US 7,689,799 B2 · Method and apparatus for identifying logical volumes in multiple element computer storage domains

Abstract

Method and apparatus for specifying and identifying logic volumes in computer systems that store logical volumes on multiple storage elements are disclosed. The logical volume identifier may be unique with respect to all other logical volumes stored on the storage elements. The logical volumes may be conventional logical volumes, partitions, or hyper volumes.

Drawings

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of specifying a first logical volume of a plurality of logical volumes in a networked computer system including a plurality of storage elements, a plurality of host computers, and a communications network, the plurality of storage elements and the plurality of host computers being coupled together by the communications network, wherein at least one of the host computers sends access requests to at least one of the plurality of storage elements to access data storage on the storage element, wherein each of the plurality of storage elements is a unitary storage system comprising at least one physical storage device and at least one controller that maps at least one logical volume to physical storage locations on the at least one physical storage device, wherein at least one of the plurality of logical volumes is stored on each of the plurality of storage elements, the method comprising acts of:

assigning a logical volume identifier to the first logical volume, the logical volume identifier being assigned independent of the identity of the host computer initially creating the first logical volume and a physical storage location on the first logical volume and being usable by at least one of the plurality of host computers to access, via the communications network, the first logical volume on at least one of the plurality of storage elements, wherein the at least one of the plurality of storage elements makes the first logical volume available for access via its at least one port;
and
assuring that the logical volume identifier uniquely identifies the first logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes in the networked computer, wherein the logical volume identifier identifies the first logical volume when data thereof is stored at a first storage location in a first of said plurality of storage of storage elements and wherein the logical volume identifier identifies the first logical volume when data thereof is subsequently moved to a second storage location in a second of said plurality of storage elements different from the first storage element.

A method of specifying a first logical volume of a plurality of logical volumes in a computer system including a plurality of storage elements, a plurality of host computers, and a communications network that couples the plurality of storage elements to the plurality of host computers, wherein at least one of the plurality of host computers sends access requests to at least one of the plurality of storage elements to access data stored on the storage element, wherein each of the plurality of storage elements is a unitary storage system comprising at least one physical storage device and at least one controller that maps at least one logical volume to physical storage locations on the at least one physical storage device, wherein at least one of the plurality of logical volumes is stored on each of the plurality of storage elements, the method comprising acts of:

assigning a logical volume identifier to the first logical volume that is independent of a physical storage location on the first logical volume, the logical volume identifier having a format corresponding to an address format used for memory access requests made by one of the host computers to one of the storage elements, wherein at least one of the plurality of storage elements makes the first logical volume available for access via its at least one port;
and
assuring that the logical volume identifier uniquely identifies the first logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes stored on the plurality of storage elements, wherein the logical volume identifier identifies the first logical volume when data thereof is stored at a first storage location in a first of said plurality of storage of storage elements and wherein the logical volume identifier identifies the first logical volume when data thereof is subsequently moved to a second storage location in a second of said plurality of storage elements different from the first storage element.

A computer storage system, comprising:

a plurality of storage elements accessible to at least one host computer that sends access requests to at least one of the plurality of storage elements to access data storage thereon, wherein the plurality of storage elements are configured to store thereon a plurality of logical volumes, wherein each of the plurality of storage elements is a unitary storage system comprising at least one physical storage device and at least one controller that maps at least one logical volume to physical storage locations on the at least one physical storage device, wherein at least one of the plurality of logical volumes is stored on each of the plurality of storage elements;
and
means for assigning an enterprise logical volume identifier (ELVID) to a logical volume of the plurality of logical volumes stored, or to be stored, on at least one of the plurality of storage elements, the ELVID being independent of a physical storage location of the logical volume and uniquely identifying the logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes and being usable over a communications network by at least one host computer to access the logical volume on the at least one of the plurality of storage elements, wherein the ELVID identifies the logical volume when data thereof is stored at a first storage location in a first of said plurality of storage of storage elements and wherein the ELVID identifies the logical volume when data thereof is subsequently moved to a second storage location in a second of said plurality of storage elements different from the first storage element.

A storage management controller for a computer storage system that includes a plurality of storage elements accessible to at least one host computer that sends access requests to at least one of the plurality of storage elements to access data stored thereon, wherein each of the plurality of storage elements is a unitary storage system comprising at least one physical storage device and at least one controller that maps at least one logical volume to physical storage locations on the least one physical storage device, the storage management controller comprising:

an enterprise logical volume identifier (ELVID) assignor to assign ELVIDs to a plurality of logical volumes to be stored on the computer storage system, wherein an ELVID assigned to a first logical volume of the plurality of logical volumes is independent of a physical storage location of the first logical volume and uniquely identifies the first logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes, wherein at least one of the plurality of logical volumes is to be stored on each of the plurality of storage elements;
and
a physical interface to permit communication with a plurality of storage elements, wherein the ELVID is usable by the at least one host computer to access the first logical volume through the interface, wherein the ELVID identifies the first logical volume when data thereof is stored at a first storage location in a first of said plurality of storage of storage elements and wherein the ELVID identifies the first logical volume when data thereof is subsequently moved to a second storage location in a second of said plurality of storage elements different from the first storage element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description18,647 words

Summary7,874 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to data storage for computers, and more particularly to identification of logical volumes stored in multiple storage elements in a storage domain.

#2. Discussion of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings27 figures

#FIG. 1 illustrates an example of conversion of application level data to storage in a physical system and vice versa.

#FIG. 2A illustrates an example of the relationship between logical volumes and physical storage devices.

#FIG. 2B illustrates an example of mapping a logical file onto a physical storage system.

Detailed description10,260 words

#Storage as a Domain.

#The architectures illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 may be viewed as focusing on a network model for storage, or a “network-centric” system. In such a system, the focus of data transfer is movement of logical data across a network. Moreover, the storage system 52 and backup storage system 54 are typically associated with a single client or host 50 architecture.

#An alternative model focuses on a separation of the client or host domain and the storage domain.

Facts

Application

10/979,601Filed 1 Nov 2004 · continuation

Priority

27 Jun 2000

Published

US 2005/0120177 A12 Jun 2005

Granted

30 Mar 2010

Term ended

27 Jun 2020

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

G06F 3/0632
Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems: by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
G06F 3/0607
Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management: by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for…
G06F 3/067
Adopting a particular infrastructure: distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
G06F
Computing and data processing

Timeline

27 Jun 2000Priority claimedParent application 09/604,853
1 Nov 2004Application filedUS 10/979,601
2 Jun 2005PublishedUS 2005/0120177 A1
30 Mar 2010GrantedUS 7,689,799 B2
21 Mar 2019Assigned to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.security agreement
22 Apr 2020Assigned to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.security agreement
27 Jun 2020Term endedEstimated
23 Jun 2022Assigned to Dell Marketing L.P. (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Credant Technologies, Inc.), Dell International L.L.C., Dell Products L.P., Dell USA L.P., Emc Corporation, Dell Marketing Corporation (Successor-In-Interest To Force10 Networks, Inc. and Wyse Technology L.L.C.), Emc IP Holding Company LLCrelease of security interest in patents previously recorded at reel/frame (053546/0001)

Method and apparatus for identifying logical volumes in multiple element computer storage domains

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for identifying logical volumes in multiple element computer storage domains

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims28

Description18,647 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description18,647 words