CONFIGURATION UPDATES ACROSS PEER STORAGE SYSTEMS

• US 20150180714A1
• Filed: 12/24/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: CHUNN, ADAM C., WALLS, ANDREW D., HUTSELL, WILLIAM W., KEY, MATTHEW S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,667,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/084 Configuration by using pre-existing information, e.g. using templates or copying from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0859 by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, in response to introduction of a first storage node into a storage network including a plurality of storage nodes, the first storage node discovers at least one second storage node that is a peer storage node. The first storage node downloads one or more versions of one or more shared soft configurations from the second peer storage node. In response to selection of a first version of a first shared soft configuration for activation, the first storage node subscribes to the first shared soft configuration and activates the first version of the selected shared soft configuration on the first storage node. Thereafter, in response to an update of the first shared soft configuration to a second version on the first storage node, the first storage node propagates the second version of the first shared soft configuration to the second storage node.

Claims

1. A method of managing a storage network, the method comprising:

in response to introduction of a first storage node into a storage network including a plurality of storage nodes, the first storage node discovering at least one second storage node among the plurality of storage nodes that is a peer storage node;

the first storage node downloading one or more versions of one or more shared soft configurations from the second peer storage node;

in response to selection of a first version of a first shared soft configuration for activation, the first storage node subscribing to the first shared soft configuration and activating the first version of the selected shared soft configuration on the first storage node; and

thereafter, in response to an update of the first shared soft configuration to a second version on the first storage node, the first storage node propagating the second version of the first shared soft configuration to the second storage node.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

marking the first storage node as a peer storage node such that the first storage node subsequently participates in peer discovery.

3. The method of claim 1, and further comprising presenting a summary of effects on the first storage node of the first shared soft configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further includes the first storage node determining whether or not the first storage node already stores a previously employed version of the first shared configuration that matches the first version of the first shared soft configuration downloaded from the second peer storage node;

the first storage node performs the subscribing, activating and propagating in response to determining the first storage node does not already store a previously employed version of the first shared configuration; and

wherein the method further includes;

the first storage node, in response to determining the first storage node stores a previously employed version of the first shared configuration that does not match the first version of the first shared soft configuration downloaded from the second peer storage node, forming and activating a second soft configuration on the first storage node in lieu of the first shared soft configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

in response to receipt of a change notification from a third storage node in the storage network, the first storage node verifying a match between a local version of a second soft configuration on the first storage node and a non-current version of the second soft configuration on the third storage node; and

in response to verifying the match, downloading a latest version of the second soft configuration from the third storage node and activating the latest version of the second soft configuration on the first storage node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage node and second storage node are heterogeneous.

7. A first storage node, comprising:

a memory;

a network adapter; and

a storage controller coupled to the network adapter and to the memory, wherein the storage controller is configured to cause the first storage node to perform;

in response to introduction of the first storage node into a storage network including a plurality of storage nodes, the first storage node discovering at least one second storage node among the plurality of storage nodes that is a peer storage node;

the first storage node downloading one or more versions of one or more shared soft configurations from the second peer storage node;

in response to selection of a first version of a first shared soft configuration for activation, the first storage node subscribing to the first shared soft configuration and activating the first version of the selected shared soft configuration on the first storage node; and

thereafter, in response to an update of the first shared soft configuration to a second version on the first storage node, the first storage node propagating the second version of the first shared soft configuration to the second storage node.

8. The first storage node of claim 7, wherein the storage controller is configured to cause the first storage node to perform:

marking the first storage node as a peer storage node such that the first storage node subsequently participates in peer discovery.

9. The first storage node of claim 7, wherein the storage controller is configured to cause the first storage node to perform:

presenting a summary of effects on the first storage node of the first shared soft configuration.

10. The first storage node of claim 7, wherein the storage controller is configured to cause the first storage node to perform:

the first storage node determining whether or not the first storage node already stores a previously employed version of the first shared configuration that matches the first version of the first shared soft configuration downloaded from the second peer storage node, wherein the first storage node performs the subscribing, activating and propagating in response to determining the first storage node does not already store a previously employed version of the first shared configuration; and

the first storage node, in response to determining the first storage node stores a previously employed version of the first shared configuration that does not match the first version of the first shared soft configuration downloaded from the second peer storage node, forming and activating a second soft configuration on the first storage node in lieu of the first shared soft configuration.

11. The first storage node of claim 7, wherein the storage controller is configured to cause the first storage node to perform:

in response to receipt of a change notification from a third storage node in the storage network, the first storage node verifying a match between a local version of a second soft configuration on the first storage node and a non-current version of the second soft configuration on the third storage node; and

in response to verifying the match, downloading a latest version of the second soft configuration from the third storage node and activating the latest version of the second soft configuration on the first storage node.

12. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage node in accordance with claim 7;

the second storage node; and

a network coupling the first and second storage nodes.

13. The storage system of claim 12, wherein the first storage node and second storage node are heterogeneous.

14. A program product, comprising:

a storage device; and

program code stored in the storage device, wherein the program code, when executed by a first storage node, causes the first storage node to perform;

in response to introduction of a first storage node into a storage network including a plurality of storage nodes, the first storage node discovering at least one second storage node among the plurality of storage nodes that is a peer storage node;

the first storage node downloading one or more versions of one or more shared soft configurations from the second peer storage node;

in response to selection of a first version of a first shared soft configuration for activation, the first storage node subscribing to the first shared soft configuration and activating the first version of the selected shared soft configuration on the first storage node; and

thereafter, in response to an update of the first shared soft configuration to a second version on the first storage node, the first storage node propagating the second version of the first shared soft configuration to the second storage node.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code further causes the first storage node to perform:

marking the first storage node as a peer storage node such that the first storage node subsequently participates in peer discovery.

16. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code further causes the first storage node to perform presenting a summary of effects on the first storage node of the first shared soft configuration.

17. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code further causes the first storage node to perform:

the first storage node determining whether or not the first storage node already stores a previously employed version of the first shared configuration that matches the first version of the first shared soft configuration downloaded from the second peer storage node, wherein the first storage node performs the subscribing, activating and propagating in response to determining the first storage node does not already store a previously employed version of the first shared configuration; and

the first storage node, in response to determining the first storage node stores a previously employed version of the first shared configuration that does not match the first version of the first shared soft configuration downloaded from the second peer storage node, forming and activating a second soft configuration on the first storage node in lieu of the first shared soft configuration.

18. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code further causes the first storage node to perform:

in response to receipt of a change notification from a third storage node in the storage network, the first storage node verifying a match between a local version of a second soft configuration on the first storage node and a non-current version of the second soft configuration on the third storage node; and

in response to verifying the match, downloading a latest version of the second soft configuration from the third storage node and activating the latest version of the second soft configuration on the first storage node.

19. The program product of claim 14, wherein the first storage node and second storage node are heterogeneous.