System and method for accessing data in an external virtual memory

• US 8,539,172 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infinidat Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Infinidat Ltd.
• Inventors: Winokur, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): MACKALL, LARRY T
• Application Number:
  US12/941,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 711/154, 711/162, 711/E12.001, 711/E12.103
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A method is provided for accessing data in an external virtual memory. A host receives from a storage manager a created handle for autonomous access of a volume. The volume forms part of accessible volumes in the virtual memory. The host autonomously provisions the handle to a selected volume from among the accessible volumes, and the host accesses the selected volume through the handle.

Claims

1. A method for accessing data in an external virtual memory, comprising:

(a) a host receiving from a storage manager a created handle, identifiable by a value indicative of at least an application accommodated in said host, for autonomously allowing access to any volume selected by the host and allowed to be accessed by the host, wherein said volume forms part of accessible volumes in said virtual memory;

(b) the host autonomously provisions said handle to a selected volume from among said accessible volumes;

(c) the host accessing said selected volume through said handle; and

(d) responsive to an application command, said host autonomously detaching said handle from said selected volume and autonomously attaching said handle with a different volume from among said accessible volumes, so as to allow the application to access said different volume through said handle, using the same value of said handle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host associating said handle to said application accommodated in said host so as to obtain an application viewed volume name, and wherein said (c) includes the application of said host accessing said selected volume through said application viewed volume name.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said handle includes an initiator port for attaching to the host, a target port for attaching to the volume and LUN for identifying the handle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said host provisions said handle to said selected volume and to said different volume in compliance with security rules.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said security rules stipulate that the autonomously accessible volume being representative of at least one snapshot of data associated only with a data volume of said host.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said host receiving from the storage manager at least two created handles;

and wherein said host autonomously provisioning said at least two handles to at least two volumes respectively; and

wherein the host attaching said at least two handles to at least one application so as to obtain respective at least one application viewed volume names; and

wherein said host accessing concurrently said at least two volumes through said at least one application viewed volume names.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said command is issued through Command Line Interface (CLI).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said accessing includes reading and/or writing to said volume.

9. A method for accessing data in an external virtual memory, comprising:

(a) a host receiving from a storage manager a created handle identifiable by a value indicative of a place holder volume configured for allowing access to any volume selected by the host and allowed to be accessed by the host, wherein said volume forms part of accessible volumes in said virtual memory;

(b) the host autonomously provisions said handle to a selected volume from among said accessible volumes, by attaching said place holder volume to said selected volume, without changing the value of said handle;

(c) the host accessing said selected volume using the same value of said handle and said place holder volume.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the host associating said handle to an application accommodated in said host so as to obtain an application viewed volume name;

and wherein said (c) includes the application of said host accessing said selected volume through said application viewed volume name and said place holder volume.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said host provisions said handle to said selected volume in compliance with security rules.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said security rules stipulate that the autonomously accessible volume being representative of at least one snapshot of data associated only with a data volume of said host.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein said (b) includes the place holder volume inheriting a characteristic of said selected volume.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said characteristic includes the volume size.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein in response to a command said host autonomously detaching said handle from said selected volume by detaching the place holder volume from said selected volume and autonomously attaching by means of said handle, said place holder volume to a different volume from among said accessible volumes, so as to allow accessing said different volume through said handle, using the same value of said handle and in compliance with security rules.

16. The method according to claim 9, further comprising in case that said place holder volume is not attached to a volume, and in response to an attempt of said application to access a volume, returning to said application an error indication signifying that the place holder volume is not attached to a volume.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein said host receiving from the storage manager at least two created handles associated with respective at least two place holder volumes for accessing volumes;

and wherein said host autonomously provisioning said at least two handles to at least two volumes utilizing said at least two place holder volumes respectively;

and wherein the host attaching said at least two handles to at least one application so as to obtain respective at least one application viewed volume names; and

wherein said host accessing concurrently said at least two volumes through said at least one application viewed volume names and said place holder volumes.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein said autonomously provisioning said at least two handles to at least two volumes includes the at least two place holder volumes inheriting the characteristic of said at least two volumes, respectively.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said characteristic includes the volume size.

20. A method for facilitating access of data from an external virtual memory, comprising:

(a) a storage manager creating at least one handle, identifiable by a value indicative of at least an application accommodated in a host requesting said at least one handle;

(b) a host manager provisioning said at least one handle to a respective at least one volume in compliance with security rules;

(c) the host manager autonomously accessing said at least one volume through said at least one handle; and

(d) responsive to an application command, said host manager autonomously detaching said handle from said selected volume and autonomously attaching said handle with a different volume from among said accessible volumes, so as to allow the application to access said different volume through said handle, using the same value of said handle.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said volume represents a snapshot.

22. A system for accessing data in an external virtual memory, comprising:

a host associated with a host manager being configured to receive from a storage manager a created handle, identifiable by a value indicative of at least an application accommodated in said host, for autonomously allowing access to any volume, selected by the host and allowed to be accessed by the host, wherein said volume forms part of accessible volumes said virtual memory;

the host manager being configured to autonomously provision said handle to a selected volume from among said accessible volumes;

the host manager being configured to access said selected volume through said handle; and

responsive to an application command, said host manager being configured to autonomously detach said handle from said selected volume and to autonomously attach said handle to a different volume from among said accessible volumes, so as to allow the host to access said different volume through said handle, using the same value of said handle.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the host manager being configured to associate said handle to said application accommodated in said host so as to obtain an application viewed volume name, and wherein said application of said host being configured to access said selected volume through said application viewed volume name.

24. A system for accessing data in an external virtual memory, comprising:

a host including host manager configured to receive from a storage manager a created handle identifiable by a value indicative of a place holder volume configured for enabling access to any volume selected by the host and allowed to be accessed by the host, wherein said volume forms part of accessible volumes in said virtual memory;

the host manager being configured to autonomously provision said handle to a selected volume from among said accessible volumes, by attaching said place holder volume to said selected volume, without changing the value of said handle;

the host manager being configured to access said selected volume using the same value of said handle and said place holder volume.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein upon provisioning said handler to said selected volume, the place holder volume inheriting a characteristic of said selected volume.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein in response to a command said host manager autonomously detaching said handle from said selected volume by detaching the place holder volume from said selected volume and autonomously attaching by means of said handle, said place holder volume to a different volume from among said accessible volumes, so as to allow accessing said different volume through said handle, using the same value of said handle and in compliance with security rules.

27. The system according to claim 24, further comprising, in case that said place holder volume is not attached to a volume, and in response to an attempt to access a volume, returning an error indication signifying that the place holder volume is not attached to a volume.

28. A system for facilitating access of data from an external virtual memory, comprising:

a storage manager being configured to create at least one handle, identifiable by a value indicative of at least an application accommodated in a host requesting said at least one handle;

a host manager implemented as a combination comprising, at least, hardware and software, and being configured to provision said at least one handle to a respective at least one volume in compliance with security rules; and

the host manager being configured to autonomously access said at least one volume through said at least one handle; and

responsive to an application command, said host manager being configured to autonomously detach said at least one handle from said selected volume and to autonomously attach said at least one handle with a different volume, so as to allow the host to access said different volume through said at least one handle, using the same value of said at least one handle.

29. A computer program product that includes a non-transitory storage medium storing computer code for accessing data in an external virtual memory, comprising:

(a) a computer code portion for receiving from a storage manager a created handle, identifiable by a value indicative of an application accommodated in a host requesting said handle, for allowing autonomous access to any volume selected by the host and allowed to be accessed by the host, wherein said volume forms part of accessible volumes of said virtual memory;

(b) a computer code portion for autonomously provisioning said handle to a selected volume from among said accessible volumes;

(c) a computer code portion for accessing said selected volume through said handle; and

(d) a computer code portion for, responsive to an application command, autonomously detaching said handle from said selected volume and autonomously attaching said handle with a different volume from among said accessible volumes in compliance with security rules, so as to allow the application to access said different volume through said handle, using the same value of said handle.

30. A computer program product that includes a non-transitory storage medium storing computer code for accessing data in an external virtual memory, comprising:

(a) a computer code portion for receiving from a storage manager a created handle identifiable by a value indicative of a place holder volume for allowing access to any volume selected by a host requesting said handle and allowed to be accessed by the host, wherein said volume forms part of accessible volumes in said virtual memory;

(b) a computer code portion for autonomously provisioning said handle to a selected volume from among said accessible volumes, by attaching said place holder volume to said selected volume, without changing the value of said handle;

(c) a computer code portion for accessing said selected volume using the same value of said handle and said place holder volume.

31. A computer program product that includes a non-transitory storage medium storing computer code for facilitating access of data from an external virtual memory, comprising:

(a) a computer code portion for creating at least one handle, identifiable by a value indicative of an application accommodated in a host requesting said at least one handle;

(b) a computer code portion for provisioning said at least one handle to a respective at least one volume in compliance with security rules; and

(c) a computer code portion for autonomously accessing said at least one volume through said at least one handle; and

(d) a computer code portion for, responsive to an application command, autonomously detaching said at least one handle from said selected volume and autonomously attaching said at least one handle with a different volume from among said accessible volumes in compliance with security rules, so as to allow the application to access said different volume through said at least one handle, using the same value of said at least one handle.