Detecting configuration inconsistency in storage networks

• US 20030208589A1
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0859 by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

The present invention provides techniques for managing configurations within centralized storage management systems. Specific embodiments provide users such as IT managers the capability to check configurations of SAN devices in a system and detect any inconsistencies. Select embodiments provide users the capability to check changes to device configurations prior to actually implementing the changes.

Claims

1. A method of managing a storage area network (SAN) at a manager running on a management server, wherein the management server is connected to a plurality of servers, a disk subsystem and a switch connected to the servers and disk subsystem, and wherein a first agent managing configuration of the server runs on each of the servers, a second agent managing configuration of the disk subsystem runs on the disk subsystem, and a third agent managing configuration of the switch runs on the switch, the method comprising:

collecting configuration information from the first, second, and third agent; and

detecting inconsistency among the collected information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting input of a suggested change to at least one of configuration of the server, configuration of the disk subsystem, and configuration of the switch;

thereupon detecting an inconsistency in the configuration information collected from the first, second, and third agent and the suggested change; and

providing any inconsistency detected as a result.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an input indicating whether to apply the suggested change; and

applying the suggested change if the input indicates to do so, otherwise discarding the suggested change.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a failure;

determining whether the failure was a result of a hardware fault;

if the failure did not result from hardware fault, then detecting an inconsistency in the configuration information collected from the first, second, and third agent;

for each inconsistency detected, checking a configuration history for related entries; and

providing any related entries as a result.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing inconsistency information to users.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing suggested changes to correct any inconsistencies.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing at least one of configuration of the server, configuration of the disk subsystem, and configuration of the switch to correct inconsistencies.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein detecting inconsistency among the collected information comprises:

checking a consistency of masking configuration; and

checking a consistency of security configuration.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein checking a consistency of masking configuration comprises:

for each pair of host port ID and binding ID in a collection of masking information, checking for existence of a corresponding entry for the pair in a collection of topology information;

determining whether a masking value for the pair is consistent with existence of an entry for the pair in the topology information; and

indicating that the masking value is consistent if the masking value and the entry for the pair are consistent;

otherwise determining a source of inconsistency.

10. The method of claim 9,

wherein determining a source of inconsistency comprises:

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN masking prohibiting a server from accessing a logical unit even though a binding exists, if the masking value is NG and an entry exists;

otherwise determining whether binding information for the pair is inconsistent.

11. The method of claim 10,

wherein determining whether binding information for the pair is inconsistent comprises:

determining whether an entry for the pair exists in a collection of binding information; and

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN masking permitting a server to access a logical unit although no binding entry exists, if no entry exists;

otherwise determining whether zone information for the pair is inconsistent.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein determining whether zone information for the pair is inconsistent comprises:

determining whether a host port and logical unit are within a single zone;

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN masking permitting a server to access a logical unit although server and logical unit are in separate zones, if host port and logical unit are not within a single zone;

otherwise determining whether security information for the pair is inconsistent.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein determining whether security information for the pair is inconsistent comprises:

determining whether a World Wide Name (WWN) associated with the host port ID is capable of accessing the logical unit;

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN masking permitting a server to access a logical unit although LUN security prohibits access;

otherwise indicating that the collection of topology information is internally inconsistent.

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein checking a consistency of security configuration comprises:

for each pair of host port ID and volume ID in a collection of security information, checking for existence of a corresponding entry for the pair in a collection of topology information;

determining whether a security value for the pair is consistent with existence of an entry for the pair in the topology information; and

indicating that the security value is consistent if the security value and the entry for the pair are consistent;

otherwise determining a source of inconsistency.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein determining a source of inconsistency comprises:

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN security prohibiting a logical unit from being accessed by a server even though a binding exists, if the security value is NG and an entry exists;

otherwise determining whether zone information for the pair is inconsistent.

16. The method of claim 15,

wherein determining whether zone information for the pair is inconsistent comprises:

determining whether host port and volume within a single zone; and

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN security permitting a volume to be accessed by a server although server and volume are in separate zones, if host port and volume are not within a single zone;

otherwise determining whether binding information for the pair is inconsistent.

17. The method of claim 16,

wherein determining whether binding information for the pair is inconsistent comprises:

determining whether an entry for the pair exists in a collection of binding information; and

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN security permitting a volume to be accessed by a server although no binding entry exists, if no entry exists;

otherwise determining whether masking information for the pair is inconsistent.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein determining whether masking information for the pair is inconsistent comprises:

determining whether the volume is capable of being accessed by the server;

indicating that an inconsistency arises from LUN security permitting a volume to be accessed by a server although LUN masking prohibits access;

otherwise indicating that the collection of topology information is internally inconsistent.

19. A method, comprising:

obtaining configuration information from at least one of a first agent managing configuration of a server, a second agent managing configuration of a disk subsystem, and a third agent managing configuration of a switch; and

detecting inconsistency among the configuration information.

20. A management apparatus, comprising:

means for collecting configuration information from at least one of a first agent managing configuration of a server, a second agent managing configuration of a disk subsystem, and a third agent managing configuration of a switch, and means for detecting inconsistency among the collected information.

21. A computer program product, comprising:

code that obtains configuration information from at least one of a first agent managing configuration of a server, a second agent managing configuration of a disk subsystem, and a third agent managing configuration of a switch;

code that detects inconsistency among the configuration information; and

a computer readable storage medium for containing the codes.

22. A system, comprising

a storage area network (SAN);

a management server, having a manager operable thereon, wherein the management server is connected to a plurality of servers,

a disk subsystem; and

a switch, wherein the switch is connected to the servers and the disk subsystem, and

wherein a first agent managing configuration of the server runs on each of the servers,

a second agent managing configuration of the disk subsystem runs on the disk subsystem, and

a third agent managing configuration of the switch runs on the switch, and

wherein the manager collects configuration information from the first, second, and third agent, and

wherein the manager detects inconsistency among the collected information.