Synchronizing configuration of partner objects across distributed storage systems using transformations

• US 9,836,476 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Vijayan, Anoop Chakkalakkal
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US14/496,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20160092463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0712 in a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1484 involving virtual machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1658 Data re-synchronization of a redundant component, or initial sync of replacement, additional or spare unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0667 at data level, e.g. file, record or object virtualisation
• 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

A configuration for a component of a primary node is synchronized with a configuration for a component of a partner node in a different cluster by replicating the primary node configuration with the partner node. A baseline configuration replication comprises a snapshot of a component configuration on the primary. The baseline configuration can be generated by traversing through the configuration objects, capturing their attributes and encapsulating them in a package. The baseline package can then be transferred to the partner node. The configuration objects can be applied on the partner node in the order in which they were captured on the primary node. Attributes of the configuration objects are identified that are to be transformed. Values for the identified attributes are transformed from a name space in the primary node to a name space in the partner node.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

evaluating a first configuration object for a first storage virtual machine to identify a first identifier used to identify the first storage virtual machine, wherein the first configuration object is specified in a first identifier space of a first node hosting the first storage virtual machine;

determining that the use of the first identifier by both the first storage virtual machine and a second storage virtual machine of a second node for identification creates a naming conflict where the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine operate in conflicting operation based upon the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine using the same identifier for identification node, wherein the second storage virtual machine is a partner of the first storage virtual machine;

transforming, based upon the determination of the naming conflict, the first identifier into a second identifier to use for identifying the second storage virtual machine, wherein the second identifier is transformed into a second identifier space for the second node, wherein use of the second identifier by the second storage virtual machine for identification does not cause the naming conflict;

replicating the first configuration object, with the second identifier replacing the first identifier, from the first node to the second node as a second configuration object, wherein the second identifier and attributes of the first configuration object are populated within the second configuration object for use by the second storage virtual machine; and

executing the second storage virtual machine to utilize the second identifier from the second configuration object for non-conflicting operation with the first storage virtual machine, wherein the non-conflicting operation results from the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine using different identifiers for identification.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

replicating an update to the first configuration object from the first node to the second node through a replication stream for applying the update to the second configuration object.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

deleting the second configuration object based upon a key attribute of the first configuration object not matching a second key attribute of the second configuration object.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

ordering configuration objects of the first storage virtual machine into a baseline configuration for the first storage virtual machine, wherein the configuration objects are ordered based upon a dependency amongst the configuration objects.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the ordering comprises ordering the configuration objects according to an order of object creation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the first identifier comprising replacing a first name used to identify the first storage virtual machine with a second name used to identify the second storage virtual machine.

7. The method of claim 4, comprising replicating, according to an ordering of the configuration objects within the baseline configuration, the configuration objects within the baseline configuration to the second node for applying to the second storage virtual machine.

8. A non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions comprising machine executable code that when executed by a machine, causes the machine to:

evaluate a first configuration object for a first storage virtual machine to identify a first identifier used to identify the first storage virtual machine, wherein the first configuration object is specified in a first identifier space of a first node hosting the first storage virtual machine;

determine that the use of the first identifier by both the first storage virtual machine and a second storage virtual machine of a second node for identification creates a naming conflict where the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine operate in conflicting operation based upon the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine using the same identifier for identification, wherein the second storage virtual machine is a partner of the first storage virtual machine;

transform, based upon the determination of the naming conflict, the first identifier into a second identifier to use for identifying the second storage virtual machine, wherein the second identifier is transformed into a second identifier space for the second node, wherein use of the second identifier by the second storage virtual machine for identification does not cause the naming conflict;

replicate the first configuration object, with the second identifier replacing the first identifier, from the first node to the second node as a second configuration object, wherein the second identifier and attributes of the first configuration object are populated within the second configuration object for use by the second storage virtual machine; and

execute the second storage virtual machine to utilize the second identifier from the second configuration object for non-conflicting operation with the first storage virtual machine, wherein the non-conflicting operation results from the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine using different identifiers for identification.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the machine executable code further comprises machine executable code to cause the machine to:

traverse configuration objects associated with the first storage virtual machine to create a baseline configuration object of configuration objects ordered based upon dependencies between the configuration objects.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the machine executable code further comprises machine executable code to cause the machine to:

lock the first configuration object to prevent modification to the first configuration object during the creation of the baseline configuration object.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the machine executable code further comprises machine executable code to cause the machine to:

specify a rule that a snapshot policy configuration object is to be ordered after a volume creation configuration object based upon the snapshot policy configuration object comprising an instruction to apply a snapshot policy to a new volume that is to be created by the volume creation configuration object.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein a byte-by-byte comparison is performed upon a key attribute of the first storage virtual machine and a second key attribute of the second storage virtual machine to determine whether the second configuration object already exists for the second storage virtual machine.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the machine executable code further comprises machine executable code to cause the machine to:

invoke a schema complier to transform the first identifier to the second identifier based upon a tag for the first configuration object indicating that the first identifier is to be transformed.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the tag for the first configuration object is specified in a configuration schema for the first configuration object.

15. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

memory having stored thereon instructions comprising processor executable code that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

evaluate a first configuration object for a first storage virtual machine to identify a first identifier used to identify the first storage virtual machine, wherein the first configuration object is specified in a first identifier space of a first node hosting the first storage virtual machine;

determine that the use of the first identifier by both the first storage virtual machine and a second storage virtual machine of a second node for identification creates a naming conflict where the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine operate in conflicting operation based upon the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine using the same identifier for identification, wherein the second storage virtual machine is a partner of the first storage virtual machine;

transform, based upon the determination of the naming conflict, the first identifier into a second identifier to use for identifying the second storage virtual machine, wherein the second identifier is transformed into a second identifier space for the second node, wherein use of the second identifier by the second storage virtual machine for identification does not cause the naming conflict;

replicate the first configuration object, with the second identifier replacing the first identifier, from the first node to the second node as a second configuration object, wherein the second identifier and attributes of the first configuration object are populated within the second configuration object for use by the second storage virtual machine; and

execute the second storage virtual machine to utilize the second identifier from the second configuration object for non-conflicting operation with the first storage virtual machine, wherein the non-conflicting operation results from the first storage virtual machine and the second storage virtual machine using different identifiers for identification.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the first configuration object comprises volume configuration information for a volume associated with the first storage virtual machine.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the first configuration object comprises a policy used by the first storage virtual machine.

18. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the first configuration object comprises an interface used by the first storage virtual machine.

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein a text string replacement operation is used to transform the first identifier.

20. The computing device of claim 15, wherein an integer replacement operation is used to transform the first identifier.