# US 9,436,411 B2 · SAN IP validation tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,411 B2 - Document ID: US9436411B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/228,608 - Filed: 2014-03-28 - Published: 2015-10-01 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-28 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products, LP - Inventors: Howard Ernest Arnold; Matthew Clayton Harris - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436411B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0653: {Monitoring storage devices or systems} - G06F 3/0617: {in relation to availability} - G06F 3/067: {Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]} - H04L 43/06: Generation of reports - H04L 43/0811: by checking connectivity - H04L 43/10: Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route - H04L 67/1097: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The present invention is directed to a method and corresponding apparatus for verifying connectivity in a storage area network. An embodiment begins by communicating with one or more storage devices, through at least one of one or more host machines connected to one or more network switches. Based on the communication, the method may activate a test procedure at the one or more storage devices. The method may determine, through the test procedure, each state of connectivity from the one or more storage devices to each member computing device of a connectivity set. The connectivity set may include at least one of the following: at least one other storage device, at least one of the one or more network switches, and at least one of the one or more host machines. The method may provide a report to one or more users, the report including each state of connectivity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for verifying connectivity in a storage area network, the computer-implemented method comprising: communicating, through one or more network switches, with at least one of two or more storage devices of a storage area network (SAN) connected to the one or more network switches, from at least one of one or more host machines connected to the one or more network switches, the one or more host machines being external to the SAN; based on the communication, automatically initiating and executing a connectivity test procedure at one or more active modules of the two or more storage devices of the SAN and automatically switching from the one or more active modules to at least one passive module of the two or more storage devices, the automatically switching including automatically initiating and executing the connectivity test procedure at the at least one passive module; determining, through the connectivity test procedure, each state of connectivity from the at least one of the two or more storage devices of the SAN to each member computing device of a connectivity set that includes at least one of the following: at least one other storage device of the SAN, at least one of the one or more network switches, and at least one of the one or more host machines; and providing a report to one or more users, the report including each state of connectivity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the connectivity includes at least one of: interconnect, cabling, wiring, interfaces, and ports. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising automatically initiating and executing the connectivity test procedure at the at least one of the two or more storage devices, further comprising automatically determining each state of connectivity from the one or more storage devices to each member computing device, and further comprising automatically providing the report. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the report is provided to the at least one of the one or more host machines, and the report includes one or more log files. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein each state of connectivity is determined, through the connectivity test procedure, by the at least one of the two or more storage devices sending one or more commands to each member computing device of the connectivity set and receiving one or more status messages from each member computing device of the connectivity set. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the connectivity test procedure includes one or more ping tests from the at least one of the two or more storage devices to each member computing device of the connectivity set. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the two or more storage devices is indirectly connected to at least one member computing device of the connectivity set. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the connectivity set includes one or more redundant or replicated member computing devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the storage area network includes an Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) storage area network. ### Claim 10 An information handling system (IHS) comprising: a data module configured to communicate, through one or more network switches, with at least one of two or more storage devices of a storage area network (SAN) connected to the one or more network switches, from at least one of one or more host machines connected to the one or more network switches, the one or more host machines being external to the SAN; a computing module, configured to automatically initiate and execute, based on the communication, a connectivity test procedure at one or more active modules of the two or more storage devices of the SAN, and perform an automatic switch from the one or more one active modules to at least one passive module of the two or more storage devices, the automatic switch including automatically initiating and executing the connectivity test procedure at the at least one passive module; the computing module further configured to determine, through the connectivity test procedure, each state of connectivity from the at least one of the two or more storage devices of the SAN to each member computing device of a connectivity set that includes at least one of the following: at least one other storage device of the SAN, at least one of the one or more network switches, and at least one of the one or more host machines; and a reporting module configured to provide a report to one or more users, the report including each state of connectivity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The IHS of claim 10 wherein the connectivity includes at least one of: interconnect, cabling, wiring, interfaces, and ports. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The IHS of claim 10 wherein the computing module is further configured to automatically initiate and execute the connectivity test procedure at the at least one of the two or more storage devices, and the computing module is further configured to automatically determine each state of connectivity from the one or more storage devices to each member computing device, and the reporting module is further configured to automatically provide the report. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The IHS of claim 10 wherein the reporting module is further configured to provide the report to the at least one of the one or more host machines, and the report includes one or more log files. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The IHS of claim 10 wherein the computing module is further configured to determine, through the connectivity test procedure, each state of connectivity, by the at least one of the two or more storage devices sending one or more commands to each member computing device of the connectivity set and receiving one or more status messages from each member computing device of the connectivity set. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The IHS of claim 10 wherein the connectivity test procedure includes one or more ping tests from the at least one of the two or more storage devices to each member computing device of the connectivity set. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The IHS of claim 10 wherein the at least one of the two or more storage devices is indirectly connected to at least one member computing device of the connectivity set, and the connectivity set includes one or more redundant or replicated member computing devices. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when loaded and executed by a processor coupled to an apparatus, causes the apparatus to: communicate, through one or more network switches, with at least one of two or more storage devices of a storage area network (SAN) connected to the one or more network switches, from at least one of one or more host machines connected to the one or more network switches, the one or more host machines being external to the SAN; based on the communication, automatically initiate and execute, at one or more active modules of the two or more storage devices of the SAN, a connectivity test procedure and perform an automatic switch from the one or more one active modules to at least one passive module of the two or more storage devices, the automatic switch including automatically initiating and executing the connectivity test procedure at the at least one passive module; determine, through the connectivity test procedure, each state of connectivity from the at least one of the two or more storage devices of the SAN to each member computing device of a connectivity set that includes at least one of the following: at least one other storage device of the SAN, at least one of the one or more network switches, and at least one of the one or more host machines; and provide a report to one or more users, the report including each state of connectivity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising, within the storage area network, communicating with the at least one of the two or more storage devices, from the at least one of the one or more host machines, and based on the communication, further initiating and executing the connectivity test procedure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the connectivity test procedure includes: one or more interface tests of at least one interface associated with the at least one of the two or more storage devices; one or more ping tests from the at least one of the two or more storage devices to each member computing device of the connectivity set; one or more switching tests associated with the switching from the one or more active modules to the at least one passive module; and one or more connectivity tests, wherein the connectivity set includes one or more redundant or replicated member computing devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the connectivity test procedure includes the ordered steps of: one or more interface tests of at least one interface associated with the at least one of the two or more storage devices; followed by one or more ping tests from the at least one of the two or more storage devices to each member computing device of the connectivity set; followed by one or more switching tests associated with the switching from the one or more active modules to the at least one passive module; and followed by one or more connectivity tests, wherein the connectivity set includes one or more redundant or replicated member computing devices.