# US 2014/0156600 A1 · Assimilation of foreign logical units in a network storage controller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156600 A1 - Document ID: US20140156600A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/971,396 - Filed: 2013-08-20 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-30 - Assignees: NetApp, Inc. - Applicants: NetApp, Inc. - Inventors: Robert L. Fair; Rebecca S. Beaman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156600A1 ## CPC - G06F 16/116: {Details of conversion of file system types or formats} - G06F 3/0607: {by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device} - G06F 3/0632: {by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems} - G06F 3/0664: {at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system} - G06F 3/067: {Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method of making a foreign law in usable in a network storage controller includes transparently converting the foreign logical unit to the native format of the file system in place, by progressively increasing the binding between the file system of the storage controller and the foreign logical unit, while the foreign logical unit remains online, without requiring copying of the foreign logical unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: managing a file system in a network storage controller, the file system having a native format; accessing a foreign logical unit from the network storage controller, the foreign logical unit having a format different from the native format of the file system; and progressively increasing a binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit while the foreign logical unit remains online, to convert the foreign logical unit to the native format of the file system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the foreign logical unit is converted to the native format to the file system in place, without requiring copying of the foreign logical unit to intermediate storage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising enabling a value-added function to be performed on the foreign logical unit by the network storage controller while said increasing the binding progresses, wherein the value-added function is one of: snapshotting the foreign logical unit, mirroring the foreign logical unit, and cloning the foreign logical unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises progressing through a plurality of stages of execution, each of which results in a greater binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit than a previous stage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises adding RAID labels to the foreign logical unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises altering a sector formatting of the logical unit to change a sector allocation between data and metadata. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method as recited in claim 6, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises adding RAID labels to the foreign logical unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A method as recited in claim 6, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises maintaining a plurality of metadata structures, including: a first metadata structure which describes the foreign logical unit; and a second metadata structure which provides a mapping of the foreign logical unit to the file system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method as recited in claim 8, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit further comprises maintaining a native logical unit for receiving writes targeted at the foreign logical unit, the native logical unit having a one-to-one mapping of data blocks to the foreign logical unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the native logical unit has a property which references the second metadata structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the file system comprises a hierarchical structure of logical data containers. ### Claim at position 12 12-13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 A network storage controller comprising: a processor; a network interface through which to communicate with a remote storage host; a storage interface through which to communicate with a storage subsystem, the storage subsystem including a foreign logical unit; and a memory accessible to the processor and storing code which, when executed by the processor, causes the network storage controller to perform a process that comprises managing a file system which has a native format, the foreign logical unit having a format different from the native format, and converting the foreign logical unit to the native format by progressively increasing a binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit while the foreign logical unit remains online. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A network storage controller as recited in claim 14, wherein said converting converts the foreign logical unit to the native format in place, without requiring copying of the foreign logical unit to intermediate storage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A network storage controller as recited in claim 14, wherein said process further comprises enabling a value-added function to be performed on the foreign logical unit by the network storage controller while said converting is in progress, wherein the value-added function is one of: snapshotting the foreign logical unit, mirroring the foreign logical unit, and cloning the foreign logical unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A network storage controller as recited in claim 14, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises progressing through a plurality of stages of execution, each of which results in a greater binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit than a previous stage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) A network storage controller as recited in claim 14, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises adding RAID labels to the foreign logical unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A network storage controller as recited in claim 14, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises altering a sector formatting of the logical unit to change a sector allocation between data and metadata. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A network storage controller as recited in claim 19, wherein progressively increasing the binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit comprises adding RAID labels to the foreign logical unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) A network storage controller as recited in claim 14, wherein the file system comprises a hierarchical structure of logical data containers. ### Claim at position 21 22-28. (canceled) ### Claim 29 A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to be implemented by a processor, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause a network storage controller to: manage a file system in the network storage controller, the file system having a native format; access a foreign logical unit from the network storage controller, the foreign logical unit having a format different from the native format of the file system; and progressively increase a binding between the file system and the foreign logical unit while the foreign logical unit remains online, to convert the foreign logical unit to the native format of the file system.