SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING A CLOUD BRIDGE BETWEEN VIRTUAL STORAGE RESOURCES

• US 20110022812A1
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Halls, David, van der Linden, Rob, Benoit, Peter, Waterhouse, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

Methods and systems for establishing a cloud bridge between two virtual storage resources and for transmitting data from one first virtual storage resource to the other virtual storage resource. The system can include a first virtual storage resource or cloud, and a storage delivery management service that executes on a computer and within the first virtual storage resource. The storage delivery management service can receive user credentials of a user that identify a storage adapter. Upon receiving the user credentials, the storage delivery management service can invoke the storage adapter which executes an interface that identifies a second virtual storage resource and includes an interface translation file. The storage delivery management service accesses the second virtual storage resource and establishes a cloud bridge with the second virtual storage resource using information obtained from the second virtual storage resource and information translated by the storage adapter using the interface translation file.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a cloud bridge between a first virtual storage resource and a second virtual storage resource for transmitting data from one of either the first virtual storage resource and the second virtual storage resource to the other of the first virtual storage resource and the second virtual storage resource, the method comprising:

receiving, by a storage delivery management service executing on a computer within a first virtual storage resource, user credentials of a user, the user credentials identifying a storage adapter;

invoking, by the storage delivery management service responsive to receiving the user credentials, the storage adapter identified in the user credentials;

executing, by the invoked storage adapter identified in the user credentials, an interface identifying a second virtual storage resource and comprising an interface translation file;

accessing, by the storage delivery management service via the storage adapter, the second virtual storage resource; and

establishing, by the storage delivery management service, a cloud bridge between the first virtual storage resource and the second virtual storage resource using information stored in the second virtual storage resource, the information translated by the storage adapter using the interface translation file of the second virtual storage resource.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enumerating a list of storage adapters associated with the user responsive to receiving the user credentials.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein invoking the storage adapter further comprises:

selecting a storage adapter from the enumerated list of storage adapters; and

invoking the selected storage adapter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enumerating a list of virtual storage resources associated with the storage adapter responsive to invoking the storage adapter.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising enumerating a list of access ports in the second virtual storage resource responsive to invoking the storage adapter.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

selecting an access port from the list of access ports; and

issuing a connection request to the selected access port, the connection request translated by the storage adapter using the interface translation file.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

establishing a connection to the selected access port of the second virtual storage resource; and

accessing data stored in the second virtual storage resource via the access port.

8. A system for establishing a cloud bridge between a first virtual storage resource and a second virtual storage resource for transmitting data from one of either the first virtual storage resource and the second virtual storage resource to the other of the first virtual storage resource and the second virtual storage resource, the system comprising:

a first virtual storage resource; and

a storage delivery management service executing on a computer within the first virtual storage resource to;

receive user credentials of a user, the user credentials identifying a storage adapter,

invoke, responsive to receiving the user credentials, the storage adapter identified in the user credentials, wherein the storage adapter executes an interface identifying a second virtual storage resource and comprising an interface translation file,

access, via the storage adapter, the second virtual storage resource, and

establish a cloud bridge between the first virtual storage resource and the second virtual storage resource using information stored in the second virtual storage resource, the information translated by the storage adapter using the interface translation file of the second virtual storage resource.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the storage delivery management service enumerates a list of storage adapters associated with the user responsive to receiving the user credentials.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the storage delivery management service selects a storage adapter from the enumerated list of storage adapters, and invokes the selected storage adapter.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the storage delivery management service enumerates a list of virtual storage resources associated with the storage adapter responsive to invoking the storage adapter.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the storage delivery management service enumerates a list of access ports in the second virtual storage resource responsive to invoking the storage adapter.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the storage delivery management service selects an access port from the list of access ports, and issues a connection request to the selected access port, the connection request translated by the storage adapter using the interface translation file.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the storage delivery management service establishes a connection to the selected access port of the second virtual storage resource, and accesses data stored in the second virtual storage resource via the access port.