Storage area network methods and apparatus for storage device masking

In a storage area network (SAN) comprising one or more digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices, wherein at least a selected one of the digital data processors operates under a Windows(™) operating system having

• a port driver defining a software interface between a class driver and an adapter to which one or more of the storage devices are coupled,
• a class driver for claiming a storage devices for access by the operating system and any applications programs executing therein by invoking the port driver to which such device is coupled,
• the improvement comprising:
• a manager digital data processor that is coupled to the selected digital data processor and that assigns one or more selected storage devices thereto,
• the manager digital data processor communicating identifiers of the selected storage devices to a filter operating in conjunction with the selected digital data processor,
• the filter in communication with the port driver and the class driver, the filter intervening to block claiming of storage devices other than those identified by the manager digital data processor,
• the filter blocking such claiming by returning a failure code to the class driver in response to its invocation of the port driver for purposes of claiming a storage device.

In a storage area network (SAN) comprising one or more digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices, wherein at least a selected one of the digital data processors operates under a Windows(198 ) 2000 operating system having

• a port driver defining a software interface between a class driver and an adapter to which one or more of the storage devices are coupled,
• a class driver for claiming a storage devices for access by the operating system and any applications programs executing therein by invoking the port driver to which such device is coupled,
• the improvement comprising:
• a manager digital data processor that is coupled to the selected digital data processor and that assigns one or more selected storage devices thereto,
• the manager digital data processor communicating identifiers of the selected storage devices to a filter operating in conjunction with the selected digital data processor,
• the filter in communication with the port driver and the class driver, the filter intervening to block claiming of storage devices other than those identified by the manager digital data processor,
• the filter blocking such claiming by intercepting a request from the class driver to the port driver for purposes of claiming a storage device

In a storage area network (SAN) comprising one or more digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices, wherein at least a selected one of the digital data processors operates under a Windows 2000™ operating system having

• a port driver defining a software interface between a class driver and an adapter to which one or more of the storage devices are coupled,
• a class driver for claiming a storage devices for access by the operating system and any applications programs executing therein by invoking the port driver to which such device is coupled,
• a plug-n-play manager that invokes the port driver to populate a data structure with data pertaining to one or more storage devices that are coupled the adapter,
• the improvement comprising:
• a filter in communication with the port driver, the filter block access to selected ones of the storage devices by removing from the data structure at least selected data pertaining those storage devices.