US 12,118,231 B2 · Systems and methods for NVMe over fabric (NVMe-oF) namespace-based zoning

Abstract

A traditional storage platform performs many basic functions, such as storage partitions allocation (i.e., namespace masking) and many advanced functions, such as deduplication or dynamic storage allocation. These functions need to be managed and this results in a multiple management system paradigm in which a fabric management application manages the fabric connectivity policies (i.e., zoning), while a storage management application manages the storage namespace mappings and advanced functions. Embodiments herein provide for centralized management for both connectivity and storage namespace mapping, among other advanced features. Namespace zoning information may comprise namespace zone groups, namespace zones, namespace zone members, namespace zone aliases, and namespace zone alias members, which expand the Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) zoning framework from just connectivity control to full namespace allocation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for centralized management of one or more storage elements in a storage subsystem of a storage system comprising one or more storage subsystems, the method comprising:

for each storage element of a set of storage elements of the storage subsystem:
at a centralized discovery controller that is communicatively coupled using a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) over Fabric (NVMe-oF) fabric to the storage subsystem, the centralized discovery controller is not collocated on any storage subsystem of the storage system and the centralized discovery controller performing steps comprising:
obtaining one or more transport addresses for the storage element;
connecting to the storage element of the storage subsystem;
retrieving information about one or more namespaces available on the storage element;
and
responsive to receiving an assignment of a host to a namespace on the storage element:
defining namespace zoning information comprising namespace access control information that associates the host and that namespace of the storage element to facilitate access by the host to that namespace of the storage element of the storage subsystem;
and
transmitting the namespace zoning information to the storage subsystem.

7 more elements

An information handling system for centralized management of one or more storage elements in a storage subsystem of a storage system comprising one or more storage subsystems, the information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium or media comprising one or more sets of instructions which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, causes steps to be performed comprising:
for each storage element of a set of storage elements of the storage subsystem:
at a centralized discovery controller that is communicatively coupled using a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) over Fabric (NVMe-oF) fabric to the storage subsystem, the centralized discovery controller is not collocated on any storage subsystem of the storage system and the centralized discovery controller performing steps comprising:
obtaining one or more transport addresses for the storage element;
connecting to the storage element of the storage subsystem;
retrieving information about one or more namespaces available on the storage element;
and
responsive to receiving an assignment of a host to a namespace on the storage element:
defining namespace zoning information comprising namespace access control information that associates the host and that namespace of the storage element to facilitate access by the host to that namespace of the storage element of the storage subsystem;
and
transmitting the namespace zoning information to the storage subsystem.

10 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium or media comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes steps to be performed comprising:

for each storage element of a set of storage elements of a storage subsystem in a storage system comprising one or more storage subsystems:
at a centralized discovery controller that is communicatively coupled using a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) over Fabric (NVMe-oF) fabric to the storage subsystem, the centralized discovery controller is not collocated on any storage subsystem of the storage system and the centralized discovery controller performing steps comprising:
obtaining one or more transport addresses for the storage element;
connecting to the storage element of the storage subsystem;
retrieving information about one or more namespaces available on the storage element;
and
responsive to receiving an assignment of a host to a namespace on the storage element:
defining namespace zoning information comprising namespace access control information that associates the host and that namespace of the storage element to facilitate access by the host to that namespace of the storage element of the storage subsystem;
and
transmitting the namespace zoning information to the storage subsystem.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for NVMe over fabric (NVMe-oF) namespace-based zoning

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for NVMe over fabric (NVMe-oF) namespace-based zoning

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20