TECHNIQUE FOR IMPLEMENTING VIRTUAL FABRIC MEMBERSHIP ASSIGNMENTS FOR DEVICES IN A STORAGE AREA NETWORK

• US 20090094354A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Joy J., Ghosh, Kalyan, Ramaswamy, Badri, Rastogi, Gaurav, Janakiraman, Ramsundar
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/354 for supporting virtual local area networks [VLAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/357 Fibre channel switches
• 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

A technique is provided for facilitating fabric membership login for an N_Port of a storage area network. A communication from a network node is received. The communication may include a portion of criteria associated with the N_Port. Using at least a portion of the portion of criteria, a virtual fabric identifier corresponding to a virtual fabric which is associated with the N_Port may be automatically identified. Fabric configuration information, which includes the virtual fabric identifier, may be automatically provided to the network node. A fabric login request from the N_Port to login to the virtual fabric may then be received. According to a specific embodiment, the communication may be transmitted from a network node to an F_Port on a Fibre Channel switch. When the N_Port received the fabric configuration information from the F_Port, the generating, using at least a portion of the received fabric configuration information, a fabric login request message may be generated by the N_Port which includes a fabric login request for the N_Port to login to the virtual fabric corresponding to the virtual fabric identifier. In at least one implementation, the N_Port and/or F_Port may be configured or designed to support trunking functionality.

Claims

1. A method for automatically responding to changing conditions in a storage area network, the method comprising:

detecting a first network change event relating to a change in a condition or a change in a configuration of the storage area network;

automatically determining at least one characteristic of the detected first network change event;

automatically performing a first action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a deletion of an existing VSAN-N_Port association;

automatically performing a second action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a detection of a new VSAN-N_Port association; and

automatically performing a third action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a modification of a first VSAN-N_Port association.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically performing a fourth action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a change of an operational status of a VSAN.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

automatically performing a fourth action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a change of an operational status of a first VSAN;

wherein the performing of the fourth action includes;

identifying a first F_Port associated with the first VASN;

identifying a first member that is logged in to the first VSAN via the first F_Port; and

transmitting instructions to the identified first member to perform a first action in response to the detection of the first network change event.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the first action includes:

identifying a first N_Port of the existing VSAN-N_Port association;

identifying a first VSAN of the existing VSAN-N_Port association; and

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the first action includes:

identifying a first N_Port of the existing VSAN-N_Port association;

identifying a first VSAN of the existing VSAN-N_Port association;

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN; and

notifying a host of the first N_Port to perform a logoff operation of the first N_Port from the first VSAN in response to a determination that the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the second action includes:

identifying a first N_Port of the new VSAN-N_Port association;

identifying a first VSAN of the new VSAN-N_Port association; and

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the second action includes:

identifying a first N_Port of the new VSAN-N_Port association;

identifying a first VSAN of the new VSAN-N_Port association;

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN; and

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into a second VSAN which is different from the first VSAN.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the third action includes:

identifying a first N_Port of the first VSAN-N_Port association;

identifying a first VSAN of the first VSAN-N_Port association; and

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the third action includes:

identifying a first N_Port of the first VSAN-N_Port association;

identifying a first VSAN of the first VSAN-N_Port association;

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN; and

determining whether the first N_Port is currently logged into a second VSAN which is different from the first VSAN.

10. A method of facilitating fabric membership login for a first N_Port of a storage area network, the method comprising:

receiving a first communication from a first network node which includes a first portion of criteria associated with the first N_Port;

automatically identifying, using at least a portion of the first portion of criteria, a first virtual fabric identifier corresponding to a first virtual fabric which is associated with the first N_Port;

automatically providing fabric configuration information to the first network node which includes the first virtual fabric identifier; and

receiving a fabric login request from the first N_Port to login to the first virtual fabric.

11. The method of claim 10 further wherein the method is implemented at a first Fibre Channel switch.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first portion of criteria includes a PWWN identifier associated with the first N_Port.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first portion of criteria includes information selected from at least one of:

PWWN information, NWWN information, FCID information, QoS criteria, node ID information, OUI information, and vendor specific information.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting the first communication from a first network node to a first F_Port on a Fibre Channel switch;

receiving, from the first F_Port, fabric configuration information which includes the first virtual fabric identifier; and

generating, using at least a portion of the received fabric configuration information, a fabric login request message which includes a fabric login request for the first N_Port to login to the first virtual fabric.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting the first communication from a first network node to a first F_Port on a Fibre Channel switch;

determining whether virtual SAN functionality exists on the F_Port; and

defining one or more virtual SAN interfaces on the N_Port, with each virtual SAN interface providing the functionality of an N_Port for a single virtual SAN.

16. A Fibre Channel switch in a storage area network, the Fibre Channel switch comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one first F_Port configured or designed to provide an interface to at least one other network device in the storage area network; and

memory;

the switch being operable to;

detect a first network change event relating to a change in a condition or a change in a configuration of the storage area network;

automatically determine at least one characteristic of the detected first network change event;

automatically perform a first action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a deletion of an existing VSAN-N_Port association;

automatically perform a second action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a detection of a new VSAN-N_Port association; and

automatically perform a third action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a modification of a first VSAN-N_Port association.

17. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 16 being further operable to:

automatically perform a fourth action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a change of an operational status of a VSAN.

18. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 17 being further operable to:

automatically perform a fourth action in response to a determination that the first network change event relates to a change of an operational status of a first VSAN;

identify a first F_Port associated with the first VASN;

identify a first member that is logged in to the first VSAN via the first F_Port; and

transmit instructions to the identified first member to perform a first action in response to the detection of the first network change event.

19. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 16 being further operable to:

identify a first N_Port of the existing VSAN-N_Port association;

identify a first VSAN of the existing VSAN-N_Port association; and

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

20. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 16 being further operable to:

identify a first N_Port of the existing VSAN-N_Port association;

identify a first VSAN of the existing VSAN-N_Port association;

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN; and

notifying a host of the first N_Port to perform a logoff operation of the first N_Port from the first VSAN in response to a determination that the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

21. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 16 being further operable to:

identify a first N_Port of the new VSAN-N_Port association;

identify a first VSAN of the new VSAN-N_Port association; and

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

22. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 16 being further operable to:

identify a first N_Port of the new VSAN-N_Port association;

identify a first VSAN of the new VSAN-N_Port association;

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN; and

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into a second VSAN which is different from the first VSAN.

23. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 16 being further operable to:

identify a first N_Port of the first VSAN-N_Port association;

identify a first VSAN of the first VSAN-N_Port association; and

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN.

24. The Fibre Channel switch of claim 16 being further operable to:

identify a first N_Port of the first VSAN-N_Port association;

identify a first VSAN of the first VSAN-N_Port association;

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into the first VSAN; and

determine whether the first N_Port is currently logged into a second VSAN which is different from the first VSAN.

25. A system for facilitating fabric membership login for a first N_Port of a storage area network, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface configured or designed to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in the data network; and

memory;

the system being configured or designed to;

receive a first communication from a first network node which includes a first portion of criteria associated with the first N_Port;

automatically identify, using at least a portion of the first portion of criteria, a first virtual fabric identifier corresponding to a first virtual fabric which is associated with the first N_Port;

automatically provide fabric configuration information to the first network node which includes the first virtual fabric identifier; and

receive a fabric login request from the first N_Port to login to the first virtual fabric.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the first portion of criteria includes a PWWN identifier associated with the first N_Port.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the first portion of criteria includes information selected from at least one of:

PWWN information, NWWN information, FCID information, QoS criteria, node ID information, OUI information, and vendor specific information.

28. The system of claim 25 being further configured or designed to:

transmit the first communication from a first network node to a first F_Port on a Fibre Channel switch;

receive, from the first F_Port, fabric configuration information which includes the first virtual fabric identifier; and

generate, using at least a portion of the received fabric configuration information, a fabric login request message which includes a fabric login request for the first N_Port to login to the first virtual fabric.

29. The system of claim 25 being further configured or designed to:

transmit the first communication from a first network node to a first F_Port on a Fibre Channel switch;

determine whether virtual SAN functionality exists on the F_Port; and

defining one or more virtual SAN interfaces on the N_Port, with each virtual SAN interface providing the functionality of an N_Port for a single virtual SAN.