Storage device

• US 20050216767A1
• Filed: 06/04/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yagi, Shuichi, Mitsuoka, Yoshio, Kuwabara, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,367,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• 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]

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage device for supporting an iSCSI protocol as an interface with host devices, wherein, in realizing an authentication function of access control following the iSCSI protocol, presence and absence of an authentication of the host device connected under the same port can coexist. In the storage device that can be connected to a plurality of host devices, access information from the host devices is received through the iSCSI port, and the host devices are identified based on the access information and refers to an authentication control table memorized in a shared memory and associating an iSCSI name for specifying the host device in the unit of iSCSI port, with authentication information of the host device (necessity of authentication, user ID/password), to determine the necessity of the authentication to the iSCSI port from the host device. If the authentication is necessary from a result of the determination, the authentication is carried out and accessibility to a memory device is controlled based on the result of the authentication.

Claims

1. A storage device capable of being connected to a plurality of host devices, the device comprising:

a memory device for memorizing write data received from said host devices and/or read data transmitted to said host devices; and

a memory control section including a plurality of iSCSI ports receiving accesses form said host devices, an IP address allocated to each host device per each host device connected to said iSCSI ports in the unit of each port of said plurality of iSCSI ports, an iSCSI name for specifying each host device, and a shared memory for memorizing authentication information corresponding to a logical unit accessible by each host device, the memory control section controlling an access of each of said host devices to said memory device,

wherein said memory control portion has a function of;

receiving access information from said host devices through said iSCSI ports;

identifying said host devices using said access information;

referring to the authentication information memorized in said shared memory to determine necessity of an authentication with respect to said iSCSI ports from said host devices;

executing the authentication if the authentication is necessary based on a result of said determination;

controlling accessibility to said memory device based on the result of said authentication; and

permitting an access with respect to said accessible logical unit from said host devices corresponding to said IP address and said iSCSI name.

2. The storage device according to claim 1,

wherein said shared memory has an authentication control table associated with the iSCSI name for specifying said host device and authentication information including use/unuse of the authentication of said host device and a user ID/password, in the unit of each of said plurality of iSCSI ports, and

said memory control section refers to said authentication control table and determines use/unuse of the authentication with respect to said iSCSI port from said host device.

3. The storage device according to claim 2,

wherein said shared memory has a logical unit control table defining a logical unit accessible by said host device, and

said memory control section refers to said logical unit control table based on the result of said authentication and permits said host device to access said logical unit.

4. The storage device according to claim 2,

wherein said authentication control table includes grouping information dividing the host devices connected to the iSCSI ports of said memory control section per group, and

said memory control section refers to the authentication control table including said grouping information and determines use or unuse of an authentication per group with respect to said iSCSI ports from said host devices.

5. The storage device according to claim 1,

wherein said authentication is a CHAP authentication.

6. The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control terminal for registering control information,

wherein said control terminal registers the authentication information of each host device connected to said iSCSI ports in the unit of each port of the plurality of iSCSI ports in said memory control section.

7. The storage device according to claim 6,

wherein said control terminal associates the iSCSI name for specifying said host device with authentication information including use or unuse of said host device and a user ID/password, in the unit of each port of said plurality of iSCSI ports, and registers the iSCSI name and the authentication information in the authentication control table of said shared memory.

8. The storage device according to claim 7,

wherein said control terminal defines a logical unit accessible by said host devices and registers the logical unit in the logical unit control table of said shared memory.

9. The storage device according to claim 8,

wherein said control terminal is capable of displaying information registered on said authentication control table and said logical unit control table.

10. The storage device according to claim 9,

wherein said control terminal is capable of adding/changing/deleting information to said authentication control table and said logical unit control table.