Apparatus and method for using storage domains for controlling data in storage area networks

• US 7,568,037 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DataCore Software Corporation (Flagship Ventures 2004 Fund LLC)
• Original Assignee: DataCore Software Corporation (Flagship Ventures 2004 Fund LLC)
• Inventors: Aral, Ziya, Laurent, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shingles; Kristie D
• Application Number:
  US11/797,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/225, 709/223, 709/212, 709/215, 709/217, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Storage domains respectively have associated configurable storage management properties that are separate from individual physical capabilities of physical storage resources available through a SAN. Logical volumes are created and allocated to hosts in the context of the storage domains. The presentation of such logical volumes to hosts accommodates storage resource access by hosts without requiring the hosts to be configured according to the requirements of the physical storage resources. Furthermore, allocation of logical volumes to hosts in the context of the storage domains entails provision of storage resources according to the respective storage management properties of the storage domains even though the logical volumes are created from physical storage resources in common.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a storage area network (SAN), the method comprising:

defining storage domains respectively having associated configurable storage management properties that are separate from individual physical capabilities of physical storage resources available through the SAN, wherein a first set of storage management properties is associated with a first storage domain and a second set of storage management properties is associated with a second storage domain, with the first set of storage management properties being different from the second set of storage management properties;

accommodating the creation of logical volumes configurable for presentation to hosts through the SAN; and

allocating the logical volumes to hosts in the context of the storage domains, wherein allocating a logical volume to a host in the context of the first storage domain entails the provision of storage resources according to the first set of storage management properties and allocating a logical volume to a host in the context of the second storage domain entails the provision of storage resources according to the second set of storage management properties,

wherein presentation of logical volumes to hosts accommodates storage resource access by hosts without requiring hosts to be configured according to the requirements of the physical storage resources, and wherein said allocation of logical volumes to hosts in the context of the storage domains entails provision of storage resources according to the respective storage management properties of the storage domains even though the logical volumes are created from physical storage resources in common.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a given logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when the given logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the given logical volume has different storage management properties depending upon the context of allocation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a given logical volume is allocated to a first host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when the given logical volume is allocated to a second host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the given logical volume has different storage management properties for the first and second hosts because of the context of allocation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a first logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when a second logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the first and second logical volumes have different storage management properties depending upon the context of allocation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a first logical volume is allocated to a first host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when a second logical volume is allocated to a second host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the first and second logical volumes respectively have different storage management properties for the first and second hosts because of the context of allocation.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed storage capacity.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed I/O properties that include an I/O bandwidth and/or an I/O operations.

8. The method computer-implemented of claim 1, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed availability.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed performance.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed integrity.

11. A computer program product for managing a storage area network (SAN), the computer program product stored on a computer readable medium and adapted to perform operations comprising:

defining storage domains respectively having associated configurable storage management properties that are separate from individual physical capabilities of physical storage resources available through the SAN, wherein a first set of storage management properties is associated with a first storage domain and a second set of storage management properties is associated with a second storage domain, with the first set of storage management properties being different from the second set of storage management properties;

accommodating the creation of logical volumes configurable for presentation to hosts through the SAN; and

allocating the logical volumes to hosts in the context of the storage domains, wherein allocating a logical volume to a host in the context of the first storage domain entails the provision of storage resources according to the first set of storage management properties and allocating a logical volume to a host in the context of the second storage domain entails the provision of storage resources according to the second set of storage management properties,

wherein presentation of logical volumes to hosts accommodates storage resource access by hosts without requiring hosts to be configured according to the requirements of the physical storage resources, and wherein said allocation of logical volumes to hosts in the context of the storage domains entails provision of storage resources according to the respective storage management properties of the storage domains even though the logical volumes are created from physical storage resources in common.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a given logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when the given logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the given logical volume has different storage management properties depending upon the context of allocation.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a given logical volume is allocated to a first host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when the given logical volume is allocated to a second host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the given logical volume has different storage management properties for the first and second hosts because of the context of allocation.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a first logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when a second logical volume is allocated to a host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the first and second logical volumes have different storage management properties depending upon the context of allocation.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein storage resources are provided according to the first set of storage management properties when a first logical volume is allocated to a first host in the context of the first storage domain, and storage resources are provided according to the second set of storage management properties when a second logical volume is allocated to a second host in the context of the second storage domain, such that the first and second logical volumes respectively have different storage management properties for the first and second hosts because of the context of allocation.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed storage capacity.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed I/O properties that include an I/O bandwidth and/or an I/O operation.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed availability.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed performance.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the storage management properties comprise a guaranteed integrity.