Method, process and system for sharing data in a heterogeneous storage network

• US 20070094402A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alebra Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alebra Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Yeager, William, Miranda, David, Stevenson, Harold
• Application Number:
  US11/582,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094402A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A method, process and system of controlling the transmission of data in a heterogeneous environment having mainframe based storage using FICON and an open system based storage using FC. The invention bridges the heterogeneous environment while maintaining DASD/Disk neutrality. The bridge is a gateway programmed to permit applications residing on the mainframe or open system to map logic paths thereby eliminating or reducing the need to store data prior to transmission. The gateway is able to appear to the first storage device as a standard CTC connection to a mainframe, while appearing to the open system as a number of SCSI tape drives.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transferring data in a heterogeneous storage network system comprising:

at least one first device having data stored thereon and having a first protocol;

at least one first data transmission program residing on the at least one first device;

at least one second device having data stored thereon and having a second protocol;

at least one second data transmission program residing on the at least one second device;

a gateway coupled to the at least one first device and the at least one second device; and

a module operatively coupled to the gateway that permits the at least one first data program and the at least one second data program to map addresses of each other to create a data path for transmitting data between the at least one first device and the at least one second device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway includes at least one first device emulator that permits the at least one first device to perceive the gateway as at least one other first device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway includes at least one second device emulator that permits the at least one second device to perceive the gateway as at least one other second device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first device is a channel-to-channel device capable of issuing commands and responses for data and the at least one second device is a small computer system interface device capable of issuing commands and responses for data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the data control module includes a character driver that interfaces with the commands and responses of the channel-to-channel device and the small computer system interface device to facilitate the transfer of data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including a small computer system interface driver operatively coupled to the gateway, wherein the character driver directs the transmission of data from the channel-to-channel device to the small computer system interface driver which transmits it to the small computer system interface device.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the character driver can load and unload identifier information that permits the identification of either the channel-to-channel device or the small computer system interface device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the identifier information can be at least one selected from the group comprising an adapter number, at least one logic unit number, and information related to the type of emulation needed.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further including at least one read queue and at least one write queue linked together in the gateway to permit the character driver and the small computer system interface driver to exchange data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a channel-to-channel processing module in the gateway to open the at least one first data transmission program or the at least one second data transmission program when the at least one second device or the at least one first device respectively requests data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further including:

at least one small computer system interface subsystem to interface with the at least one second device;

at least one write queue in the gateway for receiving data; and

at least one read queue in the gateway for transmitting data, wherein the data control module exchanges data with the small computer system interface subsystem through the at least one write queue and the at least one read queue.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further including at least one logic unit number in the gateway, wherein the data control module and the small computer system interface subsystem exchange data after the channel-to-channel processing module binds to the at least one logic unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein data exchanged between the data control module and the small computer system interface subsystem can be read initially from a channel input/output device of the at least one first device and subsequently transmitted to a small computer system interface input/output device of the at least one second device as a result of a READ command.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein data transmitted to the data control module by a small computer system interface input/out device by a small computer system interface WRITE command is written to a channel input/output device upon a channel-to-channel READ command.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a FICON channel-to-channel device coupled to the gateway such that the data control module provides the small computer system interface subsystem mapping information that maps a small computer system interface target logic unit number to the FICON channel-to-channel device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the identifier information can include a MVS system SMF ID of a MVS LPAR, which controls the at least one first data transmission program.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mapping information can include a MVS Device Number that the at least one first data transmission program uses to access the at least one FICON channel-to-channel device.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a small computer system interface initiator in operative communication with the at least one second device that transmits identifier information to the at least one second data transmission program that uses the identifier information to verify a connection with the at least one first device.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data transmitted between the at least one first device and the at least one second device is read and written in blocks that are received and transmitted on at least one Fibre Channel card as packets.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first device is a mainframe.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one second device is a Server.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first device is a mainframe connected by FICON connectivity and the at least one second device is a server connected by Fibre Channel connectivity.

23. A method of transferring data in a heterogeneous storage network system, comprising the steps of:

loading at least one first data transmitting program on at least one first device having a first protocol;

loading at least one second data transmitting program on at least one second device having a second protocol;

connecting the at least one first device and the at least one second device to a gateway having a data control module in operative communication therein; and

permitting the at least one first data transmitting program to communicate with the data control module to open a data path in the gateway to the at least one second device, whereby data can be transmitted between the at least one first device and the at least one second device through the data path.

24. The method of claim 23, further including permitting the second data transmitting program to communicate with the data control module to open a data path in the gateway to the at least one first device, whereby data can be transmitted between the at least one second device and the at least one first device through the data path.

25. The method of claim 23, further including a channel-to-channel controller interfacing with a character driver of the data control module to open the at least one first data transmitting program or the at least one second data transmitting program.

26. The method of claim 23, further including:

binding a channel-to-channel controller to at least one logic unit number of the gateway;

queuing at least one block of data by a character driver in the control module on to at least one list stored on the gateway;

opening a data path between the channel-to-channel controller and the character driver;

informing the character driver by the channel-to-channel controller that a channel input/out device associated with a logic unit number in the gateway is online; and

transferring data between the channel input/output device and a small computer system interface input/output device stored in the gateway for communicating with the at least one second device.

27. The method of claim 23, further including:

binding a channel-to-channel controller to at least one logic unit number of the gateway;

queuing at least one block of data by a character driver in the control module to at least one list on the gateway;

opening a data path between the channel-to-channel controller and the character driver;

transmitting data from the at least one second device to the character driver; and

transmitting data from the character driver to a channel input/output device associated with the at least one first device.

28. The method of claim 27, further including disclosing configuration information to a target subsystem in the gateway, which facilitates mapping the logic unit number to a FICON channel-to-channel device associated with the at least one first device.

29. The method of claim 28, further including:

setting a cyclic redundancy check field in a data packet to a predetermined number in the at least one second device;

issuing an at least one second device SCSI write command;

performing a cyclic redundancy check calculation by the gateway;

inserting into the cyclic redundancy check field the cyclic redundancy check calculation;

delivering the data packet to a FICON I/O device in operative communication with the gateway;

removing the cyclic redundancy check field from the data packet;

inserting the cyclic redundancy check field into a channel-to-channel header;

placing a predetermined value in the cyclic redundancy check field in the data packet; and

performing a cyclic redundancy check of the data packet during a channel-to-channel read command by the at least one first device.

30. The method of claim 29, further including detecting an error in the data packet by the at least one first device and issuing an error notice.

31. The method of claim 29, further including transmitting the data packet to the at least one first data transmission program on the at least one first device if no error is detected.

32. The method of claim 28, further including:

placing a predetermined value in a setting a cyclic redundancy check field on a data packet;

issuing an at least one second device channel-to-channel write command;

performing a cyclic redundancy check calculation by the at least one first device;

inserting into the cyclic redundancy check field the cyclic redundancy check calculation;

inserting the cyclic redundancy check field calculation into a channel-to-channel header;

sending the data packet to the gateway;

moving the cyclic redundancy check field from the channel-to-channel header and placing it into the data packet;

placing the cyclic redundancy check and data packet in a write queue;

sending a SCSI read command to a SCSI target subsystem of the gateway that stores the cyclic redundancy check data field in a transient variable;

placing a predetermined value into the cyclic redundancy check field of the data packet;

calculating a cyclic redundancy check on data packet; and

comparing the calculated cyclic redundancy check value and the cyclic redundancy check value stored in the transient variable.

33. The method of claim 32, further including completing the SCSI read command if the calculated cyclic redundancy check value matches the cyclic redundancy check stored in the transient variable, thereby indicating there is no error in the data transmission.

34. The method of claim 32, further including completing the SCSI read command and issuing an error when the calculated cyclic redundancy check value does not match the cyclic redundancy check stored in the transient, thereby indicating an error in the data transmission.

35. A system for transferring data in a heterogeneous storage network system, comprising:

a first data transmitting means disposed on at least one first device having a first protocol for transmitting and receiving data;

a second data transmitting means disposed on at least one second device having a second protocol for transmitting and receiving data;

a connecting means for connecting the at least one first device and the at least one second device, wherein the connecting means includes at least one data control means for controlling the transmission of data therethrough; and

communication means for permitting the first data transmitting means to communicate with the at least one data control means to open a data path in the connecting means to the at least one second device, whereby data can be transmitted between the at least one first device and the at least one second device through the data path.

36. The system of claim 35, further including a second data transmitting means for communicating with the at least one data control means to open a data path in the connecting means to the at least one first device, whereby data can be transmitted between the at least one second device to the at least one first device through the data path.

37. The system of claim 35, further including a means for opening the at least one first data transmitting means or the at least one second data transmitting means for transmitting data there between.

38. The system of claim 35, further including:

means for binding a channel-to-channel device to at least one logic unit number of the connecting means;

means for queuing at least one block of data by the control means to at least one list on the connecting means;

means for opening a data path between the channel-to-channel device and the at least one data control means;

means for informing the at least one data control means by the channel-to-channel device that a channel input/out device associated with the logic unit number is online; and

means for transferring data between the channel input/output device and a small computer system interface input/output device in operative communication with the connecting means.

39. The system of claim 35, further including:

means for binding a channel-to-channel device to at least one logic unit number of the connecting means;

means for queuing at least one block of data by the at least one control means to at least one list on the connecting means;

means for opening a data path between the channel-to-channel device and the control means;

means for transmitting data from the at least one second device to the at least one data control means; and

means for transmitting data from the control means to a channel input/output device associated with the at least one first device.

40. The system of claim 35, further including an initiating means operatively coupled to the at least one second device to initiate transmission of the data by communicating with the at least one data control means.

41. The system of claim 40, further including error issuing means for issuing an error if the initiating means does not reserve a logical unit number in the connection means.

42. The system of claim 35, further including error issuing means for issuing an error when a SCSI read or write command is issued from the at least one second device when the data control means is offline.