Managing mapping in networks

• US 9,692,659 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Yu, Huijun
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Jung
• Application Number:
  US14/590,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20150124653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/356 for storage area networks
• 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 method for managing mapping in a network includes: programming mapping relationships between a VSAN and a VLAN of a fabric in advance, which include mapping relationships between VSANs and VLANs programmed in advance for each FCoE switch needed by the fabric; obtaining mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured currently for all the FCoE switches of the fabric, when obtained mapping relationships are inconsistent with the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships, automatically updating mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and/or mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships.

Claims

1. A method for managing mapping in a network, comprising:

programming in advance mapping relationships between a Virtual Storage Area Network (VSAN) and a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) of a fabric for each Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) switch needed by the fabric;

obtaining, by a server, from the FCoE switches, mapping relationships between VSANs and VLANs configured in all FCoE switches of the fabric;

determining, by the server, that the mapping relationships obtained from the FCoE switches are inconsistent with the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships, wherein the inconsistent mapping relationships comprise a mapping relationship obtained from one of the FCoE switches that is incorrect with respect to the mapping relationships programmed in advance for the FCoE switch; and

at least one of;

automatically updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

automatically updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, so that the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in each FCoE switch of the fabric are consistent with the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for each FCoE switch of the fabric.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the mapping relationships further comprises obtaining the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in all the FCoE switches of the fabric at least one of regularly and under triggering of a pre-determined operation;

wherein the pre-determined operation comprises updating the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships and processing at least one strategy set by a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a processing strategy set by a user is to automatically update the inconsistent mapping relationships or to provide the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user;

in response to determining that the processing strategy is to automatically update the inconsistent mapping relationships, at least one of;

automatically updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

automatically updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships; and

in response to determining that the processing strategy is to provide the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user, providing the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user, wherein the user is to update at least one of;

the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when an FCoE switch is being newly added into the fabric, obtaining mapping relationships between a VSAN and a VLAN programmed in advance for the newly-added FCoE switch from the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships;

when the newly-added FCoE switch is not configured with the VSAN or the VLAN in the obtained mapping relationships, configuring the newly-added FCoE switch with the VSAN or the VLAN in the obtained mapping relationships and configuring the newly-added FCoE switch with the obtained mapping relationships.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships and markers with which the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships are identified;

wherein, for each displayed programmed-in-advance mapping relationship,

when the mapping relationship is programmed for all the FCoE switches of the fabric, identifying the mapping relationship with a first marker that is to show that the mapping relationship is programmed for all the FCoE switches of the fabric; and

when the mapping relationship is programmed for some of the FCoE switches, identifying the mapping relationship with a second marker that is to show that each FCoE switch for which the mapping relationship is programmed is to be acquired through triggering of the second marker.

6. An apparatus for managing mapping in a network, comprising:

a server including a storage unit, a processor, a memory and a network card, wherein the memory is to store instructions executable for the processor;

wherein,

the storage unit is to store programmed-in-advance mapping relationships between a Virtual Storage Area Network (VSAN) and a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) of a fabric, the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships comprise mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN programmed in advance for each FCoE switch needed by the fabric;

while the instructions stored in the memory are executed by the processor, the processor is to obtain, from the FCoE switches, mapping relationships between VSANs and VLANs configured in the FCoE switches of the fabric through the network card, and when the obtained mapping relationships are inconsistent with the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships stored in the storage unit, wherein the inconsistent mapping relationships comprise a mapping relationship obtained from one of the FCoE switches that is incorrect with respect to the mapping relationships programmed in advance for the FCoE switch, the processor is to at least one of;

update through the network card, the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

update the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships that are stored in the storage unit, so that the mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN configured in each FCoE switch of the fabric are consistent with the mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN programmed in advance for each FCoE switch that are stored in the storage unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is to obtain the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in all the FCoE switches of the fabric at least one of regularly and under triggering of a pre-determined operation;

wherein the pre-determined operation comprises updating the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships and processing at least one strategy set by a user.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein while the instructions stored in the memory are executed by the processor,

the processor is further to determine whether a processing strategy set by a user is to automatically correct the inconsistent mapping relationships or to provide the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user;

in response to determining that the processing strategy set is to automatically correct the inconsistent mapping relationships, the processor is to at least one of;

update, through the network card, the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

update the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships that are stored in the storage unit, so that the mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN configured in each FCoE switch of the fabric are consistent with the mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN programmed in advance for each FCoE switch that are stored in the storage unit;

in response to determining that the processing strategy is to provide the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user, the processor is to provide the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user, wherein the user is to update at least one of;

the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships which are stored in the storage unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein while the instructions stored in the memory are executed by the processor,

the processor is to, when an FCoE switch is newly added into the fabric, obtain mapping relationships between a VSAN and a VLAN programmed in advance for the newly-added FCoE switch from the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships that are stored in the storage unit;

and

the processor is to, when the newly-added FCoE switch is not configured with the VSAN or the VLAN in the obtained mapping relationships, configure the newly-added FCoE switch with the VSAN or the VLAN in the obtained mapping relationships through the network card and configure the newly-added FCoE switch with the obtained mapping relationships through the network card.

10. A computer system to manage mapping in a network, the computer system comprising:

a storage device that stores programmed-in-advance mapping relationships between a Virtual Storage Area Network (VSAN) and a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) of a fabric, the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships comprising mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN programmed in advance for FCoE switches for the fabric;

at least one processor that

obtains, from the FCoE switches, mapping relationships between VSANs and VLANs configured in the FCoE switches, and

if the obtained mapping relationships are inconsistent with the stored programmed-in-advance mapping relationships, wherein the inconsistent mapping relationships comprise a mapping relationship obtained from one of the FCoE switches that is incorrect with respect to the mapping relationships programmed in advance for the FCoE switch, the at least one processor performs to at least one of;

updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, so that the mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN configured in each of the FCoE switches are consistent with the mapping relationships between the VSAN and the VLAN programmed in advance for each FCoE switch that are stored in the storage device.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor obtains the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches at least one of regularly and under triggering of a pre-determined operation;

wherein the pre-determined operation comprises updating the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships and processing at least one strategy set by a user.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor determines whether a processing strategy set by a user is to automatically correct the inconsistent mapping relationships or to provide the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein in response to determining that the processing strategy set is to automatically correct the inconsistent mapping relationships, the at least one processor performs at least one of:

updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

updating the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships; and

in response to determining that the processing strategy is to provide the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user, the at least one processor provides the inconsistent mapping relationships for the user, wherein the user is to update at least one of;

the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and

the mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein if an FCoE switch is newly added into the fabric, the at least one processor obtains mapping relationships between a VSAN and a VLAN programmed in advance for the newly-added FCoE switch from the stored programmed-in-advance mapping relationships;

and

if the newly-added FCoE switch is not configured with the VSAN or the VLAN in the obtained mapping relationships, the at least one processor configures the newly-added FCoE switch with the VSAN or the VLAN in the obtained mapping relationships.