Fibre channel dynamic zoning

• US 20070291785A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharma, Samar, Mishra, Chandan, Maino, Fabio
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/464
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• 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

Zone information is automatically and dynamically configured and managed in a fibre channel storage area network upon detection of network events. Some examples of events that trigger automatic dynamic zone updates include virtual port creation, intrusion/anomaly detection, arbitration decision completion, misconfiguration detection, and device malfunction. The newly created/updated zones are propagated through the fibre channel fabric and provide access control.

Claims

1. A method updating zoning information, the method comprising:

receiving a message from an initiator in a fibre channel storage area network;

identifying one or more zones including the initiator, the one or more zones identified using zoning information associated with a fibre channel switch, wherein the one or more zones indicate one or more fibre channel storage area network devices that the initiator is allowed to access;

receiving notification of a fibre channel storage area network event;

updating zoning information associated with the fibre channel switch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibre channel storage area network event is an arbitration decision.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the arbitration decision decides ownership of one or more fibre channel storage area network devices in the fibre channel storage area network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein one or more zones are updated to enforce the arbitration decision.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibre channel storage area network event is detection of intrusion or anomaly.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein an intruding or anomalous network device is assigned a quarantine zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibre channel storage area network event is the addition of a new network device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the new network device is automatically incorporated into one or more zones.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the new network device is automatically incorporated into one or more zones using data migration information.

10. A fibre channel switch, comprising:

an interface operable to receive a message from an initiator in a fibre channel storage area network;

a processor operable to identify one or more zones including the initiator, the one or more zones identified using zoning information associated with a fibre channel switch, wherein the one or more zones indicate one or more fibre channel storage area network devices that the initiator is allowed to access;

wherein the processor is further operable to update zoning information associated with the fibre channel switch upon receiving notification of a fibre channel storage area network event.

11. The fibre channel switch of claim 10, wherein the fibre channel storage area network event is an arbitration decision.

12. The fibre channel switch of claim 11, wherein the arbitration decision determines ownership of one or more fibre channel storage area network devices in the fibre channel storage area network.

13. The fibre channel switch of claim 12, wherein one or more zones are updated to enforce the arbitration decision.

14. The fibre channel switch of claim 10, wherein the fibre channel storage area network event is detection of intrusion or anomaly.

15. The fibre channel switch of claim 14, wherein an intruding or anomalous network device is assigned a quarantine zone.

16. The fibre channel switch of claim 10, wherein the fibre channel storage area network event is the addition of a new network device.

17. The fibre channel switch of claim 16, wherein the new network device is automatically incorporated into one or more zones.

18. The fibre channel switch of claim 17, wherein the new network device is automatically incorporated into one or more zones using data migration information.

19. A system for updating zoning information, the system comprising:

means for receiving a message from an initiator in a fibre channel storage area network;

means for identifying one or more zones including the initiator, the one or more zones identified using zoning information associated with a fibre channel switch, wherein the one or more zones specify one or more fibre channel storage area network devices that the initiator is allowed to access;

means for receiving notification of a fibre channel storage area network event;

means for updating zoning information associated with the fibre channel switch.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the fibre channel storage area network event is an arbitration decision.

21. A computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving a message from an initiator in a fibre channel storage area network;

computer code for identifying one or more zones including the initiator, the one or more zones identified using zoning information associated with a fibre channel switch, wherein the one or more zones specify one or more fibre channel storage area network devices that the initiator is allowed to access;

computer code for receiving notification of a fibre channel storage area network event;

computer code for updating zoning information associated with the fibre channel switch.