Method for managing a computer system having fibre-channel switch, management program, and management computer system

• US 20060036822A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kaji, Tomoyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/985,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• 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

In a SAN where a zone has been set through hardware zoning, when any of devices connected to a fabric have been changed, the change is detected. Provided is a method for managing a devices in a Storage Area Network (SAN), each switch in the SAN comprising a memory and a plurality of ports that are connected to a computer and a storage subsystem, the method including obtaining a unique identifier from each of the computer and the storage subsystem connected to the ports, and storing the obtained identifier in the memory.

Claims

1. A method for managing a devices in a Storage Area Network, the method comprising:

obtaining a unique identifier of the device port on a Host Bus Adapter or a storage subsystem which is connected to the fabric port on a Fibre Channel switch when the device port is connected to the fabric port, and each port has a locked flag which value is true or false and each port has a locked identifier;

setting locked flag to false if the locked flag is true at the time the fabric port is designated;

setting locked flag to true if the locked flag is false at the time the fabric port is designated;

setting locked identifier to the identifier of the device port at the time locked flag is set to false from true; and

setting locked identifier to nothing at the time locked flag is set to true from false.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing each current identifier newly obtained as to a designated port with its corresponding locked identifier, and judging whether the new identifier and the locked identifier agree with each other.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising issuing a notification to an administrator of the computer system when it is judged that the current identifier and the locked identifier do not agree with each other.

4. A method for managing a computer system comprising a computer, a storage subsystem, and a network that couples the computer and the storage subsystem, the network comprising one or more switches that are coupled to each other, each switch comprising a memory and a plurality of ports that are connected to the computer and the storage subsystem,

the method comprising:

obtaining a unique identifier from each of the computer and the storage subsystem connected to the ports; and

storing the obtained identifier in the memory.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising comparing each new identifier newly obtained as to a designated port with its corresponding old identifier stored in the memory before the new identifier is obtained, and judging whether the new identifier and the old identifier agree with each other.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising issuing a notification to an administrator of the computer system when it is judged that the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the notification issued to the administrator shows the new identifier and the old identifier.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the computer system further comprises a management terminal that is coupled to the one or more switches, the method further comprising displaying a result of a judgment on a display screen of the management terminal when it is judged that the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the new identifier and the old identifier are displayed.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein a zone formed by the plurality of ports of the one or more switches is set, the method further comprising

comparing each new identifier newly obtained as to a designated port among the plurality of ports belonging to the zone with its corresponding old identifier stored in the memory before the new identifier is obtained to judge whether the new identifier and the old identifier agree with each other, and

judging whether the zone contains at least one designated port where the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising issuing a notification to an administrator of the computer system when it is judged that the zone contains at least one designated port where the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the computer system further comprises a management terminal that is coupled to the one or more switches, the method further comprising

displaying a result of a judgment on a display screen of the management terminal when it is judged that the zone contains at least one designated port where the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

13. A program for managing a computer system comprising a computer, a storage subsystem, and a network that couples the computer and the storage subsystem, the network comprising one or more switches that are coupled to each other, each switch comprising a memory and a plurality of ports that are connected to the computer and the storage subsystem,

the program controlling the switch to execute the procedures of:

obtaining a unique identifier from each of the computer and the storage subsystem connected to the ports; and

storing the obtained identifier in the memory.

14. The program according to claim 13, further controlling the switch to execute the procedure of comparing each new identifier newly obtained as to a designated port with its corresponding old identifier stored in the memory before the new identifier is obtained, and judging whether the new identifier and the old identifier agree with each other.

15. The program according to claim 14, further controlling the switch to execute the procedure of notifying an administrator of the computer system of the new identifier and the old identifier when it is judged that the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

16. The program according to claim 14, wherein the computer system further comprises a management terminal that is coupled to the one or more switches, the program further controlling the switch to execute the procedure of displaying a result of a judgment, the new identifier, and the old identifier on a display screen of the management terminal when it is judged that the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

17. A computer system, comprising:

a computer;

a storage subsystem; and

a network that couples the computer and the storage subsystem,

the network comprising one or more switches that are communicably connected to each other,

each switch comprising a memory, a plurality of ports that are connected to the computer and the storage subsystem, and a control unit that manages the switch,

wherein the control unit;

obtains a unique identifier from each of the computer and the storage subsystem connected to the ports; and

stores the obtained identifier in the memory.

18. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the control unit compares each new identifier newly obtained as to a designated port with its corresponding old identifier stored in the memory before the new identifier is obtained, and judging whether the new identifier and the old identifier agree with each other.

19. The computer system according to claim 18, wherein the control unit notifies an administrator of the computer system of the new identifier and the old identifier when it is judged that the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.

20. The computer system according to claim 18, further comprising a management terminal that is coupled to the one or more switches, wherein the control unit displays a result of the judgment, the new identifier, and the old identifier on a display screen of the management terminal when it is judged that the new identifier and the old identifier do not agree with each other.