Storage system and method for connectivity checking

• US 20060092843A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi America Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Iwami, Naoko
• Granted Patent: US 7,724,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• 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 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention is intended to provide a connectivity checking technology to make it easier to check the connectivity of data communication paths in an IP storage system. The target computer 20 of the storage system 10 transmits an ICMP echo request to an initiator computer 70 through a prescribed IP port 110 in the storage system 10, and determines whether or not the connectivity is normal between the target computer 20 and initiator computer 70 through the prescribed IP port 110 based on a reachable status of the ICMP echo reply from the initiator computer 70.

Claims

1. A connectivity checking method for checking connectivity between an initiator computer and a target computer in a storage system, said storage system comprising a plurality of connecting ports for connecting to an Internet Protocol network, and said target computer for providing a prescribed storage volume via any of said plurality of connecting ports to said initiator computer connected to said network,

said connectivity checking method comprising:

transmitting an echo request based on an Internet Control Message Protocol from said target computer to said initiator computer via a prescribed connecting port among said plurality of connecting ports; and

determining said connectivity via said prescribed connecting port based on a reachable status of an echo reply in said target computer, said echo reply transmitted from said initiator computer in response to said transmitted echo request.

2. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is newly configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer,

said connectivity checking method further comprising, where it is determined that said connectivity via said prescribed connecting port is normal, registering a configuration of said data communication path using said prescribed connecting port.

3. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is different from a connecting port configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer,

said connectivity checking method further comprising, where a communication malfunction occurs in said configured connecting port, and where it is determined that said connectivity via said prescribed connecting port is normal, modifying a configuration of said data communication path to substitute said prescribed connecting port for said configured connecting port.

4. The connectivity checking method according to claim 3,

said connectivity checking method further comprising assigning a port address assigned to said configured connecting port to said prescribed connecting port, said port address indicating a location of said connecting port on said network.

5. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is different from a connecting port configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer,

said connectivity checking method further comprising, where a communication load on said configured connecting port exceeds a prescribed level, and where it is determined that said connectivity via said prescribed connecting port is normal, modifying a configuration of said data communication path to substitute said prescribed connecting port for said configured connecting port.

6. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is a connecting port configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer, and

said target computer is capable of data communication with an management terminal operated by an administrator of said storage system,

said connectivity checking method further comprising informing said administrator of said determined connectivity by said management terminal based on a command input by said administrator via said management terminal.

7. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

said determining in which it is determined that said connectivity is normal when said echo reply reaches said target computer.

8. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

said determining in which it is determined that said connectivity is normal when a reachable rate exceeds a prescribed level, said reachable rate at which prescribed data from said initiator computer reaches said target computer in response to prescribed data from said target computer.

9. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a user output interface for outputting prescribed data to an administrator of said storage system,

said connectivity checking method further comprising, where it is determined that said connectivity is abnormal between said target computer and said initiator computer via said prescribed connecting port, informing said administrator of a reason for that said connectivity is abnormal by said user output interface.

10. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a user input interface for receiving prescribed data input by an administrator of said storage system,

said connectivity checking method further comprising acquiring an initiator address from said administrator by said user input interface, said initiator address indicating a location of said initiator computer on said network.

11. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a user input interface for receiving prescribed data input by an administrator of said storage system, and a storage name server managing an initiator address indicating a location of said initiator computer on said network in relation to an initiator name capable of identifying said initiator computer,

said connectivity checking method further comprising:

acquiring said initiator name from said administrator by said user input interface; and

acquiring said initiator address from said storage name server, said initiator address managed by said storage name server in relation to said acquired initiator name.

12. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a storage name server managing a storage domain defining a combination of said initiator computer and said target computer, as well as an initiator address indicating a location of said initiator computer defined by said storage domain on said network,

said connectivity checking method further comprising acquiring said initiator address from said storage name server, said initiator address indicating said location of said initiator computer defined by said storage domain as said combination with said target computer which said storage system comprises.

13. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein at least either said initiator computer or said target computer is a plurality.

14. The connectivity checking method according to claim 1,

wherein communication between said initiator computer and said target computer is based on an iSCSI protocol.

15. A storage system comprising a plurality of connecting ports for connecting to an Internet Protocol network, and a target computer for providing a prescribed storage volume via any of said plurality of connecting ports to a initiator computer connected to said network,

said storage system further comprising:

an echo request unit for transmitting an echo request based on an Internet Control Message Protocol from said target computer to said initiator computer via a prescribed connecting port among said plurality of connecting ports; and

a connectivity checking unit that determines a connectivity between said target computer and said initiator computer via said prescribed connecting port based on a reachable status of an echo reply in said target computer, said echo reply transmitted from said initiator computer in response to said transmitted echo request.

16. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is newly configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer,

said storage system further comprising a configuration registering unit that, where it is determined that said connectivity via said prescribed connecting port is normal, registers a configuration of said data communication path using said prescribed connecting port.

17. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is different from a connecting port configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer,

said storage system further comprising a configuration modifying unit that, where a communication malfunction occurs in said configured connecting port, and where it is determined that said connectivity via said prescribed connecting port is normal, modifies a configuration of said data communication path to substitute said prescribed connecting port for said configured connecting port.

18. The storage system according to claim 17,

said storage system further comprising a port address assigning unit that assigns a port address assigned to said configured connecting port to said prescribed connecting port, said port address indicating a location of said connecting port on said network.

19. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is different from a connecting port configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer,

said storage system further comprising a configuration modifying unit that, where a communication load on said configured connecting port exceeds a prescribed level, and where it is determined that said connectivity via said prescribed connecting port is normal, modifies a configuration of said data communication path to substitute said prescribed connecting port for said configured connecting port.

20. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said prescribed connecting port is a connecting port configured for a data communication path between said initiator computer and said target computer, and

said target computer is capable of data communication with an management terminal operated by an administrator of said storage system,

said storage system further comprising an information unit that informs said administrator of said determined connectivity by said management terminal based on a command input by said administrator via said management terminal.

21. The storage system according to claim 15,

said connectivity checking unit in which it is determined that said connectivity is normal when said echo reply reaches said target computer.

22. The storage system according to claim 15,

said connectivity checking unit in which it is determined that said connectivity is normal when a reachable rate exceeds a prescribed level, said reachable rate at which prescribed data from said initiator computer reaches said target computer in response to prescribed data from said target computer.

23. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a user output interface for outputting prescribed data to an administrator of said storage system,

said storage system further comprising an information unit that, where it is determined that said connectivity is abnormal between said target computer and said initiator computer via said prescribed connecting port, informs said administrator of a reason for that said connectivity is abnormal by said user output interface.

24. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a user input interface for receiving prescribed data input by an administrator of said storage system,

said storage system further comprising an initiator address acquiring unit that acquires an initiator address from said administrator by said user input interface, said initiator address indicating a location of said initiator computer on said network.

25. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a user input interface for receiving prescribed data input by an administrator of said storage system, and a storage name server managing an initiator address indicating a location of said initiator computer on said network in relation to an initiator name capable of identifying said initiator computer,

said storage system further comprising:

an initiator name acquiring unit that acquires said initiator name from said administrator by said user input interface; and

an intiator address acquiring unit that acquires said initiator address from said storage name server, said initiator address managed by said storage name server in relation to said acquired initiator name.

26. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said target computer is capable of data communication with a storage name server managing a storage domain defining a combination of said initiator computer and said target computer, as well as an initiator address indicating a location of said initiator computer defined by said storage domain on said network,

said storage system further comprising an initiator address acquiring unit that acquires said initiator address from said storage name server, said initiator address indicating said location of said initiator computer defined by said storage domain as said combination with said target computer which said storage system comprises.

27. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein at least either said initiator computer or said target computer is a plurality.

28. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein communication between said initiator computer and said target computer is based on an iSCSI protocol.