Storage array remote replication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11880586-B2
Application number	US-202117514085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2021
Priority date	Oct 29, 2021
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to enabling storage array-based remote replication from containerized applications operating on one or more node clusters. In embodiments, a host executing one or more operations from a node cluster is provided an interface (e.g., an application programming interface (API)) to a storage array. Additionally, the host can be delivered resources to manage and monitor the storage array to perform one or more data replication services directly from the node cluster and via the interface. Further, data replications services are triggered in response to instructions issued by the host directly from the node cluster and via the interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing a host operating from a node cluster with an interface to a storage array, wherein the interface includes an application programming interface (API);
provisioning the API with access to one or more endpoints configured with access to one or more storage array resources;
configuring the API with one or more storage class operational parameters to issue instructions to the storage array via the one or more endpoints;
using the API and at least one of the one or more endpoints, enabling the host to:
discover a remote volume on the array corresponding to a host generated local volume,
discover a storage protection group,
create at least one new storage protection group, and
delete at least one storage protection group;

enabling the host to manage and monitor the storage array to perform one or more data replication services directly from the node cluster and via the interface; and
causing data replication services to be performed in response to instructions issued by the host directly from the node cluster and via the interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the node cluster is a Kubernetes cluster.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling the host to manage and monitor data replication services across one or more additional node clusters.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
configuring the API to:
augment at least one of the storage array's persistent volumes (PVs) or persistent volume claims (PVCs) with replication metadata, wherein the replication metadata includes at least one of annotations and labels;
synchronize the replication metadata across the one or more additional node clusters; and
bind each PV and PVC with their related replication group.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
configuring a replication construct to group storage array volumes, having related replication parameters; and
provisioning the API with the replication construct.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the API and at least one of the one or more endpoints, enabling the host to:
trigger one or more replication actions on the protection group, wherein the one or more replication actions includes one or more of a failover action and a failback action,
monitor a state of the protection group,
notify one or more replication endpoints of support services, and
probe the storage array for a replication status.

7. An apparatus comprising a memory and processor configured to:
provide a host operating from a node cluster with an API to a storage array;
provision the API with access to one or more endpoints configured with access to one or more storage array resources;
configure the API with one or more storage class operational parameters to issue instructions to the storage array via the one or more endpoints;
use the API and at least one of the one or more endpoints, enabling the host to:
discover a remote volume on the array corresponding to a host generated local volume,
discover a storage protection group,
create at least one new storage protection group, and
delete at least one storage protection group;

enable the host to manage and monitor the storage array to perform one or more data replication services directly from the node cluster and via the API; and
cause data replication services to be performed in response to instructions issued by the host directly from the node cluster and via the API.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the node cluster is a Kubernetes cluster.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further configured to:
enable the host to manage and monitor data replication services across one or more additional node clusters.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further configured to:
configure the API to:
augment at least one of the storage array's persistent volumes (PVs) or persistent volume claims (PVCs) with replication metadata, wherein the replication metadata includes at least one of: annotations and labels;
synchronize the replication metadata across the one or more additional node clusters; and
bind each PV and PVC with their related replication group.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , further configured to:
configure a replication construct to group storage array volumes, having related replication parameters; and
provision the API with the replication construct.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , further configured to:
using the API and at least one of the one or more endpoints, enable the host to:
trigger one or more replication actions on the protection group, wherein the one or more replication actions includes one or more of a failover action and a failback action,
monitor a state of the protection group,
notify one or more replication endpoints of support services, and
probe the storage array for a replication status.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp
• Emc Ip Holding Co Llc

Inventors

• Dubey Utkarsh
• Tramboo Numan Elahi
• Padhi Prasant Kumar
• Watson Thomas

Classifications

• G06F3/0655 Primary

  Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices · CPC title

• G06F3/0604

  Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management · CPC title

• G06F3/065 Primary

  Replication mechanisms · CPC title

• G06F3/0653

  Monitoring storage devices or systems · CPC title

• G06F3/0679

  Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP] · CPC title