Method and apparatus for providing a logical separation of a customer device and a service device connected to a data storage system

• US 8,089,903 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Leef, Phillip, Sullivan, Douglas, Ferson, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryman, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRUTCHFIELD, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US11/394,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20070237158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• 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

A data storage system includes storage array and a switch that is configurable to create numerous network topologies within the system and to maintain separate communications paths between different computerized devices or networks and the storage array. For example, a user device and a service device, such as a system diagnosis device, can connect to the storage array through the switch. In order to isolate interaction or communication between the user and service devices, the switch can be logically partitioned into two distinct switches to form two distinct, isolated communications paths between the devices and the storage array. With isolated communications pathways established in the switch, in use, the service device is unable to access the user device coupled to the storage array.

Claims

1. In a communications management device, a method of forming a communication pathway with a storage array, comprising:

connecting a midplane connector of a switch of the communications management device with a management port and a service port of a storage processor of the storage array via a midplane, the management port configured to provide a first device with access to the storage array and the service port configured to provide a second device with access to the storage array;

detecting a configuration characteristic associated with the storage array, the configuration characteristic consisting of the storage array being configured as part of a storage area network (SAN) or the storage array being configured as part of a network attached storage (NAS) system;

based on the detected configuration characteristic, configuring a first virtual local area network (VLAN) of the switch to establish a first communications path of the switch and configuring a second VLAN of the switch to establish a second communications path of the switch, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path; and

conveying data between (i) a first port of the communications management device and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor, via the midplane connector, using the first communications path and (ii) a second port of the communications management device and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor, via the midplane connector, using the second communications path, the midplane connector being distinct from the first port of the communications management device and from the second port of the communications management device;

wherein configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch comprises configuring the first VLAN through the switch to logically partition the switch into a first isolated communications path between the first port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN through the switch to logically partition the switch into a second isolated communications path between the second port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor, the first isolated communications path being distinct from the second isolated communications path;

wherein when the detected configuration characteristic indicates the storage array is configured as part of the SAN, the configuring of the first and second VLANs of the switch further comprises configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch between the first port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch between the second port of the communications management device and the service port of the storage processor, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path; and

wherein when the detected configuration characteristic indicates the storage array is configured as part of the NAS system, the configuring of the first and second VLANs of the switch further comprises configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch between the first port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch between the second port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path; and

wherein the storage processor is configured to provide load and store operations, relative to the storage array, via the management port on behalf of the first device, the first device configured as a user device disposed in electrical communication with the first port of the communications management device and the storage processor is configured to provide diagnostic and service operations, relative to the storage array, via the service port on behalf of the second device disposed in electrical communication with the second port of the communications management device, the second device configured as a service device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a communications management device connection between the switch of the communications management device and a second switch associated with a second communications management device electrically coupled to the storage array.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the switch of the communications management device with the storage processor of the storage array, the storage processor having the management port and the service port, the management port configured to provide the first device with access to the storage array and the service port configured to provide the second device with access to the storage array comprises connecting the switch of the communications management device with the storage processor of the storage array, the storage processor having the management port and the service port, the storage processor being configured to provide load and store operations, relative to the storage array, via the management port on behalf of a user device disposed in electrical communication with the first port of the communications management device and the storage processor being configured to provide diagnostic and service operations, relative to the storage array, via the service port on behalf of a service device disposed in electrical communication with the second port of the communications management device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein logically partitioning the switch into a first isolated communications path between the first port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor and into a second isolated communications path between the second port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor includes isolating interaction of the service device, as disposed in electrical communication with the second port of the communications management device, with the user device, as disposed in electrical communication with the first port of the communications management device and includes isolating interaction of the user device, as disposed in electrical communication with the first port of the communications management device, with the service device, as disposed in electrical communication with the second port of the communications management device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller is further electrically coupled to the storage processor via a bus;

wherein detecting the configuration characteristic associated with the storage array includes receiving, by the controller, an electrical signal from the storage processor over the bus, the electrical signal identifying the configuration characteristic associated with the storage array.

6. A communications management device, comprising:

a first port, a second port, a switch electrically coupled to the first port and the second port, a midplane connector electrically coupled to the switch, and a controller electrically coupled to the switch, the controller configured to;

connect the switch of the communications management device, via the midplane connector, with a management port and a service port of a storage processor of the storage array, the management port configured to provide a first device with access to the storage array and the service port configured to provide a second device with access to the storage array;

detect a configuration characteristic associated with the storage array, the configuration characteristic consisting of the storage array being configured as part of a storage area network (SAN) or the storage array being configured as part of a network attached storage (NAS) system;

based on the detected configuration characteristic, configure a first virtual local area network (VLAN) of the switch to establish a first communications path of the switch and configure a second VLAN of the switch to establish a second communications path of the switch, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path, the first communications path operable to convey data between the first port of the communications management device and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor via the midplane connector, and the second communications path operable to convey data between the second port of the communications management device and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor via the midplane connector, the midplane connector being distinct from the first port of the communications management device and from the second port of the communications management device;

wherein configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch comprises configuring the first VLAN through the switch to logically partition the switch into a first isolated communications path between the first port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN through the switch to logically partition the switch into a second isolated communications path between the second port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor, the first isolated communications path being distinct from the second isolated communications path; and

wherein when the controller detects, as the configuration characteristic, that the storage array is configured as a part of the SAN, the configuring of the first and second VLANs of the switch further comprises configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch between the first port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch between the second port of the communications management device and the service port of the storage processor, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path; and

wherein when the controller detects, as the configuration characteristic, that the storage array is configured as a part of the NAS system, the configuring of the first and second VLANs of the switch further comprises configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch between the first port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch between the second port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path; and

wherein the storage processor is configured to provide load and store operations, relative to the storage array, via the management port on behalf of the first device, the first device configured as a user device disposed in electrical communication with the first port of the communications management device and the storage processor is configured to provide diagnostic and service operations, relative to the storage array, via the service port on behalf of the second device disposed in electrical communication with the second port of the communications management device, the second device configured as a service device.

7. The communications management device of claim 6, wherein the switch of the communications management device is configured to electrically couple with a second switch associated with a second communications management device electrically coupled to the storage array via a communications management device connection.

8. The communications management device of claim 6, wherein the controller is further electrically coupled to the storage processor via a bus;

wherein detecting the configuration characteristic associated with the storage array includes receiving, by the controller, an electrical signal from the storage processor over the bus, the electrical signal identifying the configuration characteristic associated with the storage array.

9. A data storage system, comprising:

a storage array having a storage processor, the storage processor having a management port and a service port, the management port configured to provide a first device with access to the storage array and the service port configured to provide a second device with access to the storage array; and

a communications management device, having a first port, a second port, a switch electrically coupled to the first port and the second port, a midplane connector electrically coupled to the switch, and a controller electrically coupled to the switch, the controller configured to;

connect the switch of the communications management device, via the midplane connector, with the management port and the service port of the storage processor of the storage array;

detect a configuration characteristic associated with the storage array, the configuration characteristic consisting of the storage array being configured as part of a storage area network (SAN) or the storage array being configured as part of a network attached storage (NAS) system;

based on the detected configuration characteristic, configure a first virtual local area network (VLAN) of the switch to establish a first communications path of the switch and configuring a second VLAN of the switch to establish a second communications path of the switch, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path, the first communications path operable to convey data between the first port of the communications management device and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor via the midplane connector, and the second communications path operable to convey data between the second port of the communications management device and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor via the midplane connector, the midplane connector being distinct from the first port of the communications management device and from the second port of the communications management device;

wherein configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch comprises configuring the first VLAN through the switch to logically partition the switch into a first isolated communications path between the first port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN through the switch to logically partition the switch into a second isolated communications path between the second port and the midplane connector of the switch and at least one of the management port and the service port of the storage processor, the first isolated communications path being distinct from the second isolated communications path; and

wherein when the controller detects, as the configuration characteristic, that the storage array is configured as a part of the SAN, the configuring of the first and second VLANs of the switch further comprises configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch between the first port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch between the second port of the communications management device and the service port of the storage processor, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path; and

wherein when the controller detects, as the configuration characteristic, that the storage array is configured as a part of the NAS system, the configuring of the first and second VLANs of the switch further comprises configuring the first VLAN of the switch to establish the first communications path of the switch between the first port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor and configuring the second VLAN of the switch to establish the second communications path of the switch between the second port of the communications management device and the management port of the storage processor, the first communications path being isolated from the second communications path; and

wherein the storage processor is configured to provide load and store operations, relative to the storage array, via the management port on behalf of the first device, the first device configured as a user device disposed in electrical communication with the first port of the communications management device and the storage processor is configured to provide diagnostic and service operations, relative to the storage array, via the service port on behalf of the second device disposed in electrical communication with the second port of the communications management device, the second device configured as a service device.

10. The data storage system of claim 9, wherein the storage array system is configured to from a communications management device connection between the switch of the communications management device and a second switch of a second communications management device electrically coupled to the storage array.

11. The data storage system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further electrically coupled to the storage processor via a bus;

wherein detecting the configuration characteristic associated with the storage array includes receiving, by the controller, an electrical signal from the storage processor over the bus, the electrical signal identifying the configuration characteristic associated with the storage array.