Method and apparatus for deploying updates to a storage server management application

• US 7,752,615 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Kamila, Shailaja, Thompson, Timothy J., Perry, Jay B.
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Ai
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, TAMMY EUNHYE
• Application Number:
  US11/118,695
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 717/122, 717/168, 717/101, 717/178, 717/173, 717/115, 707/200, 709/223, 710/260
• US Class Current: 717/168
• 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]

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the invention, a storage server management application (SSMA) includes scripting ability. The scripting ability allows functionality to be added to the SSMA by deploying scripting packages onto the SSMA. The packages may be written by a user having access to the SSMA, and deployed onto the SSMA without affecting the core functionality of the SSMA, and may be easily removed. One package allows a system administrator to monitor the configuration of storage servers monitored by the SSMA by comparing the current configuration of the filers to a standard configuration. Another package monitors best practices for redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) systems. Other packages may be added to the SSMA.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether a configuration of a storage server has changed comprising:

receiving at a storage server managed by a storage server management application (SSMA) a package which includes a script;

executing the script on the SSMA to add functionality to the SSMA for detecting a deviation of a current configuration from a default configuration;

determining the current configuration of the storage server;

determining the default configuration of the storage server;

comparing the current configuration to the default configuration;

generating an event if the current configuration differs from the default configuration; and

causing an indication of the event to be output to an administrator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the default configuration is shared by a group of storage servers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an event comprises:

monitoring the storage server;

writing information resulting from the monitoring to a database;

retrieving information from the database; and

generating the event if the default configuration differs from the current configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling the comparing if an access level of the system administrator is sufficient.

5. A machine readable storage medium storing code which embodies a storage server management application (SSMA), the SSMA comprising:

a monitor to monitor a plurality of storage servers coupled to the SSMA and to write information acquired about the storage servers to a database;

a scheduler to execute a script installed on the SSMA wherein the script causes functionality to be added to the SSMA for detecting a deviation of a current configuration from a specified configuration and for comparing the current configuration to the specified configuration; and

an event daemon to generate an event when the current configuration does not match the specified configuration and to output an indication of the event to an administrative user.

6. The machine readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising a web server to distribute the event to a terminal coupled to the SSMA.

7. The machine readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the script is separate from and does not affect a core functionality of the SSMA.

8. The machine readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the script monitors compliance with a best practices policy for a RAID array of the storage servers.

9. The machine readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the script uses access control functionality of the SSMA.

10. The machine readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the script can be scheduled only by users belonging to a specified group.

11. A method comprising:

executing, in a server computer, a storage server management application (SSMA) for managing a plurality of storage servers, the SSMA having a set of core functionality;

receiving, at the server computer, a package which includes a script; and

adding functionality to the SSMA without altering the core functionality, by operating the SSMA to execute the script, wherein the script causes functionality to be added to the SSMA for detecting a deviation of a current configuration from a specified configuration, and wherein the script causes the SSMA to compare the current configuration to the specified configuration, to generate an event when the current configuration does not match the specified configuration, and to cause an indication of the event to be output to an administrative user.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the current configuration is for one of the storage servers or a storage array associated with one of the storage servers.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the current configuration and the specified configuration are for one of the plurality of storage servers.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the specified configuration is a default configuration for said one of the storage servers.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the specified configuration is a previous configuration of said one of the storage servers.

16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the current configuration and the specified configuration are for a RAID array associated with at least one of the plurality of storage servers.

17. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a network adapter, coupled to the processor, through which to communicate with a plurality of storage servers;

a storage server management application (SSMA) to manage the plurality of storage servers, the SSMA having a set of core functionality; and

code which, when executed in the processing system, causes the computer system to

receive a package which includes a script from a remote device over a network,

install the script in the computer system, and

add functionality to the SSMA without altering the core functionality, by operating the SSMA to execute the script, wherein the script causes functionality to be added to the SSMA for detecting a deviation of a current configuration from a specified configuration, and wherein the script causes the SSMA to compare the current configuration to the specified configuration, to generate an event when the current configuration does not match the specified configuration, and to cause an indication of the event to be output to an administrative user.

18. A computer system as recited in claim 17, wherein the current configuration is for one of the storage servers or a storage array associated with one of the storage servers.

19. A computer system as recited in claim 17, wherein the current configuration and the specified configuration are for one of the plurality of storage servers.

20. A computer system as recited in claim 19, wherein the specified configuration is a default configuration for said one of the storage servers.

21. A computer system as recited in claim 19, wherein the specified configuration is a previous configuration of said one of the storage servers.

22. A computer system as recited in claim 17, wherein the current configuration and the specified configuration are for a RAID array associated with at least one of the plurality of storage servers.