Configuration verification, recommendation, and animation method for a disk array in a storage area network (SAN)

• US 8,312,130 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Jibbe, Mahmoud K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boutah, Alina N
• Assistant Examiner(s): SISON, JUNE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/235,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20120072565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 system and method for establishing a storage area network (SAN) is described. The method includes providing a predefined template for inputting data associated with a SAN. A first tool may utilize the template to validate an entered SAN configuration based on accessing data in a database. A second tool may utilize the template to generate a valid SAN configuration, based on accessing SAN data in a database, if component data is entered. An animated configuration of a valid SAN is generated based on at least one of the input SAN configuration or the input component data.

Claims

1. A method for storage area network (SAN) establishment, comprising:

providing a predefined template via a computing system, said predefined template configured for inputting data associated with a SAN;

utilizing the predefined template by a first tool to obtain a configuration for a SAN, including component data, when a SAN configuration is input for validation, the first tool querying a database of SAN data for validation of the SAN configuration input for validation;

utilizing the predefined template by a second tool configured for generating a SAN configuration, when component data is input to the predefined template, the second tool accessing the database to generate the SAN configuration;

accessing a database including SAN data;

generating a recommended optimized animated configuration of a valid SAN configuration to the predefined template from the accessed database based on at least one of the SAN configuration input for validation or the input component data, the recommended optimized animated configuration of a valid SAN configuration being automatically generated by the system in response to a determination that a throughput of the system would increase by a predetermined factor due to component replacement or component reconfiguration, the generating of the recommended optimized animated configuration of the valid SAN configuration further including outputting the recommended optimized animated configuration to a configuration sketch portion of the predefined template.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising recommending the recommended optimized SAN configuration based on the input component data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the SAN data includes at least one of wiring configuration data, zoning configuration data, host clustering data, host bus adapter data, or software parameter data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the recommended optimized animated configuration includes providing a warning of an input non-conforming component, when no match is found in the database for the input component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the recommended optimized animated configuration includes recommending a conforming component when no match is found in the database for input component data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising recommending a step-by-step procedure for establishing the SAN based on the recommended optimized animated configuration.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising cross-referencing printed documentation associated with a step included in the step-by-step procedure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the SAN data includes a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configuration.

9. A system for storage area network (SAN) establishment, comprising:

a non-transitory electronically readable medium encoded to cause a central processing unit executing the software system for storage area network (SAN) establishment to effectively generate;

a template configured for inputting SAN data including SAN component data;

a database of SAN data;

a first tool configured for utilizing the template to determine when an input SAN configuration is valid based upon the database of SAN data, the first tool further configured for querying the database of SAN data for validation of the input SAN configuration; and

a second tool configured for utilizing the template to recommend a valid SAN configuration selected from the SAN data included in the database, when component data is input, the second tool further configured for accessing the database to generate the SAN configuration,

wherein the software system generates a recommended optimized animated configuration of a valid SAN configuration based on SAN data input to the template, said generating of said recommended optimized animated configuration of a valid SAN configuration being automatically performed by the system when component replacement or component reconfiguration allows said system to have a throughput which is greater than a predetermined throughput threshold for the system, said generation of said recommended optimized animated configuration further including outputting the recommended optimized animated configuration to a configuration sketch portion of the template.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the database containing the SAN data includes at least one of wiring configuration data, zoning configuration data, host clustering data, host bus adapter data, or software parameter data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the template recommends a conforming component, when no match is found in the database for an input SAN component.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the template recommends a step-by-step procedure for establishing the animated SAN.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the database contains redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configuration data.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein generating the recommended optimized animated configuration includes providing a warning of an input non-conforming component, when no match is found in the database for an input SAN component in the SAN component data.

15. A method for storage area network (SAN) establishment, comprising:

receiving a predefined template via a computing system, the predefined template configured for SAN component information;

receiving the SAN component information, the receiving performed based on the predefined template;

accessing a database of SAN data;

obtaining a configuration for a SAN including component data when a SAN configuration is input for validation, wherein;

the obtaining is performed in part by a first tool,

the obtaining utilizes the predefined template, and

the obtaining includes querying the database of SAN data for validation of the SAN configuration input for validation;

generating a SAN configuration when component data is input to the predefined template, wherein;

the generating is performed in part by a second tool,

the generating utilizes the predefined template, and

the generating includes accessing the database to generate the SAN configuration;

comparing the received SAN component information with the database of SAN data to generate a recommended optimized animated configuration of a valid SAN configuration based on the SAN data input to the template, the generating of the recommended optimized animated configuration of the valid SAN configuration being automatically performed by the computing system in response to a determination that component replacement or component reconfiguration allows the computing system to have a throughput which is greater than a predetermined throughput threshold for the computing system, the generating of the recommended optimized animated configuration further including outputting the recommended optimized animated configuration to a configuration sketch portion of the predefined template.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the SAN component information includes at least one of wiring configuration data, zoning configuration data, a host clustering data, host bus adapter data, redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configuration data, and software parameter data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the comparing of the received SAN component information with the database of SAN data includes providing a warning of a non-conforming component.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the comparing of the received SAN component information with the database of SAN data includes recommending a step-by-step procedure for establishing the animated SAN.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the SAN component information includes a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configuration.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the generating of the recommended optimized animated configuration includes recommending a conforming component when no match is found in the database for a SAN component of the received SAN component information.