Guided configuration of data storage systems

• US 20050246479A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Brewer, Michael Allan, Workman, Michael Lee, Boulay, Paul Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0626 Reducing size or complexity of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for configuring a data storage system. One method adds a Fibre Channel device to the loop by beaconing first and second ports, displaying instructions to connect a cable, receiving an indication the cable is connected, enabling the first port, initiating a LIP, and verifying whether the cable is connected. Another method removes a Fibre Channel device from the loop by beaconing the second port, bypassing the first port, initiating a LIP, beaconing the first port, displaying instructions for disconnecting the cable, and receiving an indication the cable is disconnected. A system includes means for displaying instructions to add a Fibre Channel device on the loop and a management controller for beaconing first and second ports, displaying instructions to connect a cable, receiving an indication that the cable is connected, enabling the first port, initiating a LIP, and verifying whether the cable is connected properly. Another system includes means for displaying instructions to remove a Fibre Channel device from the loop and a management controller programmed for beaconing the second port, bypassing the first port, initiating a LIP, beaconing the first port, displaying instructions to disconnect a cable, receiving an indication that the cable is disconnected, and verifying whether the cable is disconnected.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a data storage system having a Fibre Channel loop including a first port to be connected to a second port, comprising:

(a) beaconing the first port;

(b) beaconing the second port;

(c) displaying instructions to a user to connect a cable between the first port and the second port;

(d) receiving an indication that the cable is connected between the first port and the second port;

(e) enabling the first port;

(f) initiating a LIP on the Fibre Channel loop; and

(g) verifying whether the cable is connected between the first port and the second port.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beaconing in steps (a) and (b) includes turning on a first light corresponding to the first port and a second light corresponding to the second port.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the beaconing in steps (a) and (b) includes changing the color of a first light corresponding to the first port and a second light corresponding to the second port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the beaconing in steps (a) and (b) includes a step of turning off all lights corresponding to other ports in the data storage system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying in step (c) is on a management client.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising suspending traffic on the loop before step (e) and resuming traffic on the loop after step (f).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving in step (d) includes automatically detecting the cable is connected between the first port and the second port.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving in step (d) includes receiving user input indicating the cable is connected between the first port and the second port.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying in step (g) is by determining the identity for the second port during the LIP.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising step (g) determining that the cable is not connected between the first port and the second port, wherein the method repeats steps (a) through (g).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first port is located on a node of a first data storage subsystem and wherein the second port is located on a node of a second data storage subsystem.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first port is located on a node of a first host and wherein the second port is located on a node of a first data storage subsystem.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first port is located on a node of a first host and wherein the second port is located on a node of a second host.

14. A method of configuring a data storage system having a Fibre Channel loop including a cable connecting a first port to a second port, comprising:

(a) beaconing the second port;

(b) bypassing the first port;

(c) initiating a LIP on the loop having the bypassed first port;

(d) beaconing the first port;

(e) displaying instructions for disconnecting the cable between the first port and the second port; and

(f) receiving an indication that the cable is disconnected.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the beaconing in steps (a) and (d) includes turning on a first light corresponding to the first port and a second light corresponding to the second port.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the beaconing in steps (a) and (d) includes changing the color of a first light corresponding to the first port and a second light corresponding to the second port.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the beaconing in steps (a) and (d) includes a step of turning off all lights corresponding to other ports in the data storage system.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the displaying in step (e) is on a management client.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving in step (f) includes automatically detecting the cable is disconnected between the first port and the second port.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving in step (f) includes receiving user input indicating that the cable is disconnected between the first port and the second port.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising suspending traffic on the loop before step (b) and resuming traffic on the loop after step (c).

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the first port is located on a node of a first data storage subsystem and wherein the second port is located on a node of a second data storage subsystem.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the first port is located on a node of a first host and wherein the second port is located on a node of a first data storage subsystem.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the first port is located on a node of a first host and wherein the second port is located on a node of a second host.

25. A system for adding a second Fibre Channel Device with a second port to a Fibre Channel loop having a first Fibre Channel Device with a first port, comprising:

means for displaying instructions to connect the second Fibre Channel device on the loop; and

a management controller programmed for beaconing the first and second ports, displaying instructions to connect a cable between the first and second ports, receiving an indication that the cable is connected, enabling the first port, initiating a LIP on the loop, and verifying whether a cable is connected properly between the first and second Fibre Channel devices.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second Fibre Channel device beacons the second port.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the management controller is further programmed for suspending and resuming traffic on the Fibre Channel loop.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the first Fibre Channel device is a first host and the second Fibre Channel device is a second host.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the first Fibre Channel device is a first host and the second Fibre Channel device is a first data storage subsystem.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the first Fibre Channel device is a first data storage subsystem and the second Fibre Channel device is a second data storage subsystem.

31. A system for removing a second Fibre Channel Device with a second port from a Fibre Channel loop having a first Fibre Channel Device with a first port, comprising:

means for displaying instructions to remove the second Fibre Channel device from the Fibre Channel loop; and

a management controller programmed for beaconing the second port, bypassing the first port, initiating a LIP on the Fibre Channel loop, beaconing the first port, displaying instructions to disconnect a cable between the first and second ports, receiving an indication that the cable is disconnected, and verifying whether the cable is disconnected from the first and second ports.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the management controller is further programmed for suspending and resuming traffic on the Fibre Channel loop.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the management controller is further programmed for overriding and restoring normal operation of the lights.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the first Fibre Channel device is a first host and the second Fibre Channel device is a second host.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the first Fibre Channel device is a first host and the second Fibre Channel device is a first data storage subsystem.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the first Fibre Channel device is a first data storage subsystem and the second Fibre Channel device is a second data storage subsystem.