Method of identifying and dynamically updating storage device status at target

• US 20090234982A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Hong-Ming, Chen, Tom, Liu, Win-Harn, Zhu, Ming-Sheng
• Application Number:
  US12/076,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234982A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A method of identifying and dynamically updating storage device status at a target is applied for a storage area network (SAN) built by Linux system, for determining operating status of storage devices at a target through logic device identification numbers. First, a session is established between an initiator and the target, and allocated storage devices and corresponding logic unit numbers (LUNs) are obtained. Then, the initiator sends a CMD request packet with report LUN command to the target. Afterward, according to the LUNs in a received CMD response packet, operating status corresponding to the storage devices is determined. Thereby, timeout may be reduced by avoiding sending queries to those storage devices. When the device allocation is modified, the target may send an asynchronous message PDU to update a storage device status record at the target, so as to maintain the usability of the record.

Claims

1. A method of identifying storage device status at a target, applied in a storage area network (SAN) built by Linux system, for determining operating status of storage devices at a target through logic device identification numbers, the method comprising:

an initiator establishing a session with the target, and obtaining a plurality of allocated storage devices and a plurality of corresponding logic unit numbers (LUNs);

the initiator writing a report LUN command into a command descriptor block (CDB), packaging the CDB into a small computer systems interface (SCSI) CMD request packet, and sending the SCSI CMD request packet to the target;

receiving a feedback SCSI CMD response packet, and parsing the LUNs carried by the SCSI CMD response packet; and

the initiator comparing the allocated LUNs with the LUNs obtained from the SCSI CMD response packet, and updating the status of the storage devices.

2. The method of identifying storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initiator stores the allocated LUNs in an LUN array.

3. The method of identifying storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 2, wherein the initiator records connection status of the storage devices corresponding to the LUNs in an LUN status array.

4. The method of identifying storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 3, wherein the initiator sends the SCSI CMD request packet for polling the LUNs according to the connection status recorded in the LUN status identification array.

5. The method of identifying storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 1, wherein a command contained in the SCSI CMD request packet is one selected from a group consisting of a polling command, an operating mode detection command, a read/write ability command, and a read/write test command.

6. A method of dynamically updating storage device status at a target, applied in a storage area network (SAN) built by Linux system, for determining operating status of storage devices of a target through logic device identification numbers, the method comprising:

when a device allocation is added or removed at the target, the target sending an asynchronous message PDU to an initiator;

the initiator receiving the asynchronous message PDU, and parsing a sense data from the asynchronous message PDU, so as to identify whether a device allocation is added or removed at the target;

the initiator writing a report logic unit number (LUN) command into a command descriptor block (CDB), packaging the CDB into a small computer systems interface (SCSI) CMD request packet, and sending the SCSI CMD request packet to the target;

receiving a feedback SCSI CMD response packet, and parsing the LUNs carried by the SCSI CMD response packet; and

the initiator comparing the allocated LUNs with the LUNs obtained from the SCSI CMD response packet, and updating the status of the storage devices.

7. The method of dynamically updating storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 6, wherein the initiator stores the allocated LUNs in an LUN array.

8. The method of dynamically updating storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 7, wherein the initiator records connection status of the storage devices corresponding to the LUNs in an LUN status array.

9. The method of dynamically updating storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 8, wherein the initiator sends the SCSI CMD request packet for polling the LUNs according to the connection status recorded in the LUN status identification array.

10. The method of dynamically updating storage device status at a target as claimed in claim 6, wherein a command contained in the SCSI CMD request packet is one selected from a group consisting of a polling command, an operating mode detection command, a read/write ability command, and a read/write test command.