Methods and systems for storage access management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016112343-A1
Application number	US-201414516983-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Oct 17, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying and correcting storage system inefficiencies are disclosed. The method includes discovering Logical Unit Number (LUN) information from a network storage system node, the LUN information associated with a first LUN and including an initiator group (IGroup) associated with the first LUN; discovering node information, the node information including logical interface (LIF) status information; determining whether LUN access information also comprises a port set associated with the IGroup; combining the LIF status information and the initiator access list of the IGroup to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is not associated with the at least one IGroup; and combining the LIF status information, the initiator access list of the IGroup, and the LIF access list of the port set to test the accessibility of the first LUN, when there is a port set associated with the IGroup.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A machine implemented method comprising:
discovering Logical Unit Number (LUN) information from a storage system node, the LUN information associated with a first LUN and including an initiator group (IGroup) associated with the first LUN, wherein the IGroup identifies an initiator that can access the first LUN; discovering node information including logical interface (LIF) status information; wherein a LIF is used by a client system to access the first LUN; determining whether LUN access information also comprises a port set associated with the IGroup, wherein the port set limits access to the first LUN using a specific LIF; combining the LIF status information and initiator information to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is not associated to the at least one IGroup; combining the LIF status information, the initiator information, and an LIF access list of the port set to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is associated with the IGroup; and triggering an event when accessibility of the first LUN is deficient.

2 . The machine implemented method of claim 1 wherein:
the LIF information comprises administrative and operation status indications for each LIF; and
the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when no LIF has both administrative and operation status indications that are positive and is accessible to the IGroup.

3 . The machine implemented method of claim 2 wherein:
the LIF information further comprises information tying each LIF to an owning node; and
the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when there is no LIF associated with a first node that has both administrative and operation status indications that are positive, wherein the first node also owns the first LUN.

4 . The machine implemented method of claim 1 wherein only LIF elements of the LIF access list affect the accessibility of the first LUN.

5 . The machine implemented method of claim 1 wherein the event comprises at least one of the following:
an alert to a graphical user interface (GUI);
an email alert; and
a text message alert.

6 . The machine implemented method of claim 1 wherein the method repeats for each of a set of LUNs and associated IGroups.

7 . The machine implemented method of claim 1 wherein the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when the combined information indicates that the first LUN is accessible by only one LIF.

8 . A non-transitory, machine readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for performing a method, comprising machine executable code which when executed by at least one machine, causes the machine to:
discover Logical Unit Number (LUN) information from a storage system node, the LUN information associated with a first LUN and including an initiator group (IGroup) associated with the first LUN, wherein the IGroup identifies an initiator that can access the first LUN; discover node information including logical interface (LIF) status information; wherein a LIF is used by a client system to access the first LUN; determine whether LUN access information also comprises a port set associated with the IGroup, wherein the port set limits access to the first LUN using a specific LIF; combine the LIF status information and initiator information to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is not associated with the at least one IGroup; combine the LIF status information, the initiator information, and an LIF access list of the port set to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is associated with the IGroup; and trigger an event when accessibility of the first LUN is deficient.

9 . The machine readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein:
the LIF information comprises administrative and operation status indications for each LIF; and
the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when no LIF has both administrative and operation status indications that are positive and is accessible to the IGroup.

10 . The machine readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein:
the LIF information further comprises information tying each LIF to an owning node; and
the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when there is no LIF associated with a first node that has both administrative and operation status indications that are positive, wherein the first node also owns the first LUN.

11 . The machine readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein only LIF elements of the LIF access list affect the accessibility of the first LUN.

12 . The machine readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the event comprises at least one of the following:
an alert to a graphical user interface (GUI);
an email alert; and
a text message alert.

13 . The machine readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the method repeats for each of a set of LUNs and associated IGroups.

14 . The machine readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when the combined information indicates that the first LUN is accessible by only one LIF.

15 . A system comprising:
a memory containing machine readable medium comprising machine executable code having stored thereon instructions; and a processor module coupled to the memory, the processor module configured to execute the machine executable code to:
discover Logical Unit Number (LUN) information from a storage system node, the LUN information associated with a first LUN and including an initiator group (IGroup) associated with the first LUN, wherein the IGroup identifies an initiator that can access the first LUN;
discover node information including logical interface (LIE) status information; wherein a LIF is used by a client system to access the first LUN;
determine whether LUN access information also comprises a port set associated with the IGroup, wherein the port set limits access to the first LUN using a specific LIF;
combine the LIF status information and initiator information to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is not associated with the at least one IGroup;
combine the LIF status information, the initiator information, and an LIF access list of the port set to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is associated with the IGroup; and
trigger an event when accessibility of the first LUN is deficient.

16 . The system of claim 15 wherein:
the LIF information comprises administrative and operation status indications for each LIF; and
the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when no LIF has both administrative and operation status indications that are positive and is accessible to the IGroup.

17 . The system of claim 16 wherein:
the LIF information further comprises information tying each LIF to an owning node; and
the accessibility of the first LUN is deficient when there is no LIF associated with a first node that has both administrative and operation status indications that are positive, wherein the first node also owns the first LUN.

18 . The system of claim 15 wherein only LIF elements of the LIF access list affect the accessibility of the first LUN.

19 . The system of claim 15 wherein the event comprises at least one of the following:
an alert to a graphical user interface (GUI);
an email alert; and
a text message alert.

20 . The system of claim 15 wherein the method repeats for each of a set of LUNs and associated IGroups.

21 . The system of claim 15 wherein the accessibility of the first LUN

Assignees

• Netapp Inc

Inventors

• Satish Sanjyoth Nandagudi
• Gunda Venu Madhava

Classifications

• G06F3/0605 Primary

  by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator · CPC title

• H04L67/1097 Primary

  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 title

• H04L47/80 Primary

  Actions related to the user profile or the type of traffic · CPC title

• G06F3/067

  Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• G06F3/0631

  by allocating resources to storage systems · CPC title