Operating method of a storage area network system

• US 6,965,940 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Murakami, Masaharu, Watanabe, Tsuyoshi, Miyazawa, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad M.
• Application Number:
  US09/949,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 709/232, 709/225, 709/203, 709/200, 709/202, 709223-226, 709/229, 709217-218, 370229-234, 707/10, 707/204
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• 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 67/133 Protocols for remote procedure calls [RPC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An operating method of a storage area network system which conducts transmittance of data by a plurality of servers accessing a storage through a storage area network, the storage area network system operating: obtaining and monitoring a data transfer amount between the respective servers and the storage; comparing a prescribed data transfer amount prescribed by the server and the obtained actual data transfer amount; selecting one of a plurality of ports provided in the storage according to the comparison result; and providing the relevant server an instruction to connect to the selected port.

Claims

1. A method of operating a storage area network system in which data is transferred among a plurality of servers and a storage area network having storage for storing the data, the method comprising:

providing the storage with a plurality of ports having different data transferring speeds;

monitoring an amount of data transferred between a server and the storage;

comparing a predetermined data transfer amount set in each server and the monitored amount of data transferred;

selecting one of the plurality of ports based upon the step of comparing; and

providing the server with an instruction to connect to the selected port.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein depending upon the monitored amount of data transferred between a server and the storage as compared to the predetermined data transfer amount, an instruction is given to switch to a port with a lower data transfer speed.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein depending upon the monitored amount of data transferred a port is selected with a lower access frequency to the storage than a predetermined access frequency.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein when the amount of data transferred between a server and the storage does not exceed the predetermined data transfer amount, and the monitored data transfer amount is at a higher access frequency to the storage than a predetermined access frequency, an instruction is provided to switch accesses by that server to a port other than a port with a maximum data transfer speed.