Storage area network methods and apparatus for associating a logical identification with a physical identification

• US 6,892,264 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lamb, Michael Loren
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US09/972,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20030149753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 710/301, 710/2, 710/100, 710/105, 710/305, 710/72, 710 8- 10, 711/100, 711/147, 711/202, 711/203, 379/201.1, 709/200, 709/201, 709217-219, 709/226
• US Class Current: 710/301
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0614 Improving the reliability of storage systems
• 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: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• 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: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention provides an improved storage area network (SAN) of the type having a digital data processor, e.g., a host, in communication with one or more storage devices, e.g., a LUN and, further, of the type having a plug-and-play (PNP) manager that generates an event in response to a change in status of at least one of the storage devices. The improvement is characterized by at least a selected process, that executes on the host (or other digital data processor) and that references at least a selected one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification, e.g., a LUN ID. The improvement is further characterized by the selected process responding to an event generated by the plug-and-play by querying for information the storage device (or an interface thereto) with respect to which the event was generated. From that information, the process generates a logical identification for the device.

Claims

1. A system in a storage area network (SAN) coupled to at least one storage device, comprising:

a processor in communication with the at least one storage device;

a plug-and-play manager that generates an event in response to a change in status of at least one of the storage devices;

one or more processes executing on the processor, the one or more processes referencing at least a selected one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

at least a selected one of the processes responding to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated, and generating from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the event signifies any of coupling or decoupling of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated for communication with the digital data processor.

2. A system in a storage area network (SAN) coupled to at least one storage device, comprising:

a processor in communication with the at least one storage device;

a plug-and-play manager that generates an event in response to a change in status of at least one of the storage devices and generate, a physical identification of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated,

one or more processes executing on the processor, the one or more processes referencing at least a selected one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

at least a selected one of the processes responding to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated, wherein the selected process references the physical identification when querying the storage device, and wherein the selected process generates from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

4. A system in a storage area network (SAN) coupled to at least one storage device, comprising:

a processor in communication with the at least one storage device;

a plug-and-play manager that generates an event in response to a change in status of at least one of the storage devices and generates a reference to a data structure containing data regarding the storage device with respect to which the event was generated;

one or more processes executing on the processor, the one or more processes referencing at least a selected one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

at least a selected one of the processes responding to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated, wherein the selected process parses the data contained in the object referenced by the event to determine an address of the storage device, and wherein the selected process generates from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the selected process references the address when querying the storage device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor communicates with the one or more storage devices via a communications port driver, and wherein the selected process queries the port driver to retrieve the information based on the address.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor communicates with the at least one storage device via a SCSI bus and via an adapter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the data contained in the object includes a name of the adapter, a port number, a path number, a target number and a logical unit number for the storage device with respect to which the event was generated.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the selected process extracts from the object the port number, the path number, the target number and the LUN number of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected process queries the storage device to retrieve SCSI inquiry data.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the selected process opens a handle to the object to obtain the port number, the path number, the target number and the LUN number.

12. A storage area network (SAN), comprising:

at least one storage device, each having a physical address;

a manager, wherein the manager assigns a logical identifier to each of the storage devices;

at least one processor in communication with the at least one storage device and the manager executing;

(i) a plug-n-play manager that generates an event in response to a change in status of at least one of the storage devices, the event referencing the physical address of the storage device having the change in status;

(ii) an agent in communication with the manager to receive the logical identifiers;

(iii) a process that responds to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager to query the storage device having the physical address associated with the event for information regarding the logical identifier of that storage device.

13. A storage area network (SAN), comprising:

at least one storage device, each having a physical address;

a manager, wherein the manager assigns a logical identifier to each of the storage devices;

at least one processor in communication with the at least one storage device and the manager executing;

(i) a plug-n-play manager that generates an event in response to a change in status of at least one of the storage devices, the event referencing a the physical address of the storage device having the change in status;

(ii) an agent in communication with the manager to receive the logical identifiers;

(iii) a process that responds to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager to query the storage device having the physical address associated with the event for information regarding the logical identifier of that storage device,

wherein the processor includes a communication port for communicating with the storage devices and a port driver providing a software interface to the communication port, wherein the agent communicates the logical identifiers of the storage devices to the port driver.

14. The SAN of claim 13, wherein the event generated by the plug-n-play manager references an object containing information regarding the physical address of the storage device.

15. The SAN of claim 14, wherein the process executing on the at least one processor parses the information contained in the object referenced by the plug-n-play manager to discern the physical address of the storage device.

16. The SAN of claim 15, wherein the process queries the port driver regarding logical identifier of a storage device having the physical address discerned from the object referenced by the plug-n-play manager.

17. The SAN of claim 16, wherein the port driver utilizes the logical identifiers received from the agent to determine the logical identifier of the storage device having the physical address discerned from the object referenced by the plug-n-play manager.

18. A method, comprising:

generating, by a plug-and-play manager, an event in response to a change in status of at least one storage device;

referencing, by one or more processes executing on a processor in communication with the at least one storage device, one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

responding, by one of the processes, to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated and generating from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

19. A method, comprising:

generating, by a plug-and-play manager, an event in response to a change in status of at least one storage device and a physical identification of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated;

referencing, by one or more processes executing on a processor in communication with the at least one storage device, one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

responding, by a selected one of the processes, to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated, wherein the selected process references the physical identification when querying the storage device and wherein the selected process generates from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the event signifies any of coupling or decoupling of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated for communication with the digital data processor.

21. A method, comprising:

generating, by a plug-and-play manager, an event in response to a change in status of at least one storage device and a reference to a data structure containing data regarding the storage device with respect to which the event was generated;

referencing, by one or more processes executing on a processor in communication with the at least one storage device, one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

responding, by a selected one of the processes, to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated, wherein the selected process parses the data contained in the object referenced by the event to determine an address of the storage device, and wherein the selected process generates from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected process references the address when querying of the storage device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the processor communicates with the one or more storage devices via a communications port driver, and wherein the selected process queries the port driver to retrieve the information based on the address.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the processor communicates with the at least one storage device via a SCSI bus and via an adapter.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data contained in the object includes a name of the adapter, a port number, a path number, a target number and a logical unit number for the storage device with respect to which the event was generated.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the selected process extracts from the object the port number, the path number, the target number and the LUN number of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the selected process queries the storage device to retrieve SCSI inquiry data.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the selected process opens a handle to the object to obtain the port number, the path number, the target number and the LUN number.

29. A computer readable medium including code implementing a plug-and-play manager and processes executed by a processor in communication with at least one storage device to perform operations comprising:

generating, by the plug-and-play manager, an event in response to a change in status of at least one storage device;

referencing, by at least one of the processes, one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

responding, by one of the processes, to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated and generating from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

30. A computer readable medium including code implementing a plug-and-play manager and processes executed by a processor in communication with at least one storage device to perform operations comprising:

generating, by the plug-and-play manager, an event in response to a change in status of at least one storage device and a physical identification of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated;

referencing, by at least one of the processes, one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

responding, by a selected one of the processes, to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated, wherein the selected process references the physical identification when querying the storage device and wherein the selected process generates from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the event signifies any of coupling or decoupling of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated for communication with the digital data processor.

32. A computer readable medium including code implementing a plug-and-play manager and processes executed by a processor in communication with at least one storage device to perform operations comprising:

generating, by the plug-and-play manager, an event in response to a change in status of at least one storage device and a reference to a data structure containing data regarding the storage device with respect to which the event was generated;

referencing, by at least one of the processes, one of the storage devices using a previously assigned logical identification; and

responding, by a selected one of the processes, to the event generated by the plug-and-play manager by querying the storage device for information with respect to which the event was generated, wherein the selected process parses the data contained in the object referenced by the event to determine an address of the storage device, and wherein the selected process generates from the queried information a logical identification for that storage device.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the selected process references the address when querying of the storage device.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein the processor communicates with the one or more storage devices via a communications port driver, and wherein the selected process queries the port driver to retrieve the information based on the address.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the processor communicates with the at least one storage device via a SCSI bus and via an adapter.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the data contained in the object includes a name of the adapter, a port number, a path number, a target number and a logical unit number for the storage device with respect to which the event was generated.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the selected process extracts from the object the port number, the path number, the target number and the LUN number of the storage device with respect to which the event was generated.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein the selected process queries the storage device to retrieve SCSI inquiry data.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the selected process opens a handle to the object to obtain the port number, the path number, the target number and the LUN number.