Smart zoning to enforce interoperability matrix in a storage area network

• US 8,161,134 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mishra, Chandan, Bhardwaj, Rajeev
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baturay, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US11/231,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,401 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• 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 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

The present invention describes various mechanisms which may be used for improving SAN device interoperability enforcement techniques implemented in SAN or Fiber Channel networks. In one implementation, the technique of the present invention allows a SAN to automatically enforce interoperability requirements between devices connected to a SAN by utilizing SAN zoning technology to implement one or more novel types of “smart” zones having different, customizable attributes. In one implementation, a first device and second device of the SAN may be automatically identified as being non-interoperable. The first device and the second device may then be included as members of a negative zone having a first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the method comprising:

receiving a first frame, the first frame including header information including a source device identity relating to a source device and a destination device identity relating to a destination device;

determining whether the source device and destination device are members of a first negative zone, wherein the first negative zone corresponds to a SAN-implemented zone having a first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone, wherein the members of the first negative zone are non-interoperable;

preventing the first frame from reaching the destination device in response to a determination that the source device and destination device are members of the first negative zone, wherein the first negative zone is a logical zone identifying devices that are not permitted to communicate with one another such that the members of the first negative zone are not permitted to communicate with one another; and

wherein the method is implemented at the at least one switch.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dropping the first frame in response to a determination that the source device and destination device are members of the first negative zone.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the source device and destination device;

determining, using the first portion of device interoperability information, that the source device and destination device are non-interoperable; and

including the source device and the destination device as members of the first negative zone in response to the determination that the source device and destination device are non-interoperable.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

normally processing the first frame in response to a determination that the source device and destination device are not members of any common negative zone.

5. A method for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the method comprising:

receiving a first request from a first SAN device, the first request including a lookup request or connection request for identifying other devices connected to the SAN;

accessing a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the first SAN device;

identifying, using the first portion of device interoperability information, at least one non-interoperable device connected to the SAN which is not interoperable with the first SAN device, wherein the first portion of device interoperability information identifies a set of devices that are non-interoperable with the first SAN device, the set of devices being members of a first negative zone, the members of the first negative zone being non-interoperable;

generating a first response to the first request, wherein the first response excludes information relating to an identity of the at least one non-interoperable device;

sending the first response to the first SAN device, thereby preventing the first SAN device from communicating with any devices in the SAN which have been identified as being non-interoperable with the first SAN device; and

wherein the method is implemented at the at least one switch.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

identifying, using the first portion of device interoperability information, at least one interoperable device connected to the SAN which is interoperable with the first SAN device; and

generating the first response to the first request, wherein the first response further includes information relating to at least one identity of the at least one interoperable device.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

using information from the first response to prevent the first SAN device from communicating with any devices in the SAN which have been identified as being non-interoperable with the first SAN device.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

identifying, using the first portion of device interoperability information, at least one interoperable device connected to the SAN which is interoperable with the first SAN device;

generating the first response to the first request, wherein the first response further includes information relating to at least one identity of the at least one interoperable device; and

using information from the first response to allow the first SAN device to communicate only with devices in the SAN which have been identified as being interoperable with the first SAN device.

9. A method for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the method comprising:

analyzing a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the SAN;

automatically identifying, using the first portion of device interoperability information, a first device and second device of the SAN which are non-interoperable;

including the first device and the second device as members of a first negative zone after automatically identifying that the first device and the second device of the SAN are non-interoperable, wherein the first negative zone corresponds to a SAN-implemented logical zone having a first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone such that the members of the first negative zone are not permitted to communicate with one another, wherein the members of the first negative zone are non-interoperable; and

wherein the method is implemented at the at least one switch.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

defining the first negative zone to include the first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

automatically generating the first portion of interoperability information using device interoperability information obtained from at least one source.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first portion of device interoperability information is stored in local memory, the method further comprising:

receiving updated interoperability information from at least one source; and

automatically updating the first portion of device interoperability information the received updated interoperability information.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

automatically generating negative zone information which includes information relating to the first negative zone; and

using the negative zone information to enforce device interoperability requirements of the SAN.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

automatically generating negative zone information which includes information relating to the first negative zone;

automatically distributing the negative zone information to other devices in the SAN; and

using the negative zone information to enforce device interoperability requirements of the SAN.

15. A system for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface configured or designed to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in the SAN; and

memory;

the system being configured or designed to;

receive a first frame, the first frame including header information including a source device identity relating to a source device and a destination device identity relating to a destination device;

determine whether the source device and destination device are members of a first negative zone, wherein the first negative zone corresponds to a SAN-implemented logical zone having a first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone such that the members of the first negative zone are not permitted to communicate with one another, wherein the members of the first negative zone are non-interoperable;

prevent the first frame from reaching the destination device in response to a determination that the source device and destination device are members of the first negative zone; and

wherein the system is implemented at the at least one switch.

16. The system of claim 15 being further configured or designed to:

drop the first frame in response to a determination that the source device and destination device are members of the first negative zone.

17. The system of claim 15 being further configured or designed to:

analyze a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the source device and destination device;

determine, using the first portion of device interoperability information, that the source device and destination device are non-interoperable; and

include the source device and the destination device as members of the first negative zone in response to the determination that the source device and destination device are non-interoperable.

18. The system of claim 15 being further configured or designed to:

normally process the first frame in response to a determination that the source device and destination device are not members of any common negative zone.

19. A system for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface configured or designed to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in the SAN; and

memory;

the system being configured or designed to;

receive a first request from a first SAN device, the first request including a lookup request or connection request for identifying other devices connected to the SAN;

access a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the first SAN device, wherein the first portion of device interoperability information identifies a set of devices that are non-interoperable with the first SAN device, the set of devices being members of a first negative zone, the members of the first negative zone being non-interoperable;

identify, using the first portion of device interoperability information, at least one non-interoperable device connected to the SAN which is not interoperable with the first SAN device;

generate a first response to the first request, wherein the first response excludes information relating to an identity of the at least one non-interoperable device; and

send the first response to the first SAN device, thereby preventing the first SAN device from communicating with any devices in the SAN which have been identified as being non-interoperable with the first SAN device.

20. The system of claim 19 being further configured or designed to:

identify, using the first portion of device interoperability information, at least one interoperable device connected to the SAN which is interoperable with the first SAN device; and

generate the first response to the first request, wherein the first response further includes information relating to at least one identity of the at least one interoperable device.

21. The system of claim 19 being further configured or designed to:

use information from the first response to prevent the first SAN device from communicating with any devices in the SAN which have been identified as being non-interoperable with the first SAN device.

22. The system of claim 19 being further configured or designed to:

identify, using the first portion of device interoperability information, at least one interoperable device connected to the SAN which is interoperable with the first SAN device;

generate the first response to the first request, wherein the first response further includes information relating to at least one identity of the at least one interoperable device; and

use information from the first response to allow the first SAN device to communicate only with devices in the SAN which have been identified as being interoperable with the first SAN device.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the system is implemented at the at least one switch.

24. A system for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface configured or designed to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in the SAN; and

memory;

the system being configured or designed to;

analyze a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the SAN;

automatically identify, using the first portion of device interoperability information, a first device and second device of the SAN which are non-interoperable; and

include the first device and the second device as members of a first negative zone after automatically identifying that the first device and the second device of the SAN are non-interoperable, wherein the first negative zone corresponds to a SAN-implemented logical zone having a first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone such that the members of the first negative zone are not permitted to communicate with one another, wherein the members of the first negative zone are non-interoperable.

25. The system of claim 24 being configured or designed to:

define the first negative zone which includes the first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone.

26. The system of claim 24 being further configured or designed to:

automatically generate the first portion of interoperability information using device interoperability information obtained from at least one source.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the first portion of device interoperability information is stored in local memory, the system being further configured or designed to:

receive updated interoperability information from at least one source; and

automatically update the first portion of device interoperability information the received updated interoperability information.

28. The system of claim 24 being further configured or designed to:

automatically generate negative zone information which includes information relating to the first negative zone; and

use the negative zone information to enforce device interoperability requirements of the SAN.

29. The system of claim 24 being further configured or designed to:

automatically generate negative zone information which includes information relating to the first negative zone;

automatically distributing the negative zone information to other devices in the SAN; and

use the negative zone information to enforce device interoperability requirements of the SAN.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the system is implemented at the at least one switch.

31. A system for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

the system being configured or designed for;

receiving a first frame by the at least one switch, the first frame including header information including a source device identity relating to a source device and a destination device identity relating to a destination device;

determining by the at least one switch whether the source device and destination device are members of a first negative zone, wherein the first negative zone corresponds to a SAN-implemented logical zone having a first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone such that the members of the first negative zone are not permitted to communicate with one another and wherein members of the first negative zone are non-interoperable; and

preventing by the at least one switch the first frame from reaching the destination device in response to a determination that the source device and destination device are members of the first negative zone, wherein the members of the first negative zone are non-interoperable.

32. A system for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

the system being configured or designed for;

receiving by the at least one switch a first request from a first SAN device, the first request including a lookup request or connection request for identifying other devices connected to the SAN;

accessing by the at least one switch a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the first SAN device, wherein the first portion of device interoperability information identifies a set of devices that are non-interoperable with the first SAN device, the set of devices being members of a first negative zone, the members of the first negative zone being non-interoperable;

identifying by the at least one switch, using the first portion of device interoperability information, at least one non-interoperable device connected to the SAN which is not interoperable with the first SAN device;

generating by the at least one switch a first response to the first request, wherein the first response excludes information relating to an identity of the at least one non-interoperable device; and

sending the first response to the first SAN device, thereby preventing the first SAN device from communicating with any devices in the SAN which have been identified as being non-interoperable with the first SAN device.

33. A system for facilitating enforcement of device interoperability requirements in a storage area network (SAN), the storage area network including a fibre channel fabric comprising at least one switch, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

the system being configured or designed for;

analyzing by the at least one switch a first portion of device interoperability information relating to the SAN;

automatically identifying by the at least one switch, using the first portion of device interoperability information, a first device and second device of the SAN which are non-interoperable; and

including by the at least one switch the first device and the second device as members of a first negative zone after automatically identifying that the first device and the second device of the SAN are non-interoperable, wherein the first negative zone corresponds to a SAN-implemented logical zone having a first associated negative zone attribute prohibiting communication between members of the first negative zone such that the members of the first negative zone are not permitted to communicate with one another, wherein the members of the first negative zone are non-interoperable.