Management of configurations for existing storage infrastructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9916107-B2
Application number	US-201514927009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2015
Priority date	Nov 24, 2014
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

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

What is claimed is:

1. A method for identifying a standard configuration, comprising:
calculating a plurality of configuration fingerprints for a plurality of storage systems, wherein a configuration fingerprint is a numerical value that represents information about a configuration for one or more components of a storage system;
building a result set that includes the plurality of configuration fingerprints for the plurality of storage systems, wherein the building comprises:
accessing the plurality of storage systems;
matching a configuration fingerprint, from the plurality of configuration fingerprints, with a storage system from the plurality of storage systems; and
adding the configuration fingerprint to the result set; identifying a plurality of standard configurations for the plurality of storage systems from the result set based on the plurality of configuration fingerprints, wherein the identifying comprises:
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;
calculating a combined number for the plurality of configuration fingerprints within the configuration fingerprint distance threshold;
determining whether a combined number threshold that describes a number of storage systems for a configuration fingerprint is met;
determining whether a distribution peak for one or more configuration fingerprints is present;
defining, in response to the distribution peak being present and the combined number threshold being met, the standard configuration for the storage system in the plurality of configuration fingerprints; and
writing, in response to the configuration fingerprint distance meeting the configuration fingerprint distance threshold and to the defining, the standard configuration to metadata of one or more storage systems within the cluster of configuration fingerprints;
determining that a first storage system from the plurality of storage systems meets a first standard configuration from the plurality of standard configurations; and
creating metadata within the first storage system that describes the first standard configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a storage system includes a volume that represents a logical storage unit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating a configuration fingerprint includes:
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.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein weighting the value includes increasing a first value to a second value, non-linearly, between configuration parameters.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first storage system meets the first standard configuration includes:
comparing the configuration fingerprint for the first storage system to a configuration fingerprint threshold for the first standard configuration;
determining whether the configuration fingerprint for the first storage system meets the configuration fingerprint threshold; and
identifying, in response to determining that the configuration fingerprint meets the configuration fingerprint threshold, the configuration fingerprint for the first storage system as meeting the first standard configuration.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
checking the first storage system and a second storage system associated with the first standard configuration in the result set against one or more conditions;
determining whether the first storage system and the second storage system differ with regard to the one or more conditions; and
marking the second storage system as a potential false positive for the first standard configuration.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a storage system associated with the first standard configuration for a change in a value for one or more configuration parameters;
determining that the change in the value modifies a configuration fingerprint of the storage system beyond a change threshold; and
adjusting one or more configuration parameters of the storage system.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bolik Christian
• Noll Dietmar

Classifications

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title

• G06F16/24578

  using ranking · CPC title

• G06F16/22

  Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures · CPC title

• G06F9/44505 Primary

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

• G06F3/0634 Primary

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