Presentation of virtual arrays using n-port ID virtualization

• US 20070208836A1
• Filed: 12/27/2005
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ofer, Adi, Brown, Jeffrey, Madnani, Kiran
• Granted Patent: US 9,348,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A storage array presents virtual arrays to hosts through use of virtual port IDs. The storage array includes groups of logical units of storage. The groups are coupled to a switch through at least one physical port. Each group is assigned a unique virtual port ID for each physical port to which it is coupled. The virtual port IDs are assignable by the switch. The virtual port IDs are used by hosts coupled to the switch to exchange data with the groups to which the virtual port IDs are assigned. Further, a zoning table in the switch can associate each virtual port ID to a host facing port on the switch. In this case each host can communicate only with groups of logical units that are assigned virtual IDs associated with the host facing port to which it is coupled.

Claims

1. A storage array comprising:

a plurality of groups of logical units of storage;

at least one physical port coupled to the groups through which the groups can be coupled to a switch;

each group assigned a unique virtual port ID for each physical port to which it is coupled.

2. The storage array of claim 1 wherein the virtual port IDs are assignable by the switch.

3. The storage array of claim 2 wherein a virtual port ID is used by a host coupled to the switch to exchange data with the group to which the virtual port ID is assigned.

4. The storage array of claim 2 wherein the switch to which the groups can be coupled comprises:

host facing ports, each host facing port coupled to a host; and

a zoning table associating each virtual port ID to a host facing port.

5. The storage array of claim 4 wherein each group communicates only with hosts coupled to host facing ports associated with the virtual ID assigned to the group.

6. The storage array of claim 5 wherein the storage array is a fibre channel array and wherein the at least one physical port is a fibre channel port.

7. A system comprising:

a plurality of hosts;

a storage array including a plurality of groups of logical units of storage;

at least one physical port on the storage array coupled to the groups through which the hosts physically access the groups;

each group assigned a unique virtual port ID corresponding to the physical port;

each host communicating with a group using its virtual port ID.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a switch, wherein the hosts and storage array are coupled to the switch, and the virtual port IDs are assigned by the switch.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein a virtual port ID is used by a host to exchange data with the group to which the virtual port ID is assigned.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the switch comprises:

host facing switch ports via which the hosts are coupled to the switch;

a zoning table for associating virtual port IDs with host facing ports.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein each host communicates only with groups having assigned virtual IDs associated with the host facing switch port to which the host is coupled.

12. The storage array of claim 11 wherein the storage array is a fibre channel array and wherein the at least one physical port is a fibre channel port.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of assigning is performed by the switch.

15. The method of claim 14 further including the steps of:

coupling a host to the switch;

using by the host a virtual port ID to exchange data with the group in the storage array to which the virtual port ID is assigned.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of coupling the groups to a switch comprises the step of coupling the groups to a switch comprising host facing ports, each host facing port coupled to a host, and a zoning table associating each virtual port ID to a host facing port.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of using by the host a virtual port ID comprises communicating by the host only with groups having assigned virtual port IDs associated the host facing port to which the host is coupled.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the storage array is a fibre channel array and wherein the at least one physical port is a fibre channel port.

13. A method comprising the steps of:

arranging logical units in a storage array into a plurality of groups of logical units of storage;

coupling the groups to a switch through at least one physical port on the storage array;

assigning to each group a unique virtual port ID for each physical port to which it is coupled.

19. A method comprising the steps of:

arranging logical units in a storage array into a plurality of groups of logical units of storage;

coupling the groups to a switch through at least one physical port on the storage array;

assigning to each group a unique virtual port ID for each physical port to which it is coupled. coupling a host to the switch;

using by the host a virtual port ID to exchange data with the group in the storage array to which the virtual port ID is assigned.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of assigning is performed by the switch.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of coupling the groups to a switch comprises the step of coupling the groups to a switch comprising host facing ports, each host facing port coupled to a host, and a zoning table associating each virtual port ID to a host facing port.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of using by the host a virtual port ID comprises communicating by the host only with groups having assigned virtual port IDs associated with the host facing port to which the host is coupled.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the storage array is a Fibre Channel array and wherein the at least one physical port is a Fibre Channel port.