Pooling and provisioning storage resources in a storage network
First Claim
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1. A method for use by a storage switch in a storage area network, the method comprising:
- automatically obtaining by the switch information about performance characteristics of a physical device in communication with the switch, the physical device including one or more logical units (LUs);
based on the performance characteristics, assigning by the switch the LUs for the physical device to one of a plurality of storage pools;
receiving at the switch a request from a user for a virtual target, the request including a requested characteristic of the virtual target and a requested storage pool from which to provision the virtual target, the requested storage pool being accessible only to selected ones of requesting users that are members of a predetermined group;
automatically determining by the switch if LUs of physical devices assigned to the requested storage pool are available that meet the characteristic requested; and
if the LUs of physical devices are available and said user is a member of said predetermined group permitted access to said requested storage pool, provisioning by the switch the virtual target from said physical devices.
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Abstract
A system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention provides Quality of Service (QoS) for Storage Access. Such QoS is partially enabled in one embodiment by the automatic pooling of storage devices and provisioning virtual targets from those pools. QoS is enforced in one embodiment by keeping the bandwidth for each connection within a specified range, and particularly, by controlling the number of allowed concurrent requests from an initiator. Load balancing is also provided in one embodiment, improving response times for requests, further easing the ability to provide QoS.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for use by a storage switch in a storage area network, the method comprising:
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automatically obtaining by the switch information about performance characteristics of a physical device in communication with the switch, the physical device including one or more logical units (LUs); based on the performance characteristics, assigning by the switch the LUs for the physical device to one of a plurality of storage pools; receiving at the switch a request from a user for a virtual target, the request including a requested characteristic of the virtual target and a requested storage pool from which to provision the virtual target, the requested storage pool being accessible only to selected ones of requesting users that are members of a predetermined group; automatically determining by the switch if LUs of physical devices assigned to the requested storage pool are available that meet the characteristic requested; and if the LUs of physical devices are available and said user is a member of said predetermined group permitted access to said requested storage pool, provisioning by the switch the virtual target from said physical devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for use by a storage switch in a storage area network, the method comprising:
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receiving at the switch a request from a user for a virtual target, the request including a requested characteristic of the virtual target and a requested storage pool from which to provision the virtual target, the storage pool being accessible only to selected ones of requesting users that are members of a predetermined group; automatically determining by the switch if physical storage resources assigned to the storage pool are available that meet the characteristic requested; and if the physical storage resources are available and said user is a member of said predetermined group permitted access to said requested storage pool, provisioning by the switch the virtual target from said physical resources. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A storage switch for use in a storage area network, comprising a utility program controlling the switch to receive a request from a user for a virtual target, the request including a requested characteristic of the virtual target and a requested storage pool from which to provision the virtual target, the requested storage pool being accessible only to selected ones of requesting users that are members of a predetermined group;
- to automatically determine if physical devices assigned to the requested storage pool are available that meet the characteristic requested; and
, if the physical devices are available and said user is a member of said predetermined group permitted access to said requested storage pool, to provision by the switch the virtual target from said physical devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- to automatically determine if physical devices assigned to the requested storage pool are available that meet the characteristic requested; and
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22. A machine readable media having instructions stored thereon for execution by a storage switch in a storage area network to control the switch, said instructions controlling the switch to receive a request from a user for a virtual target, the request including a requested characteristic of the virtual target and a requested storage pool from which to provision the virtual target, the requested storage pool being accessible only to selected ones of requesting users that are members of a predetermined group;
- to automatically determine if physical devices assigned to the requested storage pool are available that meet the characteristic requested; and
if the physical devices are available and said user is a member of said predetermined group permitted access to said requested storage pool, to provision by the switch the virtual target from said physical devices. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
- to automatically determine if physical devices assigned to the requested storage pool are available that meet the characteristic requested; and
Specification