Managing host definitions across a plurality of storage systems

An apparatus for managing host definitions across a plurality of storage systems, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out steps of:

• creating, on a first storage system, a host definition describing a host that accesses a dataset that is replicated across a plurality of storage systems;
• determining whether a second storage system that the dataset is replicated across includes a definition of the host;
• responsive to determining that the second storage system does not include the definition of the host, copying the host definition created on the first storage system to the second storage system;
• responsive to determining that the second storage system does include the definition of the host:
• determining whether the host definition created on the first storage system conflicts with the definition of the host on the second storage system including determining that the host definition created on the first storage system and the definition of the host on the second storage system have at least one overlapping interface;
• responsive to determining that the host definition created on the first storage system does not conflict with the definition of the host on the second storage system, linking the host definition created on the first storage system to the definition of the host on the second storage system;
• and
• responsive to determining that the host definition created on the first storage system conflicts with the definition of the host on the second storage system, retaining the definition of the host on the second storage system.

A storage system that includes a plurality of storage arrays, each storage array including a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out steps of:

• creating, on a first storage array, a host definition describing a host that accesses a dataset that is replicated across a plurality of storage arrays;
• determining whether a second storage array that the dataset is replicated across includes a definition of the host;
• responsive to determining that the second storage array does not include the definition of the host, copying the host definition created on the first storage array to the second storage array;
• responsive to determining that the second storage array does include the definition of the host:
• determining whether the host definition created on the first storage array conflicts with the definition of the host on the second storage array including determining that the host definition created on the first storage system and the definition of the host on the second storage system have at least one overlapping interface;
• responsive to determining that the host definition created on the first storage array does not conflict with the definition of the host on the second storage array, linking the host definition created on the first storage array to the definition of the host on the second storage array;
• and
• responsive to determining that the host definition created on the first storage array conflicts with the definition of the host on the second storage array, retaining the definition of the host on the second storage array.