METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR MANAGING STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20150142909A1
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synology Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Yi-Chien
• Granted Patent: US 10,298,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• 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 67/562 Brokering proxy services

Abstract

A method for managing a storage system, an associated apparatus, and an associated computer program product are provided, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of network storage devices, and the method includes the steps of: utilizing a broker module to receive a command from a client device; and utilizing the broker module to publish the command to a primary node and a secondary node in the storage system, to control the primary node and the secondary node perform a same operation corresponding to the command, and utilizing the broker module to receive acknowledgement from the primary node and acknowledgement from the secondary node, wherein the primary node represents at least one network storage device utilized as a primary responder within the plurality of network storage devices, and the secondary node represents at least one network storage device utilized as a secondary responder within the plurality of network storage devices.

Claims

1. A method for managing a storage system, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of network storage devices;

the method comprising;

utilizing a broker module to receive a command from a client device; and

utilizing the broker module to publish the command to a primary node and a secondary node in the storage system, to control the primary node and the secondary node to perform a same operation corresponding to the command, and utilizing the broker module to receive acknowledgement from the primary node and acknowledgement from the secondary node, wherein the primary node represents at least one network storage device utilized as a primary responder within the plurality of network storage devices, and the secondary node represents at least one network storage device utilized as a secondary responder within the plurality of network storage devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage system is an internet small computer system interface (iSCSI) storage system;

and the command is an iSCSI command.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the client device is an initiator of an iSCSI session, and the primary node and the secondary node are targets of the iSCSI session.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the broker module to temporarily store information representing the command into a buffer, to indicate that an operation of a current session corresponding to the command is not completed;

utilizing the broker module to control a specific node in the primary node and the secondary node to directly respond to the client device via a direct server return, wherein the specific node is selected according to states of the primary node and the secondary node, and another node in the primary node and the secondary node does not respond to the client device;

utilizing the broker module to check whether the client device transmits an acknowledgement corresponding to the direct server return; and

utilizing the broker module to erase the information representing the command in the buffer when the broker module receives the acknowledgement corresponding to the direct server return.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

utilizing the broker module to select the primary node as the specific node under a situation that the primary node is in an online state, to control the primary node to directly respond to the client device via the direct server return; and

utilizing the broker module to select the secondary node as the specific node under a situation that the primary node is in an offline state, to control the secondary node to directly respond to the client device via the direct server return.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

when the primary node is in the offline state, utilizing the broker module to control the secondary node to directly respond to the client device via the direct server return according to the information representing the command in the buffer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the primary node is in an abnormal state, utilizing the broker module to define the network storage devices represented by the secondary node and the primary node as a newest primary node and a newest secondary node, to utilize the newest primary node to directly respond to the client device via a direct server return.

8. A computer program product, comprising a program code to instruct at least one processor to perform the method of claim 1.

9. An apparatus for managing a storage system, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of network storage devices;

the device comprising;

a network module, for providing a network service to the apparatus, to maintain an operation of the storage system; and

a processing circuit, coupled to the network module, the processing circuit arranged for controlling the operation of the storage system, wherein the processing circuit comprises;

a broker module, arranged to receive a command from a client device through the network module, wherein the broker module publishes the command to a primary node and a secondary node in the storage system, to control the primary node and the secondary node to perform a same operation corresponding to the command; and

further arranged to receive acknowledgement from the primary node and acknowledgement from the secondary node, wherein the primary node represents at least one network storage device utilized as a primary responder within the plurality of network storage devices, and the secondary node represents at least one network storage device utilized as a secondary responder within the plurality of network storage devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the storage system is an internet small computer system interface (iSCSI) storage system;

and the command is an iSCSI command.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the client device is an initiator of an iSCSI session, and the primary node and the secondary node are targets of the iSCSI session.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the broker module temporarily stores information representing the command into a buffer, to indicate that the operation of a current session corresponding to the command is not completed;

the broker module controls a specific node in the primary node and the secondary node to directly respond to the client device via a direct server return, wherein the specific node is selected according to states of the primary node and the secondary node, and another node in the primary node and the secondary node does not respond to the client device;

the broker module checks whether the client device transmits an acknowledgement corresponding to the direct server return; and

the broker module erases the information representing the command in the buffer when the broker module receives the acknowledgement corresponding to the direct server return.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the broker module selects the primary node as the specific node under a situation that the primary node is in an online state, to control the primary node to directly respond to the client device via the direct server return;

and the broker module selects the secondary node as the specific node under a situation that the primary node is in an offline state, to control the secondary node to directly respond to the client device via the direct server return.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the primary node is in the offline state, the broker module controls the secondary node to directly respond to the client device via the direct server return according to the information representing the command in the buffer.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein when the primary node is in an abnormal state, the broker module defines the network storage devices represented by the secondary node and the primary node as a newest primary node and a newest secondary node, respectively, to utilize the newest primary node to directly respond to the client device via a direct server return.