storage area network system in which the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch are physically connected via the fiber channels; and

a displaying step for causing display means to display the generated plan.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

a third information inputting step for inputting into the computer information relating to logical connection among the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch of the virtual storage area network system;

a display renewing step for adding, based on the information inputted at the third information inputting step, a logical connection representing symbol to the displayed plan; and

a recording step for causing a recording medium to store information about a structure of the virtual storage area network system and information about logical connection of the virtual storage area network system.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a fourth information inputting step for inputting into the computer information about the fiber channel ports of the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch of a real storage area network system built in accordance with the plan of the virtual storage area network system; and

a system structure checking step for checking if the real storage area network system is identical in physical connection to the virtual storage area network system, the checking being performed by comparing the information about the fiber channel ports inputted at the fourth information inputting step and the information about the fiber channel ports of the virtual storage area network system.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the information about the physical connection and the logical connection of the virtual storage area network system is generated by using tentative world wide port names set for the fiber channel ports of the server, the storage and the fiber channels.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a logical connection setting step for performing automatic logical connection setting with respect to the real storage area network system based on the information about the logical connection of the virtual storage area network system stored in the recoding means.

11. A program for assisting realization of a storage area network system in which a server with a fiber channel port, a storage with a fiber channel port and a fiber channel switch with a plurality of fiber channel ports are connected to each other via a plurality of fiber channels, the program causing a computer to function as:

first information input means for inputting device data relating to the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch;

second information input means for inputting information relating to physical connection among the server, the storage and the fiber cannel switch via the fiber channels;

plan generating means for generating, based on the information inputted through the first and the second information input means, a plan of a virtual storage area network system in which the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch are physically connected via the fiber channels; and

display means for displaying the generated plan.

12. The program according to claim 11, further causing the computer to function as:

third information input means for inputting information relating to logical connection among the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch of the virtual storage area network system;

display control means for adding, based on the information inputted through the third information input means, a logical connection representing symbol to the displayed plan; and

recording means for causing a recording medium to store information about a structure of the virtual storage area network system and information about logical connection of the virtual storage area network system.

13. The program according to claim 12, further causing the computer to function as:

information obtaining means for obtaining information about the fiber channel ports of the server, the storage and the fiber channel switch of a real storage area network system built in accordance with the plan of the virtual storage area network system; and

system structure checking means for checking if the real storage area network system is identical in physical connection to the virtual storage area network system, the checking being performed by comparing the obtained information about the fiber channel ports and the information about the fiber channel ports of the virtual storage area network system.

14. The program according to claim 12, wherein the information about the physical connection and the logical connection of the virtual storage area network system is generated by using tentative world wide port names set for the fiber channel ports of the server, the storage and the fiber channels.

15. The program according to claim 14, further causing the computer to function as logical connection setting means for performing automatic logical connection setting with respect to the real storage area network system based on the information about the logical connection of the virtual storage area network system stored in the recoding means.

16. A computer-readable recording medium that stores the program according to claim 11.