Storage path optimization for SANs

• US 7,275,103 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Veritas Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Thrasher, Russell, Noonan, Terence W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/323,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 370/244, 702/186, 709/223, 709/229, 709/224, 709/238, 709/239, 714/5, 714/43
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/70 Routing based on monitoring results
• 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]

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and method for rule-based proactive storage path optimization for SANs. Embodiments may evaluate paths between an application and its storage on a SAN based on current and/or historical path quality of service. Performance of alternative paths may be monitored to determine if a better path than a path currently in use is available. If a better path is determined, then the path may be switched to the better path. In one embodiment, one or more zones may be reconfigured to migrate to a different path. Path migration may be performed automatically without user intervention. Alternatively, a user may be given the option to manually migrate to a new path. Embodiments may proactively change paths between an application and its storage before path performance becomes a problem. Embodiments may be integrated with a SAN management system or, alternatively, may be standalone mechanisms.

Claims

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

a host system comprising an application;

a storage device comprising application data;

a SAN fabric comprising a plurality of components for coupling the host system to the storage device;

a system external to the SAN fabric configured to implement a storage path monitor, wherein the storage path monitor is configured to;

monitor performance metrics of a plurality of paths through the SAN fabric from the host system to the storage device, wherein the application accesses the application data via one of the plurality of paths;

generating historical performance data for each path of said plurality of paths based on the performance metrics over a period of time;

determine current quality of service of each of the paths from the monitored performance metrics;

determine another one of the plurality of paths predicted based on the historical performance data to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths; and

change the paths so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths predicted to perform above a quality of service threshold.

2. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein the paths are defined by zones on the SAN fabric, and wherein, to change the paths, the storage path monitor is further configured to reconfigure one or more zones so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths.

3. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein, to monitor performance metrics of a plurality of paths through the SAN fabric from the host system to the storage device, the storage path monitor is further configured to monitor one or more performance metrics of one or more components of each path.

4. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein, to determine another one of the plurality of paths predicted to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths, the storage path monitor is further configured to apply one or more selection rules to the performance metrics of each of the monitored paths.

5. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein, to change the paths so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths, the storage path monitor is further configured to change the paths to the other one of the plurality of paths if the one of the plurality of paths is performing below a quality of service low threshold.

6. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein, to change the paths so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths, the storage path monitor is further configured to change the paths to the other one of the plurality of paths if the one of the plurality of paths is performing below a quality of service low threshold and the other one of the plurality of paths is predicted to perform above a quality of service high threshold.

7. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to implement a SAN management system configured to discover components of the SAN and to collect information from the components, and wherein, to monitor performance metrics of a plurality of paths through the SAN fabric from the host system to the storage device, the storage path monitor is further configured to access the information collected from the components by the SAN management system.

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

a host system comprising an application;

a storage device comprising application data;

a SAN fabric comprising a plurality of components for coupling the host system to the storage device;

a system configured to implement a storage path monitor, wherein the storage path monitor is configured to;

monitor performance metrics of a plurality of paths through the SAN fabric from the host system to the storage device, wherein the application accesses the application data via one of the plurality of paths;

determine an interval for which quality of service on the one of the plurality of paths is predicted to be below a quality of service threshold from the monitored performance metrics;

determine another one of the plurality of paths predicted to provide a higher quality of service for the interval than the one of the plurality of paths; and

change the paths prior to the interval so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths during the interval.

9. The SAN as recited in claim 8, wherein the paths are defined by zones on the SAN fabric, and wherein, to change the paths, the storage path monitor is further configured to reconfigure one or more zones so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths.

10. A storage path monitor system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to perform the steps of;

monitor performance metrics of a plurality of paths through a fabric of a storage area network (SAN) from a host system to a storage device, wherein an application on the host system accesses application data on the storage device via one of the plurality of paths;

generating historical performance data for each path of said plurality of paths based on the performance metrics over a period of time;

determine current quality of service of each of the paths from the monitored performance metrics;

determine another one of the plurality of paths predicted based on the historical performance data to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths; and

change the paths so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths predicted to perform above a quality of service threshold;

wherein the storage path monitor system is external to said fabric.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the paths are defined by zones on the fabric, and wherein, to change the paths, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to reconfigure one or more zones so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein, to determine another one of the plurality of paths predicted to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to apply one or more selection rules to the performance metrics of each of the monitored paths.

13. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the system is further configured to implement a SAN management system configured to discover components of the SAN and to collect information from the components, and wherein, to monitor performance metrics of a plurality of paths through the SAN fabric from the host system to the storage device, the storage path monitor is further configured to access the information collected from the components by the SAN management system.

14. A system, comprising:

means for monitoring performance metrics of a plurality of paths through a fabric of a storage area network (SAN) from a host system to a storage device, wherein an application on the host system accesses application data on the storage device via one of the plurality of paths, wherein said monitoring comprises monitoring performance metrics from a location external to the fabric;

means for generating historical performance data for each path of said plurality of paths based on the performance metrics over a period of time;

means for determining current quality of service of each of the paths from the monitored performance metrics;

means for determining another one of the plurality of paths predicted based on the historical data to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths; and

means for changing the paths so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths predicted to perform above a quality of service threshold.

15. A method, comprising:

monitoring performance metrics of a plurality of paths through a fabric of a storage area network (SAN) from a host system to a storage device, wherein an application on the host system accesses application data on the storage device via one of the plurality of paths, wherein said monitoring comprises monitoring performance metrics from a location external to the fabric;

generating historical performance data for each path of said plurality of paths based on the performance metrics over a period of time;

determining current quality of service of each of the paths from the monitored performance metrics;

determining another one of the plurality of paths predicted based on the historical data to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths; and

changing the paths so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths predicted to perform above a quality of service threshold.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the paths are defined by zones on the fabric, and wherein said changing the paths comprises reconfiguring one or more zones so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said determining another one of the plurality of paths predicted to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths comprises applying one or more selection rules to the performance metrics of each of the monitored paths.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein one or more host systems of the SAN implement a SAN management system, the method further comprising:

the SAN management system discovering components of the SAN and collecting information from the components; and

wherein said monitoring performance metrics of a plurality of paths through the SAN fabric from the host system to the storage device comprises accessing the information collected from the components by the SAN management system.

19. A computer storage medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executed to perform the steps of:

monitoring performance metrics of a plurality of paths through a fabric of a storage area network (SAN) from a host system to a storage device, wherein an application on the host system accesses application data on the storage device via one of the plurality of paths, wherein said monitoring comprises monitoring said performance metrics from a location external to the fabric;

generating historical performance data for each path of said plurality of paths based on the performance metrics over a period of time;

determining current quality of service of each of the paths from the monitored performance metrics;

determining another one of the plurality of paths predicted to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths; and

changing the paths so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths predicted to perform above a quality of service threshold.

20. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the paths are defined by zones on the fabric, and wherein, in said changing the paths, the program instructions are further configured to implement reconfiguring one or more zones so that the application accesses the application data via the other one of the plurality of paths.

21. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 19, wherein, in said determining another one of the plurality of paths predicted to provide a higher quality of service than the one of the plurality of paths, the program instructions are further configured to implement applying one or more selection rules to the performance metrics of each of the monitored paths.

22. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 19, wherein one or more host systems of the SAN implement a SAN management system configured to discover components of the SAN and collect information from the SAN components, wherein, in said monitoring performance metrics of a plurality of paths through the SAN fabric from the host system to the storage devices, the program instructions are further configured to implement accessing the information collected from the components by the SAN management system.