Method and system for assigning or creating a resource

• US 7,500,000 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Webster, Kevin J., Lamb, Michael L., Swank, Raymond M., Groves, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dustin
• Application Number:
  US10/739,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20050138174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,903 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 707/1, 707/100, 719/328, 714/6, 711/100, 711/163
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database

Abstract

An example of a method for assigning a resource (for example, storage) includes receiving a request for a resource, wherein the request includes a list of paths. This example also includes retrieving a HardwareAccount, Controller, and an AccessAuthorization object for a first path in the list of paths. This example further includes making an attach device request to a CIMOM for a first available resource, using the Controller and the AccessAuthorization object. This example also includes determining if the first available resource was successfully attached, and if so, recording the assignment as successful, and if not, rolling back all assignments for the first available resource that were previously recorded as successful. Another aspect of the invention is a method for creating at least one LUN.

Claims

1. A computer storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for assigning storage in a SAN to a host, the method comprising the following operations:

retrieving a list of paths to a model LUN, wherein the model LUN is a LUN anywhere in the SAN that can be connected to the host;

receiving a request for storage, wherein the request includes the list of paths;

retrieving a HardwareAccount, Controller, and an AccessAuthorization object for a first path in the list of paths;

making an attach device request to a CIMOM for a first available LUN, using the Controller and the AccessAuthorization object;

determining if the first available LUN was successfully attached,

and if so, recording the assignment as successful;

and if not, rolling back all assignments for the first available LUN that were previously recorded as successful;

wherein the request further includes a requested amount of storage space; and

wherein if it is determined that the first available LUN was successfully attached on the first path, the operations further comprises repeating the retrieving, making, and determining operations for the first available LUN for a second path in the list of paths.

2. The computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein the request further comprises a requested number of LUNs.

3. The computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein if it is determined that the first available LUN was successfully attached using each path in the list of paths, then the operations further comprise sending assignment information to the host.

4. The computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein the making and determining operations are repeated for a second available LUN.

5. The computer storage medium of claim 4, wherein if it is determined that the second available LUN was successfully attached on the first path, the operations further comprise repeating the retrieving, making, and determining operations for the second available LUN for a second path in the list of paths.

6. The computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the first available LUN from all LUNs in the SAN that are accessible by the host.

7. The computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein a best fit algorithm is used for selecting the first available LUN.

8. The computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the first available LUN from all LUNs in a storage pool that are accessible by the host.

9. The computer storage medium of claim 8, wherein a best fit algorithm is used for selecting the first available LUN.

10. The computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the operation of determining if connectivity information is good, and if it is determined that the connectivity information is not good, then the method further comprises the operation of failing the request.

11. A computing system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is programmed to perform operations for assigning storage in a SAN to a host, the operations comprising;

receiving a request for storage, wherein the request includes a requested amount of storage space and a list of paths to a model LUN, wherein the model LUN is a LUN anywhere in the SAN that can be connected to the host;

retrieving a HardwareAccount, Controller, and an AccessAuthorization object for a first path in the list of paths;

making an attach device request to a CIMOM for a first available LUN, using the Controller and the AccessAuthorization object;

determining if the first available LUN was successfully attached,

and if so, recording the assignment as successful;

and if not, rolling back all assignments for the first available LUN that were previously recorded as successful;

wherein the request further includes a requested amount of storage space; and

wherein if it is determined that the first available LUN was successfully attached on the first path, the operations further comprises repeating the retrieving, making, and determining operations for the first available LUN for a second path in the list of paths.

12. A computing system contains memory and processor, and comprising:

means for retrieving a list of paths to a model LUN, wherein the model LUN is a LUN anywhere in a SAN that can be connected to a requesting host;

means for receiving a request for storage, wherein the request includes the list of paths;

means for retrieving a HardwareAccount, Controller, and an AccessAuthorization object for a first path in the list of paths;

means for making an attach device request to a CIMOM for a first available LUN, using the Controller and the AccessAuthorization object;

means for determining if the first available LUN was successfully attached;

means for recording the assignment as successful; and

means for rolling back all assignments for the first available LUN that were previously recorded as successful, if the first available LUN was not successfully attached;

wherein the request further includes a requested amount of storage space; and

wherein if it is determined that the first available LUN was successfully attached on the first path, the operations further comprises repeating the retrieving, making, and determining operations for the first available LUN for a second path in the list of paths.

13. A method for assigning storage in a SAN to a host, comprising the following operations:

retrieving a list of paths to a model LUN, wherein the model LUN is a LUN anywhere in the SAN that can be connected to the host;

receiving a request for storage, wherein the request includes a requested amount of storage space and the list of paths;

retrieving a HardwareAccount, Controller, and an AccessAuthorization object for a first path in the list of paths;

making an attach device request to a CIMOM for a first available LUN, using the Controller and the AccessAuthorization object;

determining if the first available LUN was successfully attached, and if so, recording the assignment as successful;

and if not, rolling back all assignments for the first available LUN that were previously recorded as successful;

wherein the request further includes a requested amount of storage space; and

wherein if it is determined that the first available LUN was successfully attached on the first path, the operations further comprises repeating the retrieving, making, and determining operations for the first available LUN for a second path in the list of paths.