Coordinated shared storage architecture

• US 20060206671A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Aster, Radek, Aiello, Anthony F., Kong, George, Thelen, Randal
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1092 Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2206/1012 Load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• 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 provides a novel coordinated shared storage architecture that permits the amortization of cost of the spares over any number of the storage systems and enables improvements to a number of storage system operations. The coordinated shared storage architecture comprises a plurality of storage systems disk shelves via a plurality of intermediate network devices, such as hubs. Each storage system includes a storage operating system having a target device driver module. The target device driver module permits the storage system to function as a SCSI target and thereby receive and process commands directed to it from other storage systems.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a coordinated shared storage architecture utilizing one or more storage appliances, the method comprising the steps of:

operatively interconnecting one or more clients with the one or more storage appliances via a first network;

operatively interconnecting a set of data storage devices with the one or more storage appliances using one or more intermediate network devices; and

enabling each storage system to be accessed as a target device by providing a target device driver in each of the one or more storage systems the target device driver enabling each storage system to communicate with the one or more storage systems via the one or more intermediate network devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise hubs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise routers.

4. The method of claim 1 where in the one or more data storage devices comprise disk drives.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of providing an additional storage system operatively interconnected with the first network and with one of the one or more intermediate storage devices, the additional storage system adapted to access any of the storage devices operatively interconnected with the intermediate network devices.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an additional data storage device, operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, whereby any of the one or more storage systems operatively interconnected with the at least one intermediate network device is capable of addressing the data storage device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a non-volatile random access memory device operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, the non-volatile random access memory device adapted to store data transmitted by one or more of the storage systems before the data is stored on one or more of the storage devices.

8. A system for configuring a coordinated shared storage architecture utilizing one or more storage appliances, the system comprising:

one or more clients operatively interconnected with the one or more storage appliances the via a first network;

one or more intermediate network devices adapted to operatively interconnect a set of data storage devices with the one or more storage appliances; and

wherein a target device driver of each storage system enables each storage system to be accessed as a target device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the data storage devices comprise disk drives.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise hubs.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise switches.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise routers.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising an additional storage system operatively interconnected with the first network and with one of the one or more intermediate storage devices, the additional storage system adapted to access any of the storage devices that are operatively interconnected with the intermediate network devices.

14. The system of claim 8 further comprising a non-volatile random access memory device operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, the non-volatile random access memory device adapted to store data transmitted by one or more of the storage systems before the data is stored on one or more of the storage devices.

15. The system of claim 8 further comprising an additional data storage device, the additional data storage device operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, whereby any of the one or more storage system is operatively interconnected with the at least one intermediate network device is capable of addressing the data storage device.

16. A storage system for use in a coordinated shared storage architecture, the storage system comprising:

a storage operating system having a target device driver module, the target device driver module adapted to enable the storage system to be addressed as a target, in the target device driver module further adapted to enable the storage system to address storage devices operatively interconnected with the storage system using one or more intermediate network devices.

17. The storage system of claim 16 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise hubs.

18. The storage system of claim 16 wherein a spare storage device may be physically connected to any of the intermediate network devices that are operatively interconnected with the storage system.

19. The storage system of claim 17 wherein an additional storage device may be added for use with the storage system by connecting the additional storage device to any of the intermediate network devices operatively interconnected with the storage system.

20. The storage system of claim 16 wherein the storage operating system is further adapted to transfer ownership of a data container to a second storage system in response to exceeding a predefined load balancing threshold;

and

wherein the transfer of ownership of the data container may be made to any storage system operatively interconnected with the intermediate network devices.

21. A computer readable medium for configuring a coordinated shared storage architecture utilizing one or more storage appliances, the computer readable medium having program instructions for performing the steps of:

operatively interconnecting one or more clients with the one or more storage appliances via a first network;

operatively interconnecting a set of data storage devices with the one or more storage appliances using one or more intermediate network devices; and

enabling each storage system to be accessed as a target device by providing a target device driver in each of the one or more storage systems the target device driver enabling each storage system to communicate with the one or more storage systems via the one or more intermediate network devices.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise hubs.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise routers.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21 where in the one or more data storage devices comprise disk drives.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 21 comprising program instructions for performing the step of providing an additional storage system operatively interconnected with the first network and with one of the one or more intermediate storage devices, the additional storage system adapted to access any of the storage devices operatively interconnected with the intermediate network devices.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 21 comprising program instructions for performing the step of providing an additional data storage device, operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, whereby any of the one or more storage systems operatively interconnected with the at least one intermediate network device is capable of addressing the data storage device.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 21 comprising program instructions for performing the step of providing a non-volatile random access memory device operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, the non-volatile random access memory device adapted to store data transmitted by one or more of the storage systems before the data is stored on one or more of the storage devices.

28. A system for configuring a coordinated shared storage architecture utilizing one or more storage appliances, the system comprising:

means for operatively interconnecting one or more clients with the one or more storage appliances via a first network;

means for operatively interconnecting a set of data storage devices with the one or more storage appliances using one or more intermediate network devices; and

means for enabling each storage system to be accessed as a target device by providing a target device driver in each of the one or more storage systems the target device driver enabling each storage system to communicate with the one or more storage systems via the one or more intermediate network devices.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise hubs.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the intermediate network devices comprise routers.

31. The system of claim 28 where in the one or more data storage devices comprise disk drives.

32. The system of claim 28 further comprising means for providing an additional storage system operatively interconnected with the first network and with one of the one or more intermediate storage devices, the additional storage system adapted to access any of the storage devices operatively interconnected with the intermediate network devices.

33. The system of claim 28 further comprising means for providing an additional data storage device, operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, whereby any of the one or more storage systems operatively interconnected with the at least one intermediate network device is capable of addressing the data storage device.

34. The system of claim 28 further comprising means for providing a non-volatile random access memory device operatively interconnected with at least one of the one or more intermediate network devices, the non-volatile random access memory device adapted to store data transmitted by one or more of the storage systems before the data is stored on one or more of the storage devices.