Detecting configuration inconsistency in storage networks
First Claim
1. A method of managing a storage area network (SAN) at a manager running on a management server, wherein the management server is connected via a management network, separate from the storage area network, to a plurality of servers, a disk subsystem and a switch connected to the servers and disk subsystem, the plurality of servers, the disk subsystem and the switch constituting the storage area network, the method comprising, in response to a configuration change in the storage area network by an administrator:
- providing a first agent on each of the servers for managing configuration of the server, each first agent capable of reporting configuration information of the server to the manager running on the management server via the management network;
providing a second agent on the disk subsystem for managing configuration of the disk subsystem, the second agent capable of reporting configuration information of the disk subsystem to the manager running on the management server via the management network;
providing a third agent on the switch for managing configuration of the switch, the third agent capable of reporting configuration information of the switch to the manager running on the management server via the management network;
collecting configuration information from each first agent, second agent, and third agent, wherein the configuration information is collected via the management network;
examining the configuration information collected, the configuration information comprising storage area network security information or storage area network switch zoning information;
detecting any inconsistencies in the configurations of the servers, switch and disk subsystem, by checking interrelationships among the servers, switch and disk subsystem based on the security information or the switch zoning information, wherein the detected inconsistencies comprise security-related inconsistencies or switch zoning-related inconsistencies;
determining a cause of the detected inconsistencies; and
storing information on the detected inconsistencies and the determined cause.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides techniques for managing configurations within centralized storage management systems. Specific embodiments provide users such as IT managers the capability to check configurations of SAN devices in a system and detect any inconsistencies. Select embodiments provide users the capability to check changes to device configurations prior to actually implementing the changes.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of managing a storage area network (SAN) at a manager running on a management server, wherein the management server is connected via a management network, separate from the storage area network, to a plurality of servers, a disk subsystem and a switch connected to the servers and disk subsystem, the plurality of servers, the disk subsystem and the switch constituting the storage area network, the method comprising, in response to a configuration change in the storage area network by an administrator:
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providing a first agent on each of the servers for managing configuration of the server, each first agent capable of reporting configuration information of the server to the manager running on the management server via the management network; providing a second agent on the disk subsystem for managing configuration of the disk subsystem, the second agent capable of reporting configuration information of the disk subsystem to the manager running on the management server via the management network; providing a third agent on the switch for managing configuration of the switch, the third agent capable of reporting configuration information of the switch to the manager running on the management server via the management network; collecting configuration information from each first agent, second agent, and third agent, wherein the configuration information is collected via the management network; examining the configuration information collected, the configuration information comprising storage area network security information or storage area network switch zoning information; detecting any inconsistencies in the configurations of the servers, switch and disk subsystem, by checking interrelationships among the servers, switch and disk subsystem based on the security information or the switch zoning information, wherein the detected inconsistencies comprise security-related inconsistencies or switch zoning-related inconsistencies; determining a cause of the detected inconsistencies; and storing information on the detected inconsistencies and the determined cause. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for managing a storage area network (SAN) the storage area network comprising a server, a disk subsystem and a switch, comprising:
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providing a first agent for managing configuration of the server, the first agent capable of reporting configuration information of the server to a manager running on a management server via a management network, the management server connected to the server, the disk subsystem and the switch via the management network, separate from the storage area network; providing a second agent for managing configuration of the disk subsystem, the second agent capable of reporting configuration information of the disk subsystem to the manager running on the management server via the management network; providing a third agent for managing configuration of the switch, the third agent capable of reporting configuration information of the switch to the manager running on the management server via the management network; obtaining by a manager configuration information from at least one of the first agent, the second agent, and the third agent, wherein the configuration is collected via the management network; examining the obtained configuration information, the obtained configuration information comprising storage area network security information or storage area network switch zoning information; detecting any inconsistencies in the configurations of the server, switch and disk subsystem, by checking interrelationships among the server, switch and disk subsystem based on the security information or the switch zoning information, wherein the detected inconsistencies comprise security-related inconsistencies or switch zoning-related inconsistencies; determining a cause of the detected inconsistencies; and storing information on the detected inconsistencies and the determined cause.
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20. A storage area network (SAN) configuration management apparatus, the storage area network comprising a server, a disk subsystem and a switch, comprising:
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a first agent for managing configuration on a server, the first agent capable of reporting configuration information of the server to a manager running on a management server via a management network, the management server connected to the server, the disk subsystem and the switch via the management network, separate from the storage area network; a second agent for managing configuration on a disk subsystem, the second agent capable of reporting the actual configuration of the disk subsystem to the manager running on the management server via the management network; a third agent for managing configuration information on a switch, the third agent capable of reporting configuration information of the switch to the manager running on the management server via the management network; means for collecting configuration information from at least one of the first agent, the second agent, and the third agent, wherein the configuration information is collected via the management network, means for examining the collected configuration information, the collected configuration information comprising storage area network security information or storage area network switch zoning information; means for detecting any inconsistencies in the configurations of the server, switch and disk subsystem, the means for detecting any inconsistencies operable to check interrelationships among the server, switch and disk subsystem based on the security information or the switch zoning information, wherein the detected inconsistencies comprise security-related inconsistencies or switch zoning-related inconsistencies; means for determining a cause of the detected inconsistencies; and means for storing information on the detected inconsistencies and the determined cause.
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21. A computer program product for managing storage area network (SAN) configuration, the storage area network comprising a server, a disk subsystem and a switch, comprising:
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code that is capable of requesting configuration information from a first agent about the server that it is managing, configuration information from the second agent about the disk subsystem that is managing, and configuration information from the third agent about the switch that it is managing; code that obtains configuration information from at least one of the first agent about the server, the second agent about the disk subsystem, and the third agent about the switch, wherein the configuration information is collected via the management network, the management network, separate from the SAN, connecting the management server to the server, the disk subsystem and the switch; code for examining the configuration information obtained, the configuration information comprising storage area network security information or storage area network switch zoning information; code that detects inconsistencies in the configurations of the server, the disk subsystem and the switch, by checking interrelationships among the server, the switch and the disk subsystem based on the security information or the switch zoning information, wherein the detected inconsistencies comprise security-related inconsistencies or switch zoning-related inconsistencies; code for determining a cause of the detected inconsistencies; code for storing information on the detected inconsistencies and the determined cause; and a computer readable storage medium for containing the codes.
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22. A system, comprising
a storage area network (SAN); -
a plurality of servers capable of accessing the SAN, the storage area network comprising a disk subsystem and a switch; a management server, having a manager operable thereon, wherein the management server is connected to the plurality of servers, the disk subsystem and the switch via a management network separate from the SAN, a disk subsystem; and a switch, wherein the switch is connected to the servers and the disk subsystem; wherein a first agent managing configuration of the server runs on each of the servers, each first agent capable of reporting configuration information of its server to the manager running on the management server via the management network, wherein a second agent managing configuration of the disk subsystem runs on the disk subsystem, the second agent capable of reporting configuration information of the disk subsystem to the manager running on the management server via the management network, wherein a third agent managing configuration of the switch runs on the switch, the third agent capable of reporting configuration information of the switch to the manager running on the management server via the management network, wherein the manager collects actual configuration information from the first, second, and third agents, the actual configuration information comprising storage area network security information or storage area network switch zoning information and wherein the configuration information is collected via the management network, wherein the manager examines the collected actual information; and
wherein the manager detects any inconsistencies in the configurations of the servers, switch and disk subsystem, by checking interrelationships among the servers, switch and disk subsystem based on the security information or the switch zoning information, the detected inconsistencies comprising security-related inconsistencies or switch zoning-related inconsistencies;wherein the manager determines a cause of the detected inconsistencies; and wherein the manager stores information on the detected inconsistencies and the determined cause.
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Specification