System and method for storage on demand service in a global SAN environment

• US 6,839,815 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masayuki, Yamamoto, Akira, Kagami, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Sparks, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Ngoc V
• Application Number:
  US09/850,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20020166033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 711/146, 711/147, 711/148, 711/150, 711/151, 707/205, 709/223, 709/226, 709/227
• US Class Current: 711/148
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

The present invention provides improved techniques for managing storage resources, such as disk drives, I/O ports, and the like distributed among a plurality of sites according to user demand for these storage resources. Specific embodiments provide users the capability to bring new resources on line, define pathways between resources, and the like. Embodiments can obviate the need for system programmers to manually configure storage resources at a user'"'"'s site.

Claims

1. A storage management system, comprising:

a storage on demand (SoD) center system;

a local storage subsystem;

a plurality of remote storage subsystems, each remote storage subsystem having an SoD resource manager that manages storage resources of said remote storage subsystem; and

a software agent operable on a host computer, said software agent using said local storage subsystem to store information when said local storage subsystem can meet a storage request, said software agent communicating with the SoD center system when said local storage subsystem cannot meet said storage request;

wherein

said SoD center system, in response to a demand for storage resources from the host computer, automatically uses geographic criteria to select at least one of said plurality of remote storage subsystems to satisfy said demand; and

wherein

said SoD resource manager for said selected one of said remote storage subsystems allocates at least one of a plurality of resources to meet said demand.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatically using geographic criteria to select at least one of said plurality of remote storage subsystems to satisfy said demand is accomplished by a minimum geographic distance analysis.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the minimum geographic distance analysis comprises determining a minimum of at least one of a plurality of differences between two points specified by a longitude and a latitude.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatically using geographic criteria to select at least one of said plurality of remote storage subsystems to satisfy said demand comprises

determining whether said at least one of said plurality of remote storage subsystems has sufficient resources to satisfy said demand prior to determining said selected remote storage system from among remaining ones of said plurality of remote storage systems by finding a minimum network routing distance.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second host computer coupled to one of said plurality of remote storage subsystems, wherein said second host computer accesses said local storage subsystem when said one of said plurality of storage subsystems lacks sufficient resources to satisfy a demand for storage resources for said second host computer.

6. A storage apparatus comprising:

memory;

a plurality of storage devices

a plurality of I/O ports providing interfaces to said plurality of storage devices;

a device management table, in which a status of at least one of said plurality of storage devices is stored, and an I/O port management table, in which a status of at least one of said plurality of I/O ports is stored, said device management table and said I/O port management table being disposed in said memory; and

a storage resource management processor;

wherein

said storage management processor receives a demand for storage resources, and thereupon updates said device management table and said I/O port management table, and sends a management result responsive to said demand; and

wherein an operating system of a remote computer is automatically configured with at least one of a plurality of paths connecting to storage resources allocated at least one of said plurality of storage devices, thereby automatically configuring the remote computer to communicate directly with the storage resources.

7. A method for enabling a host computer to access storage resources, said host computer, at least one of a plurality of remote storage subsystems, and a center system interconnected by a first communication network, said method comprising:

receiving at said center system a demand from said host computer for storage resources;

automatically using geographic criteria to select a remote storage subsystem from said at least one of a plurality of remote storage subsystems in which sufficient resources exist to meet said demand;

processing said demand using said selected remote storage subsystem; and

outputting a service processing result enabling said host computer to access storage resources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the using geographic criteria to select a remote storage subsystem from said at least one of a plurality of remote storage subsystems comprises:

reading a first location data for said host computer;

for each remote storage subsystem in said at least one of a plurality of remote storage subsystems;

determining if said remote storage subsystem can satisfy said demand;

if said remote storage subsystem can satisfy said demand, then reading a second location data for said remote storage subsystem, otherwise performing said determining for a next remote storage subsystem;

computing a distance from said first location data and said second location data;

if said distance is a minimum, then recording said distance as a calculation result;

if there are any remote storage subsystems remaining, performing said determining, reading, computing and recording for said remaining remote storage subsystems; and

outputting said calculation result.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein processing said demand using said selected remote storage subsystem comprises:

sending said demand for storage resources to said selected remote storage subsystem;

receiving from said selected remote storage subsystem a management result, said management result indicating whether storage resources have been successfully allocated in accordance with said demand;

storing said management result;

sending said I/O path setting request to said host computer;

receiving a setting result from said host computer; and

storing said setting result.

10. A method for automatically configuring a remote storage subsystem to provide storage resources to a host computer, said host computer, said remote storage subsystem, a local storage subsystem, and a center system interconnected by a first communication network, said method comprising:

receiving a demand for storage resources at said remote storage subsystem;

determining whether said demand includes a command to make at least one of a plurality of installed devices available;

updating a device management table, if said demand includes a command to make at least one of a plurality of installed devices available;

updating an I/O port management table; and

sending a resource management result to said center system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein updating a device management table comprises storing an indication that a particular device is usable.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein updating a I/O port management table comprises storing an indication that a particular I/O port is usable.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving at said storage subsystem an I/O command to access storage resources from said host computer;

determining whether storage resources requested by said I/O command are usable;

performing said I/O command, if said storage resources requested by said I/O command are usable, otherwise rejecting said I/O command; and

sending an I/O result to said host computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether storage resources requested by said I/O command are usable comprises:

searching said device management table to determine whether devices requested in said I/O command are usable.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether storage resources requested by said I/O command are usable further comprises:

searching said I/O port management table to determine whether I/O ports requested in said I/O command are usable and whether devices requested in said I/O command are accessible via I/O ports requested in said I/O command.

16. A method for automatically configuring a host computer to access resources in a remote storage subsystem, said host computer, said remote storage subsystem, and a center system interconnected by a first communication network, said method comprising:

receiving at said host computer an I/O path setting request from said center system, said I/O path setting request comprising information about resources in said remote storage subsystem allocated for use by said host computer;

requesting an operating system resident in said host computer to update an I/O path setting table based upon said I/O path setting request;

receiving an update result from said operating system; and

sending a setting result to said center system based upon said update result.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein updating said I/O path setting table comprises storing an indication that a particular I/O port in said storage subsystem is accessible to a particular host I/O controller.

18. A storage management service system, comprising:

a host computer;

a local management server associated with said host computer;

a plurality of local storage subsystems associated with said local management server;

a storage on demand (SoD) center system;

a plurality of other management servers associated with said center system; and

a plurality of remote storage subsystems associated with said other management servers;

wherein

said local management server receives input of a demand for storage resources for said host computer, decides whether any of said plurality of local storage subsystems can satisfy said demand, and thereupon sends said demand to a selected one of said plurality of storage subsystems, otherwise, said local management server sends said demand to said center system; and

wherein

said center system requests from at least one of said plurality of other management servers candidates from said plurality of remote storage subsystems, said candidates having sufficient resources to satisfy said demand; and

responsive to receiving candidates, said center system automatically uses geographic criteria to select a remote storage subsystem to satisfy said demand; and

wherein

said selected remote storage subsystem receives said demand from said center system, and thereupon allocates resources to meet said demand.

19. A method for enabling a host computer to access storage resources, said method comprising:

receiving at a local management server an input of a demand from said host computer for storage resources;

determining whether at least one of a plurality of local storage subsystems can meet said demand, and if one of said at least one of a plurality of local storage subsystems can meet said demand, selecting said local storage subsystem as a selected storage subsystem;

if none of said plurality of local storage subsystems can meet said demand, sending a request to a center system to select a remote storage subsystem from a plurality of remote storage subsystems that contains sufficient resources to meet said demand and that is determined to be closest to the host computer; and

receiving identification information of the selected a remote storage subsystem;

processing said demand using said selected storage subsystem; and

outputting a service processing result enabling said host computer to access storage resources in said selected storage subsystem.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein processing said demand using said selected storage subsystem comprises:

sending said demand for storage resources to said selected storage subsystem;

receiving from said selected storage subsystem a management result, said management result indicating whether storage resources have been successfully allocated in accordance with said demand;

storing said management result;

sending said I/O path setting request to said host computer;

receiving a setting result from said host computer; and

storing said setting result.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving at said center system a service processing result from said local management server;

sending a request to update tables to said local management server and at least one of a plurality of other local management servers;

receiving at said center system updating results from at least one of said a plurality of other local management servers; and

providing as output said updating results.

21. A method for enabling a host computer to access storage resources, said host computer and a local management server being interconnected by a first communication network, a center system and at least one of a plurality of local storage subsystems being interconnected to said first communication network via a second communication network, and at least one of a plurality of remote storage subsystems being interconnected to at least one of a plurality of other local management servers by said second communication network, said method comprising:

receiving at said center system a request from said local management server to select one of said plurality of remote storage subsystems;

sending a request to determine candidates from among said at least one of a plurality of remote storage subsystems to said at least one of a plurality of other local management servers, said candidates having sufficient resources in order to meet said demand;

receiving at said center system candidates from said plurality of other local management servers;

automatically using geographic criteria to select a remote storage subsystem from candidates; and

sending to said local management server said selected remote storage subsystem, enabling said host computer to access storage resources.

23. A method for enabling a host computer to access storage resources, said host computer and a local management server being interconnected by a first communication network, a center system and at least one of a plurality of local storage subsystems being interconnected to said first communication network via a second communication network, and at least one of plurality of remote storage subsystems being interconnected to at least one of a plurality of other local management servers by said second communication network, wherein a remote storage subsystem is selected from the plurality of the storage subsystems automatically using geographic criteria, said method comprising:

receiving at said local management server and said at least one of a plurality of other local management servers a request to update tables to reflect an allocation of resources in said at least one of a plurality of remote storage subsystems to said host computer;

updating tables in accordance with said request; and

sending to said center system an updating result.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said tables further comprise at least one of a table of host computer locations comprising a longitude and a latitude, and a table of storage subsystem locations comprising a longitude and a latitude.