System and method for construction, fault isolation, and recovery of cabling topology in a storage area network

• US 9,501,342 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Rossario, Britto, Jibbe, Mahmoud K
• Primary Examiner(s): Duncan, Marc
• Application Number:
  US14/013,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20140068337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0787 Storage of error reports, e.g. persistent data storage, storage using memory protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

System and method for construction, fault isolation, and recovery of cabling topology in a storage area network (SAN) is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method for construction, fault isolation, and recovery of cabling topology in a SAN, subsystem information associated with each subsystem in the SAN is obtained. Then, an IP port and zoning information associated with connections of each subsystem is obtained. Component information associated with each component is also obtained. Any other relevant information associated with each subsystem and each component is obtained from users. The obtained subsystem information, IP port and zoning information, component information, and any other relevant information are compiled. Test packets are then sent from end-to-end in SAN using compiled information. The sent test packets are tracked via each component in each subsystem in the SAN. The cabling topology of the SAN is then outputted based on the outcome of the tracking.

Claims

1. A method for construction, fault isolation, and recovery of cabling topology in a storage system, comprising:

obtaining subsystem information associated with each subsystem in the storage system by a management server connected to the storage system;

obtaining port and zoning information associated with connections of each subsystem in the storage system by the management server;

obtaining component information associated with each component in each subsystem in the storage system by the management server;

sending test packets via each IO path from end-to-end-in the storage system using at least one of the obtained port, zoning, and component information;

tracking the sent test packets via each component in each subsystem in the storage system; and

outputting the cabling topology of the storage system based on the tracking.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the subsystem information associated with each subsystem in the storage system comprises:

obtaining hardware, firmware, driver, and application software information associated with each subsystem in the storage system;

comparing the obtained hardware, firmware, driver and applications software information with a list of recommended firmware, driver and application software information; and

outputting results of the comparison including any discrepancies found in the firmware, driver and application software information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsystem includes devices selected from the group consisting of one or more hosts, one or more switches, one or more storage array controllers, and one or more databases.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the component comprises devices selected from the group consisting of one or more drive trays, one or more drive slots, and one or more disk drives.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the component information includes information selected from the group consisting of subsystem name, type of operating system, fail over information, storage tray connected with each storage array, storage array model information, switch model information, cabling harness details, and logon credentials.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the sent test packets via each component in each subsystem comprises:

tracking the test packets sent via each IP path from end-to-end in the storage system to obtain component association information to obtain the cabling topology of the storage system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

declaring a point of failure for one or more the IO paths if associated test packets are not returned within a predetermined time to the management server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein declaring the point of failure for one or more the IO paths if associated test packets are not returned within a predetermined time comprises:

declaring a last point to which the test packet reached as the point of failure for which each declared point of failure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the cabling topology of the storage system based on the outcome of the tracking comprises:

forming an existing storage system cabling topology XML file based on the outcome of the tracking;

forming a desired storage system cabling topology XML file based on obtained subsystem information, IP port and zoning information, and component information for each component; and

obtaining any existing cabling fault conditions in the cabling topology in the storage system using the formed existing storage system cabling topology XML file and the desired storage system cabling topology XML file.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage system comprises a storage area network (SAN), and

wherein the management server includes a cabling topology construction, fault isolation and recovery (CTCFIR) module operable to obtain the port and zoning information and to obtain the component information.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for providing cabling topology in a storage system, having instructions that, when executed by a computing device causes the computing device to:

obtain subsystem information associated with each subsystem in the storage system;

obtain connection information of each subsystem in the storage system;

obtain component information associated with each component in each subsystem in the storage system;

compile the obtained subsystem information, connection information, and component information;

send test packets via each IO path from end-to-end in the storage system using the compiled information;

track the sent test packets via each component in each subsystem in the storage system; and

output a cabling topology of the storage system based on the outcome of the tracking.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein obtaining the subsystem information associated with each subsystem in the storage system comprises:

obtaining hardware, firmware, driver, and application software information associated with each subsystem in the storage system;

comparing the obtained hardware, firmware, driver and applications software information with a list of recommended firmware, driver and application software information; and

outputting results of the comparison including any discrepancies found in the firmware, driver and application software information.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the storage system comprises a storage area network (SAN), and

wherein the computing device includes a cabling topology construction, fault isolation and recovery (CTCFIR) module operable to obtain the connection information and to obtain the component information.

14. A storage system, comprising:

a plurality of subsystems and wherein in each subsystem includes a plurality of components and wherein the storage system further includes a plurality of databases, and wherein the plurality of subsystems, the plurality of components, and the plurality of databases are communicatively coupled via cables;

a management server coupled to the plurality of storage subsystems via a network,

wherein the management server obtains subsystem information using its respective address,

wherein the management server further obtains port and zoning information associated with cabling connections of each subsystem,

wherein the management server furthermore obtains component information associated with each component in each subsystem by sending commands,

wherein the management server compiles the obtained subsystem information, port and zoning information, and the component information,

wherein the management server sends test packets via each IO path from end-to-end in the storage system using the compiled information, and

wherein the management server tracks the sent test packets via each component in each subsystem, and wherein the management server outputs the cabling topology of the storage system based on the outcome of the tracking.

15. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the subsystem information comprises information selected from the group consisting of hardware, firmware, driver, and application software information associated with each subsystem in the storage system.

16. The storage system of claim 15, wherein the storage system compares the obtained hardware, firmware, driver and applications software information with a list of recommended firmware, driver and application software information, and wherein the storage system outputs results of the comparison including any discrepancies found in the firmware, driver and application software information.

17. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the subsystem comprises devices selected from the group consisting of one or more hosts, one or more switches, one or more storage array controllers, and one or more databases.

18. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the component comprises devices selected from the group consisting of one or more drive trays, one or more drive slots, and one or more disk drives.

19. The storage system of claim 18, wherein the component information includes information selected from the group consisting of subsystem name, type of operating system, fail over information, storage tray connected with each storage array, storage array model information, switch model information, cabling harness details, and logon credentials.

20. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the storage system comprises a storage area network (SAN), and

wherein the management server includes a cabling topology construction, fault isolation and recovery (CTCFIR) module operable to obtain the port and zoning information and to obtain the information associated with each component in each subsystem.