Storage network system, managing apparatus, managing method and program

• US 8,171,126 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirata, Toshiaki, Hirabayashi, Motoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs, Lashonda
• Application Number:
  US13/275,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/227, 370/389, 370/396, 370/397, 370/498, 710/36, 710/38, 710/46, 711/114
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3433 for load management allocation of a server based on load conditions G06F9/505; load rebalancing G06F9/5083; redistributing the load in a network by a load balancer H04L67/1029
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/349 for interfaces, buses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• 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 management computer includes a memory storing toplogical information including identifiers of ports of computers, storage apparatuses, and switches. The management computer includes a processor, which is configured to: collect a plurality of performance information of the ports, and a plurality of access times from computer ports to the storage apparatuses; evaluate that a certain access time among the plurality of access times exceeds a predetermined allowable range; search a first access path to which the certain access time corresponds; search at least one second access path starting from a first computer port on the first access path; and search performance information of certain ports which are on the at least one second access path in order to display the searched performance information.

Claims

1. A management computer comprising:

a memory storing;

(A) toplogical information including identifiers of ports of computers, storage apparatuses, and switches;

a processor, which is configured to;

(B) collect a plurality of performance information of the ports, and a plurality of access times from computer ports to the storage apparatuses;

(C) evaluate that a certain access time, from a first port of a first computer to a first volume on a first storage apparatus exceeds a predetermined limit;

(D) search at least one second access path starting from a second port of the first computer to the first volume;

(E) display the at least one second access path along with corresponding data traffic amounts from the second port to the first volume; and

(F) select one second access path based on the displayed data traffic amounts if the estimated data traffic on the selected second access path does not exceed a predetermined amount.

2. A management computer according to claim 1,

wherein, for the display of the at least one second access path along with corresponding data traffic amounts from the second port to the first volume, the processor is configured to:

(E1) display a graph of the searched performance information; and

(E2) display a value of the searched performance information.

3. The management computer as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the step (F), the data traffic on the selected second access path is estimated by adding data traffic on the first access path to the data traffic on the selected second access path.

4. A computer-readable medium comprising code that when executed causes a management computer to:

(A) store toplogical information including identifiers of ports of computers, storage apparatuses, and switches;

(B) collect a plurality of performance information of the ports, and a plurality of access times from computer ports to the storage apparatuses;

(C) evaluate that a certain access time, from a first port of a first computer to a first volume on a first storage apparatus exceeds a predetermined limit;

(D) search at least one second access path starting from a second port of the first computer to the first volume;

(E) display the at least one second access path along with corresponding data traffic amounts from the second port to the first volume; and

(F) select one second access path based on the displayed data traffic amounts if the estimated data traffic on the selected second access path does not exceed a predetermined amount.

5. A computer readable medium according to claim 4,

wherein, for the display of the at least one second access path along with corresponding data traffic amounts from the second port to the first volume, the computer-readable medium further comprises code that when executed causes the management computer to:

(E1) display a graph of the searched performance information; and

(E2) display a value of the searched performance information.

6. A computer readable medium according to claim 4, wherein in the step (F), the computer-readable medium further comprises code that when executed causes the management computer to estimate the data traffic on the selected second access path by adding data traffic on the first access path to the data traffic on the selected second access path.

7. A system comprising:

computers;

storage apparatuses storing data for the computers;

switches coupled to the computers and storage apparatuses; and

a management computer configured to;

(A) store toplogical information including identifiers of ports of computers, storage apparatuses, and switches;

(B) collect a plurality of performance information of the ports, and a plurality of access times from computer ports to the storage apparatuses;

(C) evaluate that a certain access time, from a first port of a first computer to a first volume on a first storage apparatus exceeds a predetermined limit;

(D) search at least one second access path starting from a second port of the first computer to the first volume;

(E) display the at least one second access path along with corresponding data traffic amounts from the second port to the first volume; and

(F) select one second access path based on the displayed data traffic amounts if the estimated data traffic on the selected second access path does not exceed a predetermined amount.

8. The system according to claim 7,

wherein, for the display of the at least one second access path along with corresponding data traffic amounts from the second port to the first volume, the management computer is configured to:

(E1) display a graph of the searched performance information; and

(E2) display a value of the searched performance information.

9. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein in the step (F), the data traffic on the selected second access path is estimated by adding data traffic on the first access path to the data traffic on the selected second access path.

10. A management computer comprising:

a memory storing;

(A) toplogical information including identifiers of ports of computers, storage apparatuses, and switches;

a processor, which is configured to;

(B) identify a first port, on a first computer, having an access time, via a first access path, to a first logical volume in a first storage apparatus that exceeds a predetermined limit;

(C) display a list of second access paths from a different port of the first computer to the first volume and display data traffic amounts for each of the access paths;

(D) select one of the second access paths;

(E) estimate traffic amounts for ports on the selected second access path if the first path is to be switched to the selected second access path and determine if any port on the selected second access path would exceed a predetermined traffic amount; and

(F) if any port on the selected second access path exceeds the predetermined traffic amount, select another one of the second access paths and the selected second access path and repeat steps (E) and (F).

11. A management computer according to claim 10,

wherein, for the display of a list of second access paths from a different port of the first computer to the first volume and display data traffic amounts for each of the access paths, the processor is configured to:

(C1) display a graph of the searched performance information; and

(C2) display a value of the searched performance information.

12. The management computer as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step (E) includes the step of adding a data traffic amount of the first access path to the selected second access path in order to estimate traffic amounts for ports on the selected second access path.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising code that when executed causes a management computer to:

(A) store toplogical information including identifiers of ports of computers, storage apparatuses, and switches;

(B) identify a first port, on a first computer, having an access time, via a first access path, to a first logical volume in a first storage apparatus that exceeds a predetermined limit;

(C) display a list of second access paths from a different port of the first computer to the first volume and display data traffic amounts for each of the access paths;

(D) select one of the second access paths;

(E) estimate traffic amounts for ports on the selected second access path if the first path is to be switched to the selected second access path and determine if any port on the selected second access path would exceed a predetermined traffic amount; and

(F) if any port on the selected second access path exceeds the predetermined traffic amount, select another one of the second access paths and the selected second access path and repeat steps (E) and (F).

14. A computer readable medium according to claim 13,

wherein, for the display of a list of second access paths from a different port of the first computer to the first volume and display data traffic amounts for each of the access paths, the computer-readable medium further comprises code that when executed causes the management computer to:

(C1) display a graph of the searched performance information; and

(C2) display a value of the searched performance information.

15. A computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein in the step (E), the computer-readable medium comprises further code that when executed causes the management computer to add a data traffic amount of the first access path to the selected second access path in order to estimate traffic amounts for ports on the selected second access path.

16. A system comprising:

computers;

storage apparatuses storing data for the computers;

switches coupled to the computers and storage apparatuses; and

a management computer configured to;

(A) store toplogical information including identifiers of ports of computers, storage apparatuses, and switches;

(B) identify a first port, on a first computer, having an access time, via a first access path, to a first logical volume in a first storage apparatus that exceeds a predetermined limit;

(C) display a list of second access paths from a different port of the first computer to the first volume and display data traffic amounts for each of the access paths;

(D) select one of the second access paths;

(E) estimate traffic amounts for ports on the selected second access path if the first path is to be switched to the selected second access path and determine if any port on the selected second access path would exceed a predetermined traffic amount;

(F) if any port on the selected second access path exceeds the predetermined traffic amount, select another one of the second access paths and the selected second access path and repeat steps (E) and (F).

17. The system according to claim 16,

wherein, for the display of a list of second access paths from a different port of the first computer to the first volume and display data traffic amounts for each of the access paths, the management computer is configured to:

(C1) display a graph of the searched performance information; and

(C2) display a value of the searched performance information.

18. The system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step (E) includes the step of adding a data traffic amount of the first access path to the selected second access path in order to estimate traffic amounts for ports on the selected second access path.