Configuration utility for a data storage system using a file mapping protocol for access to distributed file systems

A computer-implemented method of at least one data processor executing instructions of a configuration program in memory to configure a data processing system for using a file mapping protocol, the data processing system including at least one file server computer, at least one storage array controller controlling access to at least one data storage array, and at least one host processor, the configuring of the data processing system enabling said at least one host processor to use the file mapping protocol for obtaining file mapping information from said at least one file server computer, formulating storage block access commands from the file mapping information and accessing data storage by sending the storage block access commands to said at least one storage array controller, said method comprising:

• receiving configuration information specifying new configuration objects used in the file mapping protocol, the new configuration objects including storage array controller interfaces for receiving the storage block access commands from said at least one host processor, file server interfaces for providing the file mapping information to said at least one host processor, file systems built on the data storage, and host processor interfaces for sending the storage block access commands to said at least one storage array controller;
• and
• producing control commands from the configuration information specifying the new configuration objects used in the file mapping protocol, the control commands being executable to change configuration settings in said at least one file server computer and in said at least one storage array controller to configure the data processing system for using the file mapping protocol;
• wherein said method further includes:
• displaying to a systems administrator a present configuration of each of multiple classes of configuration objects, the multiple classes of configuration objects including a storage array controller interface class of storage array controller interfaces for receiving the storage block access commands from said at least one host processor, a file server interface class of file server interfaces for providing the file mapping information to said at least one host processor, a file systems class of file systems built on the data storage, and a host processor interface class of host processor interfaces for sending the storage block access commands to said at least one storage array, and
• for each of the multiple classes of configuration objects, presenting to the systems administrator the new configuration objects and an option of either applying the new configuration objects or skipping the new configuration objects, and once the systems administrator has chosen to either apply or skip the new configuration objects of each of the multiple classes of configuration objects, presenting to the systems administrator a summary indicating whether the systems administrator has chosen to either apply or skip the new configuration objects of each of the multiple classes of configuration objects, and presenting to the systems administrator an option to produce control commands from the configuration information specifying the new configuration objects in the classes of configuration objects that are not chosen to be skipped.

A data processing system comprising:

• at least one file server computer;
• at least one storage array controller controlling access to at least one data storage array;
• at least one host processor;
• and
• at least one control station computer including a memory and a configuration program in the memory, the configuration program being executable by the control station computer to configure said at least one file server computer and said at least one storage array controller to enable said at least one host processor to use a file mapping protocol for obtaining file mapping information from said at least one file server computer, formulating storage block access commands from the file mapping information, and accessing data storage by sending the storage block access commands to said at least one storage array controller;
• wherein the configuration program is executable by the control station computer to receive configuration information specifying new configuration objects used in the file mapping protocol, the new configuration objects including storage array controller interfaces for receiving the storage block access commands from said at least one host processor, file server interfaces for providing the file mapping information to said at least one host processor, file systems built on the data storage, and host processor interfaces for sending the storage block access commands from said at least one host processor to said at least one storage array controller;
• wherein the configuration program is executable by the control station computer for producing control commands from the configuration information specifying the new configuration objects used in the file mapping protocol, and the control commands are executable by a command interpreter in said at least one file server computer to change configuration settings in said at least one file server computer and in said at least one storage array controller to configure the data processing system for using the file mapping protocol;
• and
• wherein the configuration program is executable by the control station computer to display to a systems administrator a present configuration of each of multiple classes of configuration objects, the multiple classes of storage objects including a storage array controller interface class, a file server interface class, a file systems class, and a host processor interface class, and the configuration program is further executable by the control station computer to present to the systems administrator, for each of the multiple classes of configuration objects, the new configuration objects and an option of either applying the new configuration objects or skipping the new configuration objects, and once the systems administrator has chosen to either apply or skip the new configuration objects of each of the multiple classes of configuration objects, to present to the systems administrator a summary indicating whether the systems administrator has chosen to either apply or skip the new configuration objects of each of the multiple classes of configuration objects, and to present to the systems administrator an option to produce control commands from the configuration information specifying the new configuration objects in the classes of configuration objects that are not chosen to be skipped.