Systems and Methods for Automatically Generating A Mirrored Storage Configuration For a Storage Array

• US 20090204757A1
• Filed: 02/11/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, William C. III, Boyd, Patrick O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,438,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2087 with a common controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

An information handling system includes a plurality of storage enclosures, a plurality of logical storage units located in each storage enclosure, a controller connected to each of the plurality of logical storage units. The controller is configured to receive data regarding the plurality of logical storage units, and automatically execute an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration to be implemented, the mirrored storage configuration defining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units.

Claims

1. A method for automatically generating a mirrored storage configuration, comprising:

receiving data regarding a plurality of logical storage units located in multiple storage enclosures connected to a controller by multiple connections; and

automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration to be implemented, the mirrored storage configuration defining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at least a portion of the data regarding the plurality of logical storage units from a user via a user interface.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving from a user:

a selection of the group of logical storage units; and

a selection of a RAID level.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

receiving data regarding a plurality of logical storage units comprises automatically receiving data from a data object stored in each logical storage unit; and

the data object for each logical storage unit defines at least one of;

a storage enclosure ID identifying a particular storage enclosure in which the logical storage unit is located;

a slot ID identifying a particular slot in which the logical storage unit is located;

a connector ID identifying a particular connector associated with the logical storage unit;

the storage size of the logical storage unit; and

the type of the logical storage unit.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the received logical storage unit data includes data identifying, for each logical storage unit, a data connection between that logical storage unit and the controller; and

automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration comprises determining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on the data connection associated with each logical storage unit.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the received logical storage unit data includes data identifying a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration comprises determining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on the storage size of each logical storage unit.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration comprises:

separating the plurality of logical storage units into groups based on a data connection associated with each logical storage unit;

sorting the logical storage units in each group based on a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

determining mirrored pairs of logical storage units based at least on the separation of the logical storage units into groups and the sorting of the logical storage units based on the storage size of each logical storage unit.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration comprises:

pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different connections;

after pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different connections, pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures; and

after pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures, pairing remaining logical storage units located within the same storage enclosure.

9. A system for automatically generating a mirrored storage configuration in an information handling system including a plurality of logical storage units located in multiple storage enclosures, the system comprising:

a controller coupled to the plurality of logical storage units located in multiple storage enclosures, the controller configured to;

receive data regarding the plurality of logical storage units; and

automatically execute an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration to be implemented, the mirrored storage configuration defining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to receive at least a portion of the data regarding the plurality of logical storage units from a user via a user interface.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive from a user a selection of the group of logical storage units, and a selection of a RAID level; and

automatically execute an algorithm based at least on the selected group of logical storage units and the selected RAID level.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein:

the controller is configured to receive a data object stored in each logical storage unit; and

the data object for each logical storage unit defines at least one of;

a storage enclosure ID identifying a particular storage enclosure in which the logical storage unit is located;

a slot ID identifying a particular slot in which the logical storage unit is located;

a connector ID identifying a particular connector associated with the logical storage unit;

the storage size of the logical storage unit; and

the type of the logical storage unit.

13. A system according to claim 9, wherein:

the received logical storage unit data includes data identifying, for each logical storage unit, a data connection between that logical storage unit and the controller; and

the controller is configured to determine mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on the data connection associated with each logical storage unit.

14. A system according to claim 9, wherein:

the received logical storage unit data includes data identifying a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

the controller is configured to determine mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on the storage size of each logical storage unit.

15. A system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to:

separate the plurality of logical storage units into groups based on a data connection associated with each logical storage unit;

sort the logical storage units in each group based on a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

determine mirrored pairs of logical storage units based at least on the separation of the logical storage units into groups and the sorting of the logical storage units based on the storage size of each logical storage unit.

16. A system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to:

pair logical storage units connected to the controller by different connections;

after pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different connections, pair remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures; and

after pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures, pair remaining logical storage units located within the same storage enclosure.

17. An information handling system, comprising:

a plurality of storage enclosures; and

a plurality of logical storage units located in each storage enclosure; and

a controller connected to each of the plurality of logical storage units, the controller configured to;

receive data regarding the plurality of logical storage units; and

automatically execute an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration to be implemented, the mirrored storage configuration defining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units.

18. An information handling system according to claim 17, wherein:

the controller is configured to receive data from a data object stored in each logical storage unit; and

the data object for each logical storage unit defines at least one of;

a storage enclosure ID identifying a particular storage enclosure in which the logical storage unit is located;

a slot ID identifying a particular slot in which the logical storage unit is located;

a connector ID identifying a particular connector associated with the logical storage unit;

the storage size of the logical storage unit; and

the type of the logical storage unit.

19. An information handling system according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to:

separate the plurality of logical storage units into groups based on a data connection associated with each logical storage unit;

sort the logical storage units in each group based on a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

determine mirrored pairs of logical storage units based at least on the separation of the logical storage units into groups and the sorting of the logical storage units based on the storage size of each logical storage unit.

20. An information handling system according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to:

pair logical storage units connected to the controller by different connections;

after pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different connections, pair remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures; and

after pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures, pair remaining logical storage units located within the same storage enclosure.