Method and apparatus for managing virtual ports on storage systems

A storage system, comprising:

• a CPU;
• a memory;
• one or more virtual ports;
• one or more physical ports;
• a receiving module, stored in the memory or in another non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and configured to receive a request with a first N_Port_ID for a first World Wide Port Name (WWPN) on the virtual port or the physical port from a host or a storage system;
• and
• a returning module, stored in the memory or in another non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and configured to return a response having the first N_Port_ID and assign the first N_Port_ID to the first WWPN, if the first N_Port_ID has been previously assigned to the first WWPN,
• wherein the returning module is further configured to return a rejection to the request to the host or the storage system if the first N_Port_ID has been assigned to a second WWPN other than the first WWPN.

A network management system comprising:

• a CPU;
• a memory;
• one or more virtual ports;
• one or more physical ports;
• a migrating module, stored in the memory or in another non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and configured to migrate a virtual port from a first physical port to a second physical port;
• a sending module, stored in the memory or in another non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and configured to send a request with a first N_Port_ID for a first World Wide Port Name (WWPN) on the virtual or the physical port, which has been used for the virtual port before the migration, from a host or a storage system;
• and
• a receiving module, stored in the memory or in another non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and configured to receive a response having the first N_Port_ID that the first N_Port_ID is assigned to the first WWPN, if the first N_Port_ID has been previously assigned to the first WWPN.