Storage area network for topology rendering

• US 7,430,593 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Raymond M., Baldwin, Duane Mark, Merbach, David Lynn, Cudmore, Sean P., Habib, Irfan Asif, Medlyn, William Allen, Carey, James Horan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baturay; Alicia
• Application Number:
  US09/971,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A storage area network (“SAN”) includes one or more digital data processors that are coupled for communication with one or more storage devices (e.g., LUNs) over an interconnect. The improvement provides a mechanism for hierarchically displaying, e.g., on the administrator console or other output device, portions of the SAN topology. It includes a process that generates for application to the output device a plurality of graphical object that represent “segments” of the SAN and/or components of the SAN, along with the interconnections between them. The process selectively responds to operator/administrator selection of any of the graphical objects that represent a segment by regenerating the display to depict the interconnected segments and/or components that make up that segment.

Claims

1. In a storage area network (“

SAN”

) of the type including one or more digital data processors coupled for communication with one or more storage devices over an interconnect, the digital data processors and storage devices collectively being referred to as “

components,”

the improvement for effecting display on an output device of at least a portion of a topology of the SAN, the improvement comprising;

a process that executes on a processor that is coupled to the output device and that generates for application thereto signals for effecting display thereon of a main panel and a navigation panel, the main panel displaying a plurality of graphical objects, wherein at least one of the graphical objects represents the SAN, wherein the SAN includes three or more hierarchical layers, wherein, when the graphical object representing the SAN is selected, additional graphical objects are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, a first of which represents a first segment of the SAN, a second of which represents any of a second segment of the SAN or first component of the SAN, and a third of which represents at least a portion of the interconnect supporting communications between any of the segments and component represented by the first and second graphical objects, wherein, when the graphical object representing a segment of the SAN is selected, a portion of the storage area network that contains multiple interconnected components represented as at least one of individual components and one or more further segments that are capable of being selected are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein, when the graphical object representing the interconnect is selected, interconnect elements are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein the segments are separated from one another by elements that make up the interconnect, wherein the segments include a switch segment that represents an individual switch and devices directly connected to the switch, a loop segment that represents a switch port connected to multiple devices, and a ring segment that represents multiple devices connected on a particular port of a switch, wherein at least one component is one of a host, a storage device, or a SAN manager, wherein interconnect elements include switches and hubs, the navigation panel displaying one or more navigational objects representing components or segments of the SAN, wherein the navigation panel enables traversing the hierarchical layers of the segments of the SAN that make up a hierarchy by drilling down into lower layers of the hierarchy until reaching components and recovering back to higher layers of the hierarchy, wherein icons representing the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel are updated to perform at least one of adding a new icon and removing a displayed icon based on selection of the one or more navigational objects and the plurality of the graphical objects,

the process receiving operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects representing a segment of the SAN in the main panel or of a navigational object representing a segment of the SAN in the navigation panel;

the process selectively responding to the operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects representing a segment of the SAN or of the navigational object by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up the segment of the SAN for which operator selection of a graphical object was received; and

the process generating signals for effecting alternate display of any of a component having a particular status from among multiple possible statuses and a segment that includes a component having such status, wherein the alternate display indicates the particular status, wherein the multiple possible statuses include at least one of failed, missing, and suspect.

2. In the SAN of claim 1, the further improvement wherein the process generates signals for effecting alternate display of any of a component having a failure status and a segment that includes a component having such status.

3. In the SAN of claim 1, the further improvement wherein the process selectively responds to operator selection of one or more of the graphical objects by generating output representative of one or more properties of the component represented by the selected graphical object.

4. In the SAN of claim 3, the further improvement wherein the process generates the output for application to the output device for graphical display of the one or more properties.

5. In the SAN of claim 1, the further improvement wherein the process generates signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel representing any of the segments and component represented by the first and second graphical objects, the process responding to selection of any of the one or more navigational object(s) representing a segment of the SAN by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up that segment.

6. In the SAN of claim 5, the further improvement wherein the process generates signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of the one or more navigational objects representing any of the segments and component not represented by the first and second graphical objects, the process responding to selection of any of the one or more navigational object(s) representing a segment of the SAN by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up that segment.

7. In the SAN of claim 5, wherein the process generates the signals to effect display of the graphical objects and navigational objects in separate display panels on the output device.

8. In a storage area network (“

SAN”

) of the type including one or more digital data processors coupled for communication with one or more storage devices over an interconnect, the digital data processors and storage devices collectively being referred to as “

components,”

the improvement comprising;

a graphical display device,

a further digital data processor (“

manager”

) coupled to one or more of the components via a network and coupled to the graphical display device, the further digital data processor comprising;

a store that maintains a topology model representing any of actual and possible communications between the components via the interconnect,

a process coupled to the store that selectively effects display on the graphical display device of a main panel and a navigation panel, the main panel displaying a plurality of graphical objects, wherein at least one of the graphical objects represents the SAN, wherein the SAN includes three or more hierarchical layers, wherein, when the graphical object representing the SAN is selected, additional graphical objects are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, a first of which represents a first segment of the SAN, a second of which represents any of a second segment of the SAN or first component of the SAN, and a third of which represents at least a portion of the interconnect supporting actual or possible communications between any of the segments and component represented by the first and second graphical objects, wherein, when the graphical object representing a segment of the SAN is selected a portion of the storage area network that contains multiple interconnected components represented as at least one of individual components and one or more further segments that are capable of being selected are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein the segments are separated from one another by elements that make up the interconnect, wherein the segments include a switch segment that represents an individual switch and devices directly connected to the switch, a loop segment that represents a switch port connected to multiple devices, and a ring segment that represents multiple devices connected on a particular port of a switch, wherein at least one component is one of a host, a storage device, or a SAN manager, wherein interconnect elements include switches and hubs, wherein, when the graphical object representing the interconnect is selected, interconnect elements are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, and wherein selection of a graphical object representing a first segment or a second segment results in display of a detailed view of the selected segment, the navigation panel displaying one or more navigational objects representing components or segments of the SAN, wherein the navigation panel enables traversing the hierarchical layers of the segments of the SAN that make up a hierarchy by drilling down into lower layers of the hierarchy until reaching components and recovering back to higher layers of the hierarchy, wherein icons representing the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel are updated to perform at least one of adding a new icon and removing a displayed icon based on selection of the one or more navigational objects and the plurality of the graphical objects;

the process receiving operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects representing a segment of the SAN in the main panel or of a navigational object representing a segment of the SAN in the navigation panel;

the process selectively responding to the operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects or of the navigational object representing a segment of the SAN by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon a detailed view of the segment of the SAN for which operator selection of a graphical object was received; and

the process generating signals for effecting alternate display of any of a component having a particular status from among multiple possible statuses and a segment that includes a component having such status, wherein the alternate display indicates the particular status, wherein the multiple possible statuses include at least one of failed, missing, and suspect.

9. In the SAN of claim 8, the further improvement wherein the process responding to operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects representing a segment of the SAN by effecting display on the graphical display device of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up that segment.

10. In the SAN of claim 9, wherein the interconnect comprises fiber channel media and wherein the network comprises an IP network.

11. A method of operating a storage area network (“

SAN”

) of the type including one or more digital data processors coupled for communication with one or more storage devices over an interconnect, the digital data processors and storage devices collectively being referred to as “

components,”

the improvement for displaying a topological model of the SAN comprising;

displaying on an output device a main panel and a navigation panel, the main panel displaying a plurality of graphical objects, wherein at least one of the graphical objects represents the SAN, wherein the SAN includes three or more hierarchical layers, wherein, when the graphical object representing the SAN is selected, additional graphical objects are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, a first of which represents a first segment of the SAN, a second of which represents any of a second segment of the SAN or first component of the SAN, and a third of which represents at least a portion of the interconnect supporting communications between any of the segments and component represented by the first and second graphical objects, wherein, when the graphical object representing a segment of the SAN is selected, a portion of the storage area network that contains multiple interconnected components represented as at least one of individual components and one or more further segments that are capable of being selected are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein the segments are separated from one another by elements that make up the interconnect, wherein the segments include a switch segment that represents an individual switch and devices directly connected to the switch, a loop segment that represents a switch port connected to multiple devices, and a ring segment that represents multiple devices connected on a particular port of a switch, wherein at least one component is one of a host, a storage device, or a SAN manager, wherein interconnect elements include switches and hubs, wherein, when the graphical object representing the interconnect is selected, interconnect elements are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, the navigation panel displaying one or more navigational objects representing components or segments of the SAN, wherein the navigation panel enables traversing the hierarchical layers of the segments of the SAN that make up a hierarchy by drilling down into lower layers of the hierarchy until reaching components and recovering back to higher layers of the hierarchy, wherein icons representing the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel are updated to perform at least one of adding a new icon and removing a displayed icon based on selection of the one or more navigational objects and the plurality of the graphical objects,

receiving operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects representing a segment of the SAN in the main panel or of a navigational object representing a segment of the SAN in the navigation panel; and

responding to operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects or of the navigational object representing a segment of the SAN by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up the segment of the SAN for which operator selection of a graphical object was received; and

displaying in alternate form any of a component having a particular status from among multiple possible statuses and a segment that includes a component having such status, wherein the alternate display indicates the particular status, wherein the multiple possible statuses include at least one of failed, missing, and suspect.

12. In the method of claim 11, the further improvement comprising responding to operator selection of one or more of the graphical objects by displaying one or more properties of the component represented by the selected graphical object.

13. In the method of claim 11, the further improvement comprising

displaying on the output device the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel representing any of the segments and component represented by the first and second graphical objects,

responding to selection of any of the one or more navigational object(s) representing a segment of the SAN by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up that segment.

14. In the method of claim 13, the further improvement comprising

displaying on the output device the one or more navigational objects representing any of the segments and component not represented by the first and second graphical objects,

responding to selection of any of the one or more navigational object(s) representing a segment of the SAN by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up that segment.

15. In the method of claim 14, the further improvement comprising displaying the graphical objects and navigational objects in separate display panels on the output device.

16. A method of operating a storage area network (“

SAN”

) of the type including one or more digital data processors coupled for communication with one or more storage devices over an interconnect, the digital data processors and storage devices collectively being referred to as “

components,”

the method comprising;

maintaining a representation of a topology of the SAN,

displaying on a graphical output device at least a portion of the topology of the SAN, the displaying step including displaying a main panel and a navigation panel, the main panel displaying a plurality of hierarchically related graphical objects, wherein at least one of the graphical objects represents the SAN, wherein the SAN includes three or more hierarchical layers, wherein, when the graphical object representing the SAN is selected, additional graphical objects are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, at least one of the graphical objects representing any of a segment of a SAN, another of the graphical objects representing any of a segment of the SAN and a component of the SAN, and still another of the graphical objects representing an interconnect between the segments and/or component represented by the other graphical objects, wherein, when the graphical object representing a segment of the SAN is selected, a portion of the storage area network that contains multiple interconnected components represented as at least one of individual components and one or more frirther segments that are capable of being selected are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein the segments are separated from one another by elements that make up the interconnect, wherein the segments include a switch segment that represents an individual switch and devices directly connected to the switch, a loop segment that represents a switch port connected to multiple devices, and a ring segment that represents multiple devices connected on a particular port of a switch, wherein at least one component is one of a host, a storage device, or a SAN manager, wherein interconnect elements include switches and hubs, wherein, when the graphical object representing the interconnect is selected, interconnect elements are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein a component of the SAN includes any of a storage device and a digital data processor, the navigation panel displaying one or more navigational objects representing components or segments of the SAN, wherein the navigation panel enables traversing the hierarchical layers of the segments of the SAN that make up a hierarchy by drilling down into lower layers of the hierarchy until reaching components and recovering back to higher layers of the hierarchy, wherein icons representing the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel are updated to perform at least one of adding a new icon and removing a displayed icon based on selection of the one or more navigational objects and the plurality of the graphical objects,

receiving operator selection of a graphical object that represents a segment of the SAN in a main panel or of a navigational object representing a segment of the SAN in the navigation panel;

responding to selection of the graphical object or of the navigational object that represents a segment of the SAN by displaying a frmrther portion of the topology of the SAN hierarchically related to the selected graphical object; and

displaying in alternate fonn any of a component having a particular status from among multiple possible statuses and a segment that includes a component having such status, wherein the alternate display indicates the particular status, wherein the multiple possible statuses include at least one of failed, missing, and suspect.

17. A method of claim 16, wherein comprising

communicating between one or more storage devices that comprise components of the SAN and one or more digital data processors that comprise components of the SAN over a first network,

executing the displaying steps on a manager digital data processor that is coupled to the one or more components of the SAN via a second network.

18. A method of claim 16, comprising responding to operator selection of one or more of the graphical objects by generating output representative of one or more properties of the component represented by the selected graphical object.

19. A method of claim 16 comprising

displaying on the output device one or more further graphical objects that represents any of segments of the SAN and components of the SAN that are not hierarchically direct descendants of the other displayed graphical objects,

responding to selection of such further graphical object by displaying a further portion of the topology of the SAN including any of the component and segment represented thereby.

20. A method of claim 16 comprising displaying in alternate form any of a component having a failure status and a segment that includes a component having such status.

21. A digital data processor with a program embodied on a storage medium for operating a storage area network (“

SAN”

) of the type including one or more digital data processors coupled for communication with one or more storage devices over an interconnect, the digital data processors and storage devices collectively being referred to as “

components,”

wherein when executed the program is operable to;

display on an output device a main panel and a navigation panel, the main panel displaying a plurality of graphical objects, wherein at least one of the graphical objects represents the SAN, wherein the SAN includes three or more hierarchical layers, wherein, when the graphical object representing the SAN is selected, additional graphical objects are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, a first of which represents a first segment of the SAN, a second of which represents any of a second segment of the SAN or first component of the SAN, and a third of which represents at least a portion of the interconnect supporting communications between any of the segments and component represented by the first and second graphical objects, wherein, when the graphical object representing a segment of the SAN is selected a portion of the storage area network that contains multiple interconnected components represented as at least one of individual components and one or more further segments that are capable of being selected are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein the segments are separated from one another by elements that make up the interconnect, wherein the segments include a switch segment that represents an individual switch and devices directly connected to the switch, a loop segment that represents a switch port connected to multiple devices, and a ring segment that represents multiple devices connected on a particular port of a switch, wherein at least one component is one of a host, a storage device, or a SAN manager, wherein interconnect elements include switches and hubs, wherein, when the graphical object representing the interconnect is selected, interconnect elements are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, the navigation panel displaying one or more navigational objects representing components or segments of the SAN, wherein the navigation panel enables traversing the hierarchical layers of the segments of the SAN that make up a hierarchy by drilling down into lower layers of the hierarchy until reaching components and recovering back to higher layers of the hierarchy, wherein icons representing the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel are updated to perform at least one of adding a new icon and removing a displayed icon based on selection of the one or more navigational objects and the plurality of the graphical objects,

receive operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects representing a segment of the SAN in the main panel or of a navigational object representing a segment of the SAN in the navigation panel;

respond to operator selection of any of the first and second graphical objects or of the navigational object representing a segment of the SAN in the main panel by generating signals for application to the output device for effecting display thereon of one or more graphical objects representing any of segments and components making up that segment; and

display in alternate form any of a component having a particular status from among multiple possible statuses and a segment that includes a component having such status, wherein the alternate display indicates the particular status, wherein the multiple possible statuses include at least one of failed, missing, and suspect.

22. A digital data processor with a program embodied on a storage medium for operating a storage area network (“

SAN”

) of the type including one or more digital data processors coupled for communication with one or more storage devices over an interconnect, the digital data processors and storage devices collectively being referred to as “

components,”

wherein when executed the program is operable to;

maintain a representation of a topology of the SAN,

display on a graphical output device at least a portion of the topology of the SAN, the displaying including displaying a main panel and a navigation panel, the main panel displaying a plurality of hierarchically related graphical objects, wherein at least one of the graphical objects represents the SAN, wherein the SAN includes three or more hierarchical layers, wherein, when the graphical object representing the SAN is selected, additional graphical objects are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, at least one of the graphical objects representing any of a segment of a SAN, another of the graphical objects representing any of a segment of the SAN and a component of the SAN, and still another of the graphical objects representing an interconnect between the segments and/or component represented by the other graphical objects, wherein, when the graphical object representing a segment of the SAN is selected, a portion of the storage area network that contains multiple interconnected components represented as at least one of individual components and one or more further segments that are capable of being selected are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein the segments are separated from one another by elements that make up the interconnect, wherein the segments include a switch segment that represents an individual switch and devices directly connected to the switch, a loop segment that represents a switch port connected to multiple devices, and a ring segment that represents multiple devices connected on a particular port of a switch, wherein at least one component is one of a host, a storage device, or a SAN manager, wherein interconnect elements include switches and hubs, wherein, when the graphical object representing the interconnect is selected, interconnect elements are displayed from a different hierarchical layer, wherein a component of the SAN includes any of a storage device and a digital data processor, the navigation panel displaying one or more navigational objects representing components or segments of the SAN, wherein the navigation panel enables traversing the hierarchical layers of the segments of the SAN that make up a hierarchy by drilling down into lower layers of the hierarchy until reaching components and recovering back to higher layers of the hierarchy, wherein icons representing the one or more navigational objects in the navigation panel are updated to perform at least one of adding a new icon and removing a displayed icon based on selection of the one or more navigational objects and the plurality of the graphical objects,

receive operator selection of a graphical object that represents a segment of the SAN in the main panel or of a navigational object representing a segment of the SAN in the navigation panel;

respond to selection of the graphical object or of the navigational object that represents a segment of the SAN by displaying a frirther portion of the topology of the SAN hierarchically related to the selected graphical object; and

display in alternate fonn any of a component having a particular status from among multiple possible statuses and a segment that includes a component having such status, wherein the alternate display indicates the particular status, wherein the multiple possible statuses include at least one of failed, missing, and suspect.