Restoring configurations of data storage systems

• US 8,078,905 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Haase, David, Vipul, Utkarsh, Patel, Manish, Tang, Xuan, Von Rhee, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lottich, Joshua P
• Application Number:
  US12/619,178
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 714/6.1, 714/6.2, 714/6.21, 714/6.22
• US Class Current: 714/6.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1092 Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1415 at system level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A method is used in restoring configurations of data storage system. A captured configuration is produced from capturing a configuration of a data storage system. The configuration includes a mapping of hierarchical objects. The captured configuration is used to help ensure that the configuration is not corrupted.

Claims

1. A method for use in restoring configurations of data storage system, the method comprising:

capturing a configuration of a data storage system to produce a captured configuration, the configuration comprising a mapping of hierarchical objects;

using the captured configuration to help ensure that the configuration is not corrupted;

and

capturing the configuration in a diagnostic information pool.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving at least some of the captured configuration in an XML file.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

based on the captured configuration, checking the XML file against the configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the captured configuration, detecting corruption of the configuration.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

based on the captured configuration, recreating at least a portion of the configuration as the configuration existed before corruption.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the mapping of hierarchical objects further comprises mappings among a disk pool, a database, at least one private Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) Group, at least one private Logical Unit Number (LUN), and at least one storage pool.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

based on the hierarchical objects, creating mapped LUNs within the hierarchical objects.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

based on the captured configuration, comparing the captured configuration against the mapping of hierarchical objects.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

based on the comparison, detecting corruption of the configuration.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

based on the captured configuration, performing a non-destructive bind process on any missing private LUN.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

based on the captured configuration, restoring any missing hierarchical objects.

12. A computer system comprising a storage processor for use in restoring configurations of data storage systems, the computer system comprising:

first logic capturing a configuration of a data storage system to produce a captured configuration, the configuration comprising a mapping of hierarchical objects;

second logic using the captured configuration to help ensure that the configuration is not corrupted; and

third logic capturing the configuration in a diagnostic information pool.

13. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising:

third logic saving at least some of the captured configuration in an XML file.

14. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

fourth logic based on the captured configuration, checking the XML file against the configuration.

15. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising:

fifth logic based on the captured configuration, recreating at least a portion of the configuration as the configuration existed before corruption.

16. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising:

third logic based on the captured configuration, detecting corruption of the configuration.

17. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the mapping of hierarchical objects further comprises mappings among a disk pool, a database, at least one private Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) Group, at least one private Logical Unit Number (LUN), and at least one storage pool.

18. The computer system of claim 12 further comprising:

third logic based on the captured configuration, restoring any missing hierarchical objects.