Transactional SAN management

• US 7,403,987 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Marinelli, Robert J., Yaroslavsky, Leonid M., Ryu, Sung-Wook, Scammell, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BILGRAMI, ASGHAR H
• Application Number:
  US10/180,826
• Time in Patent Office: 2,218 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/221, 709/222, 709/224, 707/202
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• 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: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

System and method for performing transactional management tasks on a Storage Area Network (SAN). A user may initiate a SAN management task. A transaction may be generated that includes one or more operations to perform the SAN management task. In one embodiment, stored SAN information may be accessed to determine the operations to be performed. The one or more operations may be executed to perform the transaction. The operations may be directed at the stored SAN information and/or at one or more objects of the SAN. Results of the operations may be examined to determine if the transaction completed successfully. The initiator of the SAN management task may be notified of the status of the transaction. If the transaction did not completed successfully, the stored SAN information and/or SAN objects may be restored to a state prior to the transaction.

Claims

1. A storage area network (SAN), comprising:

a plurality of SAN components coupled to a SAN fabric;

a SAN management server coupled to the SAN fabric, wherein the SAN management server is configured to;

generate a transaction to perform a SAN management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations configured to be sent to one or more of the plurality of SAN components, wherein the SAN management task modifies configuration of the one or more of the plurality of SAN components;

execute the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN; and

restore the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

2. The SAN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a SAN manager client configured to initiate the SAN management task on the SAN management server in response to user input.

3. The SAN as recited in claim 2, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to send a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

4. The SAN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a persistent store coupled to the SAN management server and configured to store SAN configuration information, wherein the transaction further comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store.

5. The SAN as recited in claim 4, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to:

obtain the SAN configuration information from the plurality of SAN components; and

store the SAN configuration information to the persistent store.

6. The SAN as recited in claim 4, wherein, to restore the SAN to a state prior to the transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to restore the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store to a state prior to the transaction.

7. The SAN as recited in claim 1, further comprising a persistent store coupled to the SAN management server and configured to store SAN configuration information wherein, to generate a transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to access the SAN configuration information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction.

8. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the SAN operations are configured to modify one or more of the SAN components.

9. The SAN as recited in claim 8, wherein, to restore the SAN to a state prior to the transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to restore modified SAN components to a state prior to the transaction.

10. The SAN as recited in claim 1, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.

11. A system, comprising:

a storage area network (SAN) management server configured to couple to a SAN fabric and to obtain SAN configuration information from a plurality of SAN components coupled to the SAN fabric;

a persistent store configured to store the SAN configuration information;

wherein the SAN management server is further configured to;

generate a transaction to perform a SAN management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations configured to be sent to one or more of the plurality of SAN components, wherein the SAN management task modifies configuration information for the one or more of the plurality of SAN components;

wherein, to generate a transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to access the SAN configuration information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction;

execute the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN; and

restore the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to receive the SAN management task from a SAN manager client coupled to the SAN management server and configured to initiate the SAN management task in response to user input.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to send a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

14. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the transaction further comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein, to restore the SAN to a state prior to the transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to restore the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store to a state prior to the transaction.

16. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein one or more of the SAN operations are configured to modify one or more of the SAN components.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein, to restore the SAN to a state prior to the transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to restore modified SAN components to a state prior to the transaction.

18. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.

19. A storage area network (SAN), comprising:

a plurality of SAN components coupled to a SAN fabric;

a SAN management server configured to couple to the SAN fabric and to obtain SAN configuration information from the plurality of SAN components;

a persistent store coupled to the SAN management server and configured to store the SAN configuration information;

wherein the SAN management server is further configured to;

generate a transaction to perform a SAN management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify the SAN configuration information;

execute the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN; and

restore the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

20. The SAN as recited in claim 19, further comprising a SAN manager client configured to initiate the SAN management task on the SAN management server in response to user input.

21. The SAN as recited in claim 20, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to send a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

22. The SAN as recited in claim 19, wherein the transaction further comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify one or more of the plurality of SAN components.

23. The SAN as recited in claim 22, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to, if the transaction does not successfully complete, restore modified SAN components to a state prior to the transaction.

24. The SAN as recited in claim 19, wherein, to generate a transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to access the SAN configuration information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction.

25. The SAN as recited in claim 19, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.

26. A system, comprising:

a storage area network (SAN) management server configured to couple to a SAN fabric and to obtain SAN configuration information from a plurality of SAN components coupled to the SAN fabric;

a persistent store configured to store the SAN configuration information;

wherein the SAN management server is further configured to;

generate a transaction to perform a SAN management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify the SAN configuration information;

execute the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN; and

restore the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the transaction further comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify one or more of the plurality of SAN components.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to, if the transaction does not successfully complete, restore modified SAN components to a state prior to the transaction.

29. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to receive the SAN management task from a SAN manager client coupled to the SAN management server and configured to initiate the SAN management task in response to user input.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the SAN management server is further configured to send a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

31. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein, to generate a transaction, the SAN management server is further configured to access the SAN configuration information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction.

32. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.

33. A method, comprising:

generating a transaction to perform a storage area network (SAN) management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations, wherein the management task modifies configuration information for one or more SAN components;

executing the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein said executing the one or more SAN operations comprises sending at least one of the one or more operations to one or more SAN components coupled to a SAN fabric;

determining if the transaction successfully completes; and

restoring the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising a SAN manager client initiating the SAN management task in response to user input.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server in response to said initiating the SAN management task.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising sending a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

37. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server.

38. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising storing SAN configuration information to a persistent store, wherein said executing the one or more SAN operations further comprises modifying the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store.

39. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein said restoring the SAN to a state prior to the transaction comprises restoring the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store to a state prior to the transaction.

40. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising storing SAN configuration information to a persistent store, and wherein said generating a transaction comprises accessing the SAN information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction.

41. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said executing the one or more SAN operations further comprises modifying one or more of the SAN components.

42. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein said restoring the SAN to a state prior to the transaction comprises restoring SAN components modified by the transaction to a state prior to the transaction.

43. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.

44. A method, comprising:

storing SAN configuration information obtained from a plurality of SAN components coupled to a SAN fabric in a persistent store;

generating a transaction to perform a storage area network (SAN) management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify the SAN configuration information;

executing the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN;

determining if the transaction successfully completes; and

restoring the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

45. The method as recited in claim 44, further comprising a SAN manager client initiating the SAN management task in response to user input.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server in response to said initiating the SAN management task.

47. The method as recited in claim 45, further comprising sending a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

48. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server.

49. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein said executing the one or more SAN operations further comprises modifying one or more of the SAN components.

50. The method as recited in claim 49, wherein said restoring the SAN to a state prior to the transaction comprises restoring SAN components modified by the transaction to a state prior to the transaction.

51. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein said generating a transaction comprises accessing the SAN configuration information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction.

52. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.

53. A computer-accessible storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:

generating a transaction to perform a storage area network (SAN) management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations, wherein the management task modifies configuration information for one or more SAN components;

executing the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein said executing the one or more SAN operations comprises sending at least one of the one or more operations to one or more SAN components coupled to a SAN fabric;

determining if the transaction successfully completes; and

restoring the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

54. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 53, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement a SAN manager client initiating the SAN management task in response to user input.

55. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 54, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server in response to said initiating the SAN management task.

56. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 54, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement sending a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

57. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 53, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server.

58. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 53, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement storing SAN configuration information to a persistent store, wherein, in said executing the one or more SAN operations, the program instructions are further configured to implement modifying the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store.

59. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 58, wherein, in said restoring the SAN to a state prior to the transaction, the program instructions are further configured to implement restoring the SAN configuration information stored on the persistent store to a state prior to the transaction.

60. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 53, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement storing SAN configuration information to a persistent store, and wherein, in said generating a transaction, the program instructions are further configured to implement accessing the SAN configuration information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction.

61. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 53, wherein, in said executing the one or more SAN operations, the program instructions are further configured to implement modifying one or more of the SAN components.

62. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 61, wherein, in said restoring the SAN to a state prior to the transaction, the program instructions are further configured to implement restoring SAN components modified by the transaction to a state prior to the transaction.

63. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 53, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.

64. A computer-accessible storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:

storing SAN configuration information obtained from a plurality of SAN components coupled to a SAN fabric in a persistent store;

generating a transaction to perform a storage area network (SAN) management task to alter the configuration of the SAN, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more SAN operations configured to modify the SAN configuration information;

executing the one or more SAN operations to complete the transaction to alter the configuration of the SAN;

determining if the transaction successfully completes; and

restoring the SAN configuration to a state prior to the transaction if the transaction does not successfully complete.

65. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 64, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement a SAN manager client initiating the SAN management task in response to user input.

66. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 65, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server in response to said initiating the SAN management task.

67. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 65, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement sending a notification to the SAN manager client indicating if the transaction completed successfully or did not complete successfully.

68. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 64, wherein said generating a transaction, said executing the one or more SAN operations, and said determining if the transaction successfully completes are performed by a SAN management server.

69. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 64, wherein, in said executing the one or more SAN operations, the program instructions are further configured to implement modifying one or more of the SAN components.

70. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 69, wherein, in said restoring the SAN to a state prior to the transaction, the program instructions are further configured to implement restoring SAN components modified by the transaction to a state prior to the transaction.

71. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 64, wherein, in said generating a transaction, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement accessing the SAN configuration information on the persistent store to determine the one or more SAN operations of the transaction.

72. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 64, wherein the SAN management task comprises one or more of:

a LUN binding task comprising one or more SAN operations for creating an access path between an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric and a fabric port of the storage system;

a LUN masking task comprising one or more SAN operations for enabling access to an addressable storage unit of a storage system coupled to the SAN fabric for a host adapter port of a host system coupled to the SAN fabric;

a SAN zoning task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing zones on the SAN fabric;

a SAN component grouping task comprising one or more SAN operations for grouping SAN components; and

a SAN enclosure task comprising one or more SAN operations for managing SAN component enclosures.