Method and apparatus for dynamically managing bandwidth for clients in a storage area network

• US 8,060,643 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Messick, Randall E., Ackerman, Martin L., Lutz, Michael E., Hayden, Douglas T., Peterson, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ENGLAND, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US10/233,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,364 Days
• Field of Search: 709208-225, 709/226, 709/235, 713/201, 370/468, 707/204
• US Class Current: 709/233
• 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 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for managing bandwidth allocation in a storage area network includes receiving a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) requests from a plurality of client devices, determining a priority of each of the client devices relative to other client devices, and dynamically allocating bandwidth resources to each client device based on the priority assigned to that client device.

Claims

1. A method for managing bandwidth allocation in a storage area network comprising:

assigning different priorities to different ports of a storage device;

determining a priority of each of plural client devices relative to other client devices;

assigning one of the different ports to each of said client devices in order to allocate bandwidth resources to each of said client devices;

setting an upper limit on an amount of bandwidth allocated at a port for a priority of said client devices;

setting a lower threshold at the port for said priority of client devices;

receiving a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) requests from the client devices;

releasing the upper limit when spurts of I/O activity at the port drop below the lower threshold, wherein the upper limit is released so said priority of client devices have access to unused bandwidth; and

connecting only clients of a same priority to the port of said storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper limit is a cap that limits an amount of bandwidth a client device can use at any one time, and the lower threshold establishes a minimum level of performance below which the cap is relaxed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning upper limits and lower thresholds at each of the different ports of the storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said upper limit and said lower threshold are applied at a logical unit of a storage device of said storage area network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, if I/O requests for one or more client devices drop below the lower threshold, the upper limit at the port is released.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a priority for each of said client devices comprises receiving an indication from a user of said priority for each of said client devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said priority levels each require a different fee corresponding to said bandwidth allocation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining said priority for each of said client devices further comprises:

obtaining information on available array groups within a storage array;

determining if a performance cap on an array group within said storage array prevents the addition of one of said I/O requests; and

if said performance cap does not prevent addition of one of said I/O requests, adding I/O requests from that client to said array group.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining priority of each of said client devices comprises grouping said client devices into groups according to I/O performance requirements for said client devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each client device in one of said groups receives a same bandwidth allocation setting as other client devices in that group.

11. A system for managing bandwidth allocation in a storage area network comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) requests from a plurality of client devices, wherein said I/O requests include data to be written to and read from said storage area network;

means for assigning different priorities to different ports of a storage device;

means for assigning each of said client devices to one of the different ports in order to provide a priority of each of said client devices relative to other client devices;

means for dynamically allocating bandwidth resources for said (I/O) requests to each said client device based on the priority assigned to the different ports;

means for setting an upper limit on an amount of bandwidth allocated at a port for to a priority of said client devices;

means for setting a lower threshold at the port for said priority of client devices, wherein the upper limit is released when spurts of I/O activity drop below the lower threshold, wherein the upper limit is released so said priority of client devices have access to unused bandwidth; and

means for connecting only clients of a same priority to the port of said storage device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the lower threshold establishes a minimum level of performance below which bandwidth restrictions for the port are relaxed.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for assigning upper limits and lower thresholds at each of the different ports of the storage device.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for applying said upper limit and said lower threshold at a logical unit of a storage device of said storage area network.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the upper limit is a cap that limits an amount of bandwidth a client device can use at any one time, and the lower threshold establishes a minimum level of performance below which the cap is relaxed.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for determining a priority for each of said client devices comprise user interface means for receiving an indication from a user of said priority for each of said client devices.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for determining said priority for each of said client devices further comprises:

means for obtaining information on available array groups within a storage array;

means for determining if a performance cap on an array group within said storage array prevents the addition of one of said I/O requests; and

if said performance cap does not prevent addition of one of said I/O requests, means for adding I/O requests from that client to said array group.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for determining priority of each of said client devices comprise means for grouping said plurality of client devices into groups according to I/O performance requirements for said client devices.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each client device in one of said groups receives a same bandwidth allocation setting as other client devices in that group.