Management of configurations for existing storage infrastructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016147759-A1
Application number	US-201414551967-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2014
Priority date	Nov 24, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The method for managing one or more standard configurations includes calculating a plurality of configuration fingerprints for a plurality of storage systems. The configuration fingerprint is a numerical value that represents information about a configuration for one or more components of a storage system. The method also includes building a result set that includes the plurality of configuration fingerprints for the plurality of storage systems. The method also includes identifying a plurality of standard configurations for the plurality of storage systems from the result set based on the plurality of configuration fingerprints. The method also includes determining that a first storage system from the plurality of storage systems meets a standard configuration from the plurality of standard configurations. The method also includes creating metadata within the first storage system that describes the standard configuration.

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A system for managing standard configurations, comprising:
a plurality of storage systems; a memory; a processor device communicatively coupled to the memory; and a configuration analyzer communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor device, wherein the configuration analyzer is configured to:
calculate a plurality of configuration fingerprints for the plurality of storage systems, a configuration fingerprint is a numerical value that represents information about a configuration for one or more components of a storage system,
build a result set that includes the plurality of configuration fingerprints for the plurality of storage systems,
identify a plurality of standard configurations for the plurality of storage systems from the result set based on the plurality of configuration fingerprints,
determine that a first storage system from the plurality of storage systems meets a first standard configuration from the plurality of standard configurations, and
create metadata within the first storage system that describes the first standard configuration.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a storage system includes a volume that represents a logical storage unit.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the configuration analyzer is configured to calculate a configuration fingerprint by:
assigning a value to a configuration parameter that describes information about a configuration for the component; weighting the value for the configuration parameter; and aggregating a plurality of weighted values for a plurality of components.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein weighting the value includes increasing a first value to a second value, non-linearly, between configuration parameters.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the configuration analyzer is configured to build the result set by:
accessing the plurality of storage systems; calculating a configuration fingerprint for each storage system from the plurality of storage systems; and adding the configuration fingerprint to the result set.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the configuration analyzer is configured to identify the plurality of standard configurations by:
calculating a configuration fingerprint distance for a cluster of configuration fingerprints within the result set; determining whether a configuration fingerprint distance threshold is met by the configuration fingerprint distance; and writing, in response to the configuration fingerprint distance meeting the configuration fingerprint distance threshold, a standard configuration to metadata of one or more storage systems within the cluster of configuration fingerprints.

17 . A computer program product for managing one or more standard configurations comprising a computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:
calculate a plurality of configuration fingerprints for a plurality of storage systems, a configuration fingerprint is a numerical value that represents information about a configuration for one or more components of a storage system; build a result set that includes the plurality of configuration fingerprints for the plurality of storage systems; identify a plurality of standard configurations for the plurality of storage systems from the result set based on the plurality of configuration fingerprints; determine that a first storage system from the plurality of storage systems meets a first standard configuration from the plurality of standard configurations; and create metadata within the first storage system that describes the first standard configuration.

18 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program causes the computing device to calculate a configuration fingerprint by:
assigning a value to a configuration parameter that describes information about a configuration for the component; weighting the value for the configuration parameter; and aggregating a plurality of weighted values for a plurality of components.

19 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program causes the computing device to build the result set by:
accessing the plurality of storage systems; calculating a configuration fingerprint for each storage system from the plurality of storage systems; and adding the configuration fingerprint to the result set.

20 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program causes the computing device to identify the plurality of standard configurations by:
calculating a configuration fingerprint distance for a cluster of configuration fingerprints within the result set; determining whether a configuration fingerprint distance threshold is met by the configuration fingerprint distance; and
writing, in response to the configuration fingerprint distance meeting the configuration fingerprint distance threshold, a standard configuration to metadata of one or more storage systems within the cluster of configuration fingerprints.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bolik Christian
• Noll Dietmar

Classifications

• G06F3/0634 Primary

  by changing the state or mode of one or more devices · CPC title

• G06F16/951

  Indexing; Web crawling techniques · CPC title

• G06F9/44505 Primary

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title

• G06F16/24578

  using ranking · CPC title