Method and apparatus for dynamically determining whether access to a resource connected to a computer has changed and determining how to access the resource with a new identifier

• US 6,931,440 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Steven, Blumenau, Steven M
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLETT, STEPHAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/295,718
• Time in Patent Office: 2,309 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/225, 709/227, 709/229, 709/201, 709/203, 709/237, 709/318, 710/104, 712/15, 717/168, 717/170
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a method and apparatus for modifying a configuration of a computer system including a host computer and at least one computer system resource accessible to at least one application program executing on the host computer. The computer system is dynamically reconfigured, without reinitializing the host computer or the application program, to alter a manner in which the at least one application program accesses the at least one computer system resource. Another embodiment is directed to a method and apparatus for responding to changes in a configuration of the computer system impacting a manner in which the at least one computer system resource is accessed by the host computer. Information relating to a first configuration of the computer system at a first point in time is stored, the first configuration relating to a first manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer. A second configuration of the computer system at a second point in time is determined, the second configuration relating to a second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer. The second configuration of the computer system is compared with the first configuration to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration. When it is determined that the second configuration differs from the first configuration, the second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer is determined.

Claims

1. In a computer system including a host computer and at least one computer system resource accessible to the host computer, wherein the host computer comprises an operating system and the operating system uses at least one identifier to enable access by the host computer to the at least one computer system resource, the at least one identifier identifying the at least one computer system resource, a method of responding to changes in a configuration of the computer system impacting a manner in which the at least one computer system resource is accessed by the host computer, the method comprising steps of:

(A) storing information relating to a first configuration of the computer system at a first point in time, the first configuration relating to a first manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer, the first manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource including the use of a first identifier by the operating system to identify the at least one computer system resource;

(B) determining a second configuration of the computer system at a second point in time, the second configuration relating to a second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer;

(C) comparing the second configuration of the computer system with the first configuration to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration in that the second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource includes the use of a second identifier by the operating system to identify the at least one computer system resource, wherein the second identifier differs from the first identifier; and

(D) when it is determined in the step (C) that the second configuration differs from the first configuration, determining the second identifier used by the operating system in the second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer, wherein the act of determining comprises using at least one component of information that uniquely identifies the at least one computer system resource in a manner that is independent of the second configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (B) includes a step of determining the second configuration of the computer system in response to a rebooting of the host computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (B) includes a step of determining the second configuration of the computer system each time the host computer is rebooted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes at least one component of information that uniquely identifies each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer using information independent of the first configuration of the computer system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes at least one storage system and the plurality of devices includes a plurality of logical volumes of data in the at least one storage system, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing, for each one of the logical volumes, an identifier that uniquely identifies the logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes in the at least one storage system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one storage system includes a plurality of storage systems, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing, for each one of the plurality of logical volumes, an identifier that uniquely identifies a one of the plurality of storage systems in which the one of the plurality of logical volumes is stored.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes first and second identifiers for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the first identifier identifying the one of the plurality of devices using information relating to the first configuration of the computer system, the second identifier identifying the one of the plurality of devices using information independent of the first configuration of the computer system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes at least one storage system and the plurality of devices includes a plurality of logical volumes of data, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the first and second identifiers for each of the plurality of logical volumes, and wherein the second identifier for each one of the logical volumes uniquely identifies the logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes in the at least one storage system.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first identifier includes information descriptive of a path through which the one of the plurality of logical volumes is accessible to the host computer.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that further includes a third identifier for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the third identifier being formed from a piece of information that is obtainable by accessing the one of the plurality of devices at the first point in time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step (B) includes a step of, for at least one of the first identifiers, querying the at least one of the plurality of devices corresponding to the at least one of the first identifiers at the second point in time to obtain the piece of information available by accessing the at least one of the plurality of devices, and wherein the step (C) includes a step of comparing the piece of information obtained in the step (B) to the third identifier stored in the step (A) to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration with respect to the at least one of the plurality of devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes an identifier for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the identifier being formed from a piece of information that is obtainable by accessing the one of the plurality of devices at the first point in time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step (B) includes a step of querying at least one of the plurality of devices at the second point in time to obtain the piece of information available by accessing the at least one of the plurality of devices, and wherein the step (C) includes a step of comparing the piece of information obtained in the step (B) to the identifier stored in the step (A) to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration with respect to the at least one of the plurality of devices.

14. A computer readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a host computer in a computer system including the host computer and at least one computer system resource accessible to the host computer, wherein the host computer comprises an operating system and the operating system uses at least one identifier to enable access by the host computer to the at least one computer system resource, the at least one identifier identifying the at least one computer system resource, the program, when executed on the host computer, performs a method of responding to changes in a configuration of the computer system impacting a manner in which the at least one computer system resource is accessed by the host computer, the method comprising steps of:

(A) storing information relating to a first configuration of the computer system at a first point in time, the first configuration relating to a first manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer, the first manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource including the use of a first identifier by the operating system to identify the at least one computer system resource;

(B) determining a second configuration of the computer system at a second point in time, the second configuration relating to a second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer;

(C) comparing the second configuration of the computer system with the first configuration to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration in that the second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource includes the use of a second identifier by the operating system to identify the at least one computer system resource, wherein the second identifier differs from the first identifier; and

(D) when it is determined in the step (C) that the second configuration differs from the first configuration, determining the second identifier used by the operating system in the second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer, wherein the act of determining comprises using at least one component of information that uniquely identifies the at least one computer system resource in a manner that is independent of the second configuration.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the step (B) includes a step of determining the second configuration of the computer system in response to a rebooting of the host computer.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the step (B) includes a step of determining the second configuration of the computer system each time the host computer is rebooted.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes at least one component of information that uniquely identifies each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer using information independent of the first configuration of the computer system.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes first and second identifiers for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the first identifier identifying the one of the plurality of devices using information relating to the first configuration of the computer system, the second identifier identifying the one of the plurality of devices using information independent of the first configuration of the computer system.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes at least one storage system and the plurality of devices includes a plurality of logical volumes of data, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the first and second identifiers for each of the plurality of logical volumes, and wherein the second identifier for each one of the logical volumes uniquely identifies the logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes in the at least one storage system.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first identifier includes information descriptive of a path through which the one of the plurality of logical volumes is accessible to the host computer.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that further includes a third identifier for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the third identifier being formed from a piece of information that is obtainable by accessing the one of the plurality of devices at the first point in time.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step (B) includes a step of, for at least one of the first identifiers, querying the at least one of the plurality of devices corresponding to the at least one of the first identifiers at the second point in time to obtain the piece of information available by accessing the at least one of the plurality of devices, and wherein the step (C) includes a step of comparing the piece of information obtained in the step (B) to the third identifier stored in the step (A) to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration with respect to the at least one of the plurality of devices.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the step (A) includes a step of storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes an identifier for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the identifier being formed from a piece of information that is obtainable by accessing the one of the plurality of devices at the first point in time.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 wherein the step (B) includes a step of querying at least one of the plurality of devices at the second point in time to obtain the piece of information available by accessing the at least one of the plurality of devices, and wherein the step (C) includes a step of comparing the piece of information obtained in the step (B) to the identifier stored in the step (A) to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration with respect to the at least one of the plurality of devices.

25. A host computer for use in a computer system including the host computer and at least one computer system resource accessible to the host computer, the host computer comprising:

an operating system for enabling access to the at least one computer system resource, the operating system using at least one identifier to enable access by the host computer to the at least one computer system resource, the at least one identifier identifying the at least one computer system resource;

storing means for storing information relating to a first configuration of the computer system at a first point in time, the first configuration relating to a first manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer, the first manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource including the use of a first identifier by the operating system to identify the at least one computer system resource;

first determining means for determining a second configuration of the computer system at a second point in time, the second configuration relating to a second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer;

comparing means for comparing the second configuration of the computer system with the first configuration to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration in that the second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource includes the use of a second identifier by the operating system to identify the at least one computer system resource, wherein the second identifier differs from the first identifier; and

second determining means for determining the second identifier used by the operating system in the second manner of accessing the at least one computer system resource by the host computer when it is determined by the first determining means that the second configuration differs from the first configuration, wherein the act of determining comprises using at least one component of information that uniquely identifies the at least one computer system resource in a manner that is independent of the second configuration.

26. The host computer of claim 25, wherein the first determining means includes means for determining the second configuration of the computer system in response to a rebooting of the host computer.

27. The host computer of claim 25, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the storing means includes means for storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes at least one component of information that uniquely identifies each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer using information independent of the first configuration of the computer system.

28. The host computer of claim 25, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the storing means includes means for storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes first and second identifiers for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the first identifier identifying the one of the plurality of devices using information relating to the first configuration of the computer system, the second identifier identifying the one of the plurality of devices using information independent of the first configuration of the computer system.

29. The host computer of claim 28, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes at least one storage system and the plurality of devices includes a plurality of logical volumes of data, and wherein the storing means includes means for storing the first and second identifiers for each of the plurality of logical volumes, and wherein the second identifier for each one of the logical volumes uniquely identifies the logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes in the at least one storage system.

30. The host computer of claim 28 wherein the first identifier includes information descriptive of a path through which the one of the plurality of logical volumes is accessible to the host computer.

31. The host computer of claim 28, wherein the storing means includes means for storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that further includes a third identifier for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the third identifier being formed from a piece of information that is obtainable by accessing the one of the plurality of devices at the first point in time.

32. The host computer of claim 31, wherein the first determining means includes means for querying the at least one of the plurality of devices corresponding to at least one of the first identifiers at the second point in time to obtain the piece of information available by accessing the at least one of the plurality of devices, and wherein the comparing means includes means for comparing the piece of information obtained by the first determining means to the third identifier stored by the storing means to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration with respect to the at least one of the plurality of devices.

33. The host computer of claim 25, wherein the at least one computer system resource includes a plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, and wherein the storing means includes means for storing the information relating to the first configuration in a form that includes an identifier for each one of the plurality of devices accessible by the host computer, the identifier being formed from a piece of information that is obtainable by accessing the one of the plurality of devices at the first point in time.

34. The host computer of claim 33, wherein the first determining means includes means for querying at least one of the plurality of devices at the second point in time to obtain the piece of information available by accessing the at least one of the plurality of devices, and wherein comparing means includes means for comparing the piece of information obtained by the first determining means to the identifier stored by the storing means to determine whether the second configuration differs from the first configuration with respect to the at least one of the plurality of devices.