User interface for managing storage in a storage system coupled to a network

• US 6,839,747 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Steve, Blumenau, Steve, Lindholm, Jason D., Ofer, Erez
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US09/343,969
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 345/734, 345/735, 345/736, 345/737, 345/738, 345/743
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/468 Specific access rights for resources, e.g. using capability register

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing the availability and assignment of data in a storage system that is coupled to a network. A user interface is provided that executes on a host processor that is coupled to the storage system over the network. The user interface communicates with a configuration database in the storage system to identify host processors that are logged into the storage system over the network, to identify storage volumes on the storage system, to identify whether access to a particular storage volume on the storage system is permitted from a particular host processor, and to identify a network path by which host processors are logged into the storage system over the network. In one embodiment, a graphical user interface is provided that can be used to graphically represent host processors, host bus adapters, storage systems, and storage system adapters and storage volumes on the storage system. The graphical representation provided by the graphical user interface permits a user to graphically view a topology of the network at varying levels of detail, selectable by the user. The graphical user interface also permits a user to allow or deny access to storage systems or a particular storage volume on storage system from one or more of the host processors, host bus adapters, etc., by selecting and manipulating graphical representations thereof. In another embodiment, a command line user interface is provided with similar functionality.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a computer system that includes a plurality of host processors coupled to a storage system over a network, the program, when executed on the computer system, performing a method comprising a step of:

displaying a first representation of each of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system over the network, wherein the first representation identifies each of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system as being logged into the storage system.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying a second representation of a respective path through the network over which each of the plurality of host processors is logged into the storage system.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the step of displaying the second representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a representation of a network adapter on a respective host processor through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the step of displaying the second representation of the respective path further includes a step of:

displaying a representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the step of displaying the second representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which a respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the first representation includes a step of displaying a first graphical representation of each of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

displaying in the first graphical representation a logical identifier that is associated with the first host processor.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising a step of:

displaying in the first graphical representation a plurality of logical identifiers that are associated with the plurality of host processors, each logical identifier being associated with a respective one of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising a step of:

displaying a second graphical representation of a respective path through the network over which each of the plurality of host processors is logged into the storage system.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of displaying different types of network devices in the respective path using different graphical representations.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of selectively displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path at varying levels of detail.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of a network adapter on a respective host processor through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path further includes a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which a respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying a second graphical representation of the storage system in which each of the plurality of host processors is logged into.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the storage system includes a step of:

displaying in the second graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system in which at least one of the plurality of host processors is logged into.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the storage system includes a step of:

displaying in the second graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of each network adapter on the storage system in which at least one of the plurality of host processors is logged into.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the storage system includes a step of:

displaying in the second graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of each network adapter on the storage system.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the storage system includes a step of:

displaying in the second graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of each network adapter port on the storage system.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying a third graphical representation of at least one storage volume on the storage system.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying a third graphical representation of each storage volume on the storage system.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify each storage volume on the storage system.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising a step of:

graphically indicating in the third graphical representation, for each one of the storage volumes on the storage system, whether the one of the storage volumes is shared by more than one host processor.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising a step of:

graphically indicating in the third graphical representation, for each one of the storage volumes on the storage system, whether the one of the storage volumes is a mirrored storage volume.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising a step of:

displaying, for each one of the storage volumes on the storage system, which of the plurality of host processors can access the one of the storage volumes.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising a step of:

modifying access privileges to the at least one storage volume from at least one of the plurality of host processors responsive to a graphical manipulation of a representation corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of host processors.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising a step of:

modifying access privileges to the at least one storage volume from at least one of the plurality of host processors responsive to a graphical manipulation of a graphical representation corresponding to the at least one storage volume.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises step of:

requesting the storage system to identify access privileges to at least one storage volume on the storage system; and

displaying a second representation of the access privileges to the at least one storage volume.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to modify the access privileges to the at least one storage volume responsive to a command from a user.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify to the first host processor a pathname used by the first host processor to log into the storage system.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify to the first host processor which of the plurality of host processors are logged into the storage system.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify to the first host processor a network adapter on the storage system that each respective host processor used to log into the storage system.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify to the first host processor a network adapter on each respective host processor that the respective host processor used to log into the storage system.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify to the first host processor each network adapter on the storage system that each respective host processor used to log into the storage system.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify to the first host processor a network adapter on each respective host processor that the respective host processor used to log into the storage system.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program is executed on a first host processor of the plurality of processors, the method further comprising a step of:

displaying a second representation of another network device, other than one of the plurality of host processors, that is coupled to the storage system over the network and is logged into the storage system.

76. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors a graphical representation of a network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors.

77. The computer readable medium of claim 76, wherein the step of modifying includes a step of:

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data from the network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors, the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first-volume of data, and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the network adapter.

37. In a computer system having a plurality of host processors coupled to a storage system over a network, a method comprising a step of:

displaying, on a display in the computer system, a first representation of each of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system over the network, wherein the first representation identifies each of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system as being logged into the storage system.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising a step of:

displaying, on the display in the computer system, a second representation of a respective path through the network over which each of the plurality of host processors is logged into the storage system.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of displaying the second representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a representation of a network adapter on a respective host processor through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of displaying the second representation of the respective path further includes a step of:

displaying a representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of displaying the second representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which a respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of displaying the first representation includes a step of displaying a first graphical representation of each of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising a step of:

displaying, in the first graphical representation, a plurality of logical identifiers that are associated with the plurality of host processors, each logical identifier being associated with a respective one of the plurality of host processors that is logged into the storage system.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising a step of:

displaying, on the display in the computer system, a second graphical representation of a respective path through the network over which each of the plurality of host processors is logged into the storage system.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of displaying different types of network devices in the respective path using different graphical representations.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of selectively displaying the graphical representation of the respective path at varying levels of detail.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of a network adapter on a respective host processor through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path further includes a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which the respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the respective path includes a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system through which a respective host processor is logged into the storage system.

50. The method of claim 42, further comprising a step of:

displaying, on the display in the computer system, a second graphical representation of the storage system in which each of the plurality of host processors is logged into.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the storage system includes a step of:

displaying in the second graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of each network adapter on the storage system in which at least one of the plurality of host processors is logged into.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of displaying the second graphical representation of the storage system includes a step of:

displaying in the second graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of each network adapter on the storage system.

53. The method of claim 50, further comprising a step of:

displaying, on the display in the computer system, a third graphical representation of at least one storage volume on the storage system.

54. The method of claim 50, further comprising a step of:

displaying, on the display in the computer system, a third graphical representation of each storage volume on the storage system.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising a step of:

graphically indicating in the third graphical representation, for each one of the storage volumes on the storage system, whether the one of the storage volumes is shared by more than one host processor.

56. The method of claim 54, further comprising a step of:

graphically indicating in the third graphical representation, for each one of the storage volumes on the storage system, whether the one of the storage volumes is a mirrored storage volume.

57. The method of claim 54, further comprising a step of:

displaying on the display in the computer system, for each one of the storage volumes on the storage system, which of the plurality of host processors can access the one of the storage volumes.

58. The method of claim 53, further comprising a step of:

modifying access privileges to the at least one storage volume from at least one of the plurality of host processors responsive to a graphical manipulation of a graphical representation corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of host processors on the display in the computer system.

59. The method of claim 53, further comprising a step of:

modifying access privileges to the at least one storage volume from at least one of the plurality of host processors responsive to a graphical manipulation of a graphical representation corresponding to the at least one storage volume on the display in the computer system.

60. The method of claim 37, further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to identify access privileges to at least one storage volume on the storage system; and

displaying, on the display in the computer system, a second representation of the access privileges to the at least one storage volume.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising a step of:

requesting the storage system to modify the access privileges to the at least one storage volume responsive to a command from a user.

62. A computer readable medium encoded with a program that, when executed on a computer system including a plurality of host processors that are coupled to a storage system over a network, performs a method, the storage system storing at least first and second volumes of data capable of having different access privileges, the method comprising steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of the first volume of data;

displaying access privileges to the first volume of data; and

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data without modifying the access privileges to the second volume of data.

63. The computer readable medium of claim 62, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors;

wherein the step of modifying includes a step of modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors.

64. The computer readable medium of claim 63, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors a graphical representation of a network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors.

65. The computer readable medium of claim 64, wherein the step of modifying includes a step of:

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data from the network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data, the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors, and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the network adapter.

66. The computer readable medium of claim 62, further comprising a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the storage system.

67. The computer readable medium of claim 66, further comprising a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the storage system.

68. A method of managing access to data stored on a storage system from a plurality of host processors that are coupled to the storage system over a network, the storage system storing at least first and second volumes of data capable of having different access privileges, the method comprising steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of the first volume data;

displaying access privileges to the first volume of data; and

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data without modifying the access privileges to the second volume of data.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors; and

wherein the step of modifying includes a step of modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors.

70. The method of claim 69, further comprising a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors a graphical representation of a network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the step of modifying includes a step of:

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data from the network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data, the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors, and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the network adapter.

72. The method of claim 68, further comprising a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the storage system.

73. The method of claim 72, further comprising a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the storage system.

74. A computer readable medium encoded with a program that, when executed on a computer system including a plurality of host processors that are coupled to a storage system over a network, performs a method, the storage system storing at least first and second volumes of data capable of having different access privileges, the method comprising steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of one of the plurality of host processors;

displaying access privileges to the first volume of data; and

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by the one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors without modifying the access privileges to the second volume of data.

75. The computer readable medium of claim 74, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the first volume of data stored on the storage system; and

wherein the step of modifying includes a step of modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data.

78. The computer readable medium of claim 74, further comprising a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the storage system.

79. The computer readable medium of claim 78, further comprising a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the storage system.

80. A method of managing access to data stored on a storage system from a plurality of host processors that are coupled to the storage system over a network, the storage system storing at least first and second volumes of data capable of having different access privileges, the method comprising steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of one of the plurality of host processors;

displaying access privileges to the first volume of; and

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by the one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors without modifying the access privileges to the second volume of data.

81. The method of claim 80, further comprising a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the first volume of data stored on the storage system; and

wherein the step of modifying includes a step of modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data by the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data.

82. The method of claim 81, further comprising a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors a graphical representation of a network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the step of modifying includes a step of:

modifying the access privileges to the first volume of data from the network adapter on the one of the plurality of host processors in response to the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the one of the plurality of host processors, the graphical selection of the graphical representation of the first volume of data, and a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the network adapter.

84. The method of claim 80, further comprising a step of:

displaying a graphical representation of the storage system.

85. The method of claim 84, further comprising a step of:

displaying in the graphical representation of the storage system a graphical representation of a network adapter on the storage system in response to a graphical selection of the graphical representation of the storage system.