Method and apparatus for storage migration

• US 20100070722A1
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Akira, Kaneda, Yasunori, Otani, Toshio
• Application Number:
  US12/232,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070722A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• 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

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for storage subsystem migration without re-configuration of the I/O path. In one embodiment, a computer system comprises a first storage subsystem, a second storage subsystem, and a computer device connected via a network. The first storage subsystem has a first port name for a first port through which a first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device. The second storage subsystem defines a first virtual volume which is associated with the first volume, and a first virtual port having a first virtual port name that is identical to the first port name. After activation of the first virtual port, the computer device switches I/O connection for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem via the network using the first virtual port name on the second storage subsystem.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a first storage subsystem, a second storage subsystem, and a computer device which are connected via a network;

wherein the first storage subsystem has a first port name for a first port through which a first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device, the first port name being a unique port name;

wherein the second storage subsystem defines a first virtual volume which is associated with the first volume in the first storage subsystem, and a first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume, the first virtual port having a first virtual port name that is identical to the first port name of the first port in the first storage subsystem;

wherein the second storage subsystem is configured to activate the first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume to register the first virtual port to the network; and

wherein the computer device is configured, after activation of the first virtual port, to switch I/O connection for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem via the network using the first virtual port name on the second storage subsystem.

2. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein the first storage subsystem has a second port name for a second port through which a second volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device via an additional network, the second port name being another unique port name;

wherein the second storage subsystem defines a second virtual volume which is associated with the second volume in the first storage subsystem, and a second virtual port associated with the second virtual volume, the second virtual port having a second virtual port name that is identical to the second port name of the second port in the first storage subsystem;

wherein the second storage subsystem is configured to activate the second virtual port associated with the second virtual volume to register the second virtual port to the additional network; and

wherein the computer device is configured, after activation of the first virtual port, to switch I/O connection for the second volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem via the additional network using the second virtual port name on the second storage subsystem.

3. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein the second storage subsystem is configured to define a first initiator port to connect the first virtual volume to the first volume in the first storage subsystem, the first initiator port having a virtual port name that is identical to a port name of a port in the computer device which is connected to the network for I/O with the first volume in the first storage subsystem.

4. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein the computer device is configured, prior to activation of the first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem, to suspend I/O with the first storage subsystem;

and

wherein the second storage subsystem receives a first N_Port ID for the first virtual port name after activation of the first virtual port.

5. A computer system according to claim 4,

wherein the second storage subsystem is configured to define a first initiator port to connect the first virtual volume to the first volume in the first storage subsystem, the first initiator port having a virtual port name that is identical to a port name of a port in the computer device which is connected to the network for I/O with the first volume in the first storage subsystem.

6. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein the first storage subsystem has a first additional port with a first additional port name through which the first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem;

wherein, after activation of the first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem, the computer device receives from the network an RSCN (Registered State Change Notification) and a first N_Port ID for the first virtual port name associated with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem, and switches I/O for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem.

7. A computer system according to claim 6,

wherein, after the computer device receives from the network the RSCN, the computer device logs out from the first storage subsystem.

8. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the second storage subsystem executes data migration for the first volume after the computer device switches I/O connection for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem.

9. A computer system comprising:

a first storage subsystem, a second storage subsystem, a third storage subsystem, and a computer device which are connected via a network;

wherein the first storage subsystem has a first port name for a first port through which a first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device, the first port name being a unique port name;

wherein the second storage subsystem (SS2) includes a first SS2 virtual volume which is associated with the first volume in the first storage subsystem, and a first SS2 port having a first SS2 port name for I/O connection of the first SS2 virtual volume with the computer device via the network;

wherein the third storage subsystem (SS3) defines a first SS3 virtual volume which is associated with the first volume in the first storage subsystem, and a first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume, the first SS3 virtual port having a first SS3 virtual port name that is identical to the first SS2 port name of the first SS2 virtual port in the second storage subsystem;

wherein the third storage subsystem is configured to activate the first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume to register the first SS3 virtual port to the network; and

wherein the computer device is configured, after activation of the first SS3 virtual port, to switch I/O connection for the first volume from the second storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem via the network using the first SS3 virtual port name on the third storage subsystem.

10. A computer system according to claim 9,

wherein the first storage subsystem has a second port name for a second port through which a second volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device via an additional network, the second port name being another unique port name;

wherein the second storage subsystem (SS2) includes a second SS2 virtual volume which is associated with the second volume in the first storage subsystem, and a second SS2 port having a second SS2 port name for I/O connection of the second SS2 virtual volume with the computer device via the additional network;

wherein the third storage subsystem (SS3) defines a second SS3 virtual volume which is associated with the second volume in the first storage subsystem, and a second SS3 virtual port associated with the second SS3 virtual volume, the second SS3 virtual port having a second SS3 virtual port name that is identical to the second SS2 port name of the second SS2 virtual port in the second storage subsystem;

wherein the third storage subsystem is configured to activate the second SS3 virtual port associated with the second SS3 virtual volume to register the second SS3 virtual port to the additional network; and

wherein the computer device is configured, after activation of the first SS3 virtual port, to switch I/O connection for the second volume from the second storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem via the network using the second SS3 virtual port name on the third storage subsystem.

11. A computer system according to claim 9,

wherein the second storage subsystem (SS2) includes an additional first SS2 port having an additional first SS2 port name for I/O connection of the first SS2 virtual volume with the first storage subsystem;

wherein the third storage subsystem is configured to define a first SS3 initiator port to connect the first SS3 virtual volume to the first volume in the first storage subsystem, the first SS3 initiator port having a virtual port name that is identical to the additional first SS2 port name of the additional first SS2 port in the second storage subsystem.

12. A computer system according to claim 9,

wherein the computer device is configured, prior to activation of the first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem, to suspend I/O with the first storage subsystem;

and

wherein the third storage subsystem receives a first SS3 N_Port ID for the first SS3 virtual port name after activation of the first SS3 virtual port.

13. A computer system according to claim 9,

wherein the first storage subsystem has a first additional port with a first additional port name through which the first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem;

wherein, after activation of the first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem, the computer device receives from the network an RSCN (Registered State Change Notification) and a first N_Port ID for the first SS3 virtual port name associated with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem, and switches I/O for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem.

14. A computer system according to claim 9, wherein the third storage subsystem executes data migration for the first volume after the computer device switches I/O connection for the first volume from the second storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem.

15. In a computer system which includes a first storage subsystem, a second storage subsystem, and a computer device that are connected via a network;

wherein the first storage subsystem has a first port name for a first port through which a first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device, the first port name being a unique port name;

a method for storage subsystem migration without re-configuration of the I/O path, the method comprising;

defining in the second storage subsystem a first virtual volume which is associated with the first volume in the first storage subsystem, and a first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume, the first virtual port having a first virtual port name that is identical to the first port name of the first port in the first storage subsystem;

activating the first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem to register the first virtual port to the network; and

after activation of the first virtual port, switching I/O connection of the computer device for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem via the network using the first virtual port name on the second storage subsystem.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

defining in the second storage subsystem a first initiator port to connect the first virtual volume to the first volume in the first storage subsystem, the first initiator port having a virtual port name that is identical to a port name of a port in the computer device which is connected to the network for I/O with the first volume in the first storage subsystem.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

prior to activation of the first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem, suspending I/O of the computer device with the first storage subsystem; and

providing to the second storage subsystem a first N_Port ID for the first virtual port name after activation of the first virtual port.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the first storage subsystem has a first additional port with a first additional port name through which the first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem;

the method further comprising;

after activation of the first virtual port associated with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem, providing to the computer device an RSCN (Registered State Change Notification) and a first N_Port ID for the first virtual port name associated with the first virtual volume of the second storage subsystem; and

switching I/O of the computer device for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem.

19. In a computer system which includes a first storage subsystem, a second storage subsystem, a third storage subsystem, and a computer device that are connected via a network;

wherein the first storage subsystem has a first port name for a first port through which a first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device, the first port name being a unique port name; and

wherein the second storage subsystem (SS2) includes a first SS2 virtual volume which is associated with the first volume in the first storage subsystem, and a first SS2 port having a first SS2 port name for I/O connection of the first SS2 virtual volume with the computer device via the network;

a method for storage subsystem migration without re-configuration of the I/O path, the method comprising;

defining in the third storage subsystem (SS3) a first SS3 virtual volume which is associated with the first volume in the first storage subsystem, and a first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume, the first SS3 virtual port having a first SS3 virtual port name that is identical to the first SS2 port name of the first SS2 virtual port in the second storage subsystem;

activating the first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem to register the first SS3 virtual port to the network; and

after activation of the first SS3 virtual port, switch I/O connection of the computer device for the first volume from the second storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem via the network using the first SS3 virtual port name on the third storage subsystem.

20. A method according to claim 19,

wherein the second storage subsystem (SS2) includes an additional first SS2 port having an additional first SS2 port name for I/O connection of the first SS2 virtual volume with the first storage subsystem;

wherein the method further comprises defining in the third storage subsystem a first SS3 initiator port to connect the first SS3 virtual volume to the first volume in the first storage subsystem, the first SS3 initiator port having a virtual port name that is identical to the additional first SS2 port name of the additional first SS2 port in the second storage subsystem.

21. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

prior to activation of the first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem, suspending I/O of the computer device with the first storage subsystem; and

providing to the third storage subsystem a first SS3 N_Port ID for the first SS3 virtual port name after activation of the first SS3 virtual port.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein the first storage subsystem has a first additional port with a first additional port name through which the first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem;

the method further comprising;

after activation of the first SS3 virtual port associated with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem, providing to the computer device an RSCN (Registered State Change Notification) and a first N_Port ID for the first SS3 virtual port name associated with the first SS3 virtual volume of the third storage subsystem; and

switching I/O of the computer device for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem.