System and method of non-disruptive data migration between virtual arrays of heterogeneous storage arrays

• US 9,063,896 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Madnani, Kiran, Ofer, Adi, Brown, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERNARD, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/771,686
• Time in Patent Office: 2,916 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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

Described is non-disruptive data migration from a source virtual array at a source storage array to a target virtual array at a heterogeneous destination storage array. A name server database is queried to obtain port names for each source port. The source storage array is queried to obtain information about each source virtual array LUN. A target virtual array is generated at the destination array for receiving a copy of data resident at the source virtual array. The target virtual array has at least as many ports and at least as many LUNs as the source virtual array. Data resident in the source virtual array LUNs are copied to corresponding target virtual array LUNs. The name server database is reconfigured to associate source port names with the virtual port addresses of the target virtual array such that the target virtual array appears to a host as the source virtual array.

Claims

1. A method for non-disruptively migrating data from a source storage array to a destination storage array, the source and destination storage arrays being heterogeneous, wherein heterogeneous storage arrays are different enough from each other to preclude direct communication with each other in order to coordinate and conduct data migration therebetween, the method comprising:

querying a name server database, used by hosts to learn name and address associations of devices, to obtain port names for each source port of the source storage array;

communicating with the source storage array to obtain information about the source storage array and about each logical unit of storage (LUN) of a source virtual array at the source storage array;

generating a target virtual array spanning at least one physical destination storage array for receiving a copy of data resident in the source virtual array, the target virtual array being configured with at least as many virtual ports as source ports of the source virtual array and with at least as many logical units of storage (LUNs) as LUNs of the source virtual array, each LUN of the source virtual array corresponding to one of the LUNs of the target virtual array and being equal in storage capacity to that corresponding LUN, each virtual port having a virtual port address;

copying data resident in the LUNs of the source virtual array to corresponding LUNs in the target virtual array; and

reconfiguring the name server database to associate port names of the source ports of the source virtual array with the virtual port addresses of the virtual ports of the target virtual array such that the target virtual array appears to a host as the source virtual array.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating with the source storage array includes issuing SCSI inquiry commands to the source storage array to learn of the source storage array and LUN information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of altering zoning after switchover such that hosts cannot communicate with the source virtual array.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of copying is initiated by logic executing at a host.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of copying is initiated by logic executing at a switch in communication with the source and destination storage arrays.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of copying is initiated by logic executing at the destination storage array.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the source ports of the source virtual array are virtual ports.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising rendering the source storage array invisible to hosts after copying all data resident in the LUNs of the source virtual array to the target virtual array and during switchover to the target virtual array.

9. A storage area network comprising:

a switch;

a name server database that associates names and addresses of ports coupled to the switch, the name server database being accessible to one or more hosts for learning name and address associations;

a source storage array having a source virtual array and one or more source ports coupled to the switch, each source port having a source port name and a source port address;

a destination storage array having a target virtual array for receiving a copy of data resident in the source virtual array, the source and destination storage arrays being heterogeneous, wherein heterogeneous storage arrays are different enough from each other to preclude direct communication with each other in order to coordinate and conduct data migration therebetween, the target virtual array of the destination storage array being configured with at least as many virtual ports as source ports of the source virtual array and with at least as many logical units of storage (LUNs) as LUNs of the source virtual array, each LUN of the source virtual array corresponding to one of the LUNs of the target virtual array and being equal in storage capacity to that corresponding LUN, each virtual port of the target virtual array having a virtual port name and virtual port address;

logic copying data resident in the LUNs of the source virtual array to corresponding LUNs of the target virtual array; and

logic induces the name server database to be reconfigured to associate port names of the source ports of the source virtual array with the virtual port addresses of the virtual ports of the target virtual array such that the target virtual array appears to a host as the source virtual array.

10. The storage area network of claim 9, wherein the logic communicating with the source storage array includes logic issuing SCSI inquiry commands to the source storage array to learn of the source storage array and LUN information.

11. The storage area network of claim 9, further comprising logic altering zoning after switchover such that hosts cannot communicate with the source virtual array.

12. The storage area network of claim 9, wherein the logic copying is initiated by logic executing at a host.

13. The storage area network of claim 9, wherein the logic copying is initiated by logic executing at a switch in communication with the source and destination storage arrays.

14. The storage area network of claim 9, wherein the logic copying is initiated by logic executing at the destination storage array.

15. The storage area network of claim 9, wherein the source virtual array is rendered invisible to hosts after all data resident in the LUNs of the source virtual array is copied to the target virtual array and during switchover to the target virtual array.

16. The storage area network of claim 9, wherein the source ports for accessing the source virtual address are virtual ports.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-useable medium having a computer-readable program code embodied in said medium for non-disruptively migrating data in a storage area network from a source storage array to one or more destination storage arrays, the source storage array being heterogeneous with respect to the one or more destination storage arrays, wherein heterogeneous storage arrays are different enough from each other to preclude direct communication with each other in order to coordinate and conduct data migration therebetween, the computer readable program code in said medium comprising;

computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to query a name server database, used by hosts to learn name and address associations of devices, to obtain port names for each source port of the source storage array;

computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to communicate with the source storage array to obtain information about the source storage array and about each logical unit of storage (LUN) of a source virtual array at the source storage array;

computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to generate a target virtual array spanning at least one physical destination storage array for receiving a copy of data resident in the source virtual array, the target virtual array being configured with at least as many virtual ports as source ports of the source virtual array and with at least as many logical units of storage (LUNs) as LUNs of the source virtual array, each LUN of the source virtual array corresponding to one of the LUNs of the target virtual array and being equal in storage capacity to that corresponding LUN, each virtual port having a virtual port address;

computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to copy data resident in the LUNs of the source virtual array to corresponding LUNs in the target virtual array; and

computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to reconfigure the name server database to associate port names of the source ports of the source virtual array with the virtual port addresses of the virtual ports of the target virtual array such that the target virtual array appears to a host as the source virtual array.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to communicate with the source storage array includes computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to issue SCSI inquiry commands to the source storage array to learn of the source storage array and LUN information.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to alter zoning after switchover such that hosts cannot communicate with the source virtual array.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to copy data is initiated by computer-readable program code executing at a host.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to copy data is initiated by the computer-readable program code executing at a switch in communication with the source and destination storage arrays.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the storage area network to copy data is initiated by the computer-readable program code executing at the destination storage array.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the source ports for accessing the source virtual array are virtual ports.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising computer-readable program code for rendering the source virtual array invisible to hosts after all data resident in the LUNs of the source virtual array is copied to the target virtual array and during switchover to the target virtual array.