US 9,794,112 B2Granted

Method and system for balancing storage data traffic in converged networks

AssigneeDrivescale, Inc.

InventorsJames G. Hanko, Christopher Unkel

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Abstract

Methods for balancing storage data traffic in a system in which at least one computing device (server) coupled to a converged network accesses at least one storage device coupled (by at least one adapter) to the network, systems configured to perform such methods, and devices configured to implement such methods or for use in such systems. Typically, the system includes servers and adapters, and server agents implemented on the servers and adapter agents implemented on the adapters are configured to detect and respond to imbalances in storage and data traffic in the network, and to redirect the storage data traffic to reduce the imbalances and, thereby to improve the overall network performance (for both data communications and storage traffic). Typically, each agent operates autonomously (except in that an adapter agent may respond to a request or notification from a server agent), and no central computer or manager directs operation of the agents.

Claims41

Dependent claims

A system, including:

at least one server having at least one server interface, wherein the server is configured to include a server agent and to be coupled to a converged network by the server interface;
at least one storage device;
and
at least one adapter configured to be coupled to the storage device and having at least one adapter interface, wherein the adapter is configured to couple the storage device to the network via the adapter interface, and the adapter is configured to include an adapter agent,
wherein the adapter agent is coupled and configured:
to determine whether each said adapter interface of the adapter is overloaded, and to generate an adapter interface overload indication for each said adapter interface, where the adapter interface overload indication for each said adapter interface is indicative of whether the adapter interface is overloaded;
and
to report to the server agent, in response to a request from the server agent, at least one said adapter interface overload indication, and
wherein the server agent is coupled and configured:
to cause the server to assert a request to the adapter agent, and to identify at least one adapter interface overload indication supplied to the server by the adapter agent in response to the request;
and
for a path which includes the server interface and over which the server accesses the storage device via the adapter, to determine whether the path is overloaded, in a manner using the adapter interface overload indication.

9 more elements

An adapter, configured for use in a system including at least one server coupled to a converged network by at least one server interface, and at least one storage device, wherein the server includes a server agent, said adapter including:

at least one port configured to couple the storage device to the adapter;
at least one adapter interface configured to couple the adapter to the network, and thereby to couple the storage device to the network via the adapter when said storage device is coupled to said at least one port;
and
an adapter agent, wherein the adapter agent is coupled and configured:
to determine whether each said adapter interface is overloaded, and to generate an adapter interface overload indication for each said adapter interface, where the adapter interface overload indication for each said adapter interface is indicative of whether the adapter interface is overloaded;
and
in response to a request from the server agent, to cause the adapter to assert, to at least one said adapter interface, data indicative of at least one said adapter interface overload indication.

4 more elements

A server, configured for use in a system including at least one storage device and at least one adapter coupled to the storage device, wherein the adapter has at least one adapter interface coupled to a converged network, the adapter couples the storage device to the network via the adapter interface, and the adapter is configured to include an adapter agent, said server including:

a processing subsystem configured to include a server agent;
and
at least one server interface configured to be coupled to the network, wherein the processing subsystem is coupled to the server interface, and is configured to access the network via the server interface when said server interface is coupled to the network, and wherein the server agent is coupled and configured:
to cause the processing subsystem to assert a request to the adapter agent, and to identify at least one adapter interface overload indication supplied to the server interface by the adapter agent in response to the request;
and
for a path which includes the server interface and over which the server accesses the storage device via the adapter, to determine whether the path is overloaded, in a manner using the adapter interface overload indication.

3 more elements

A method, including steps of:

asserting a request over a converged network from a server to an adapter, wherein the server is configured to include a server agent and the adapter is configured to include an adapter agent;
employing the server agent to identify at least one adapter interface overload indication supplied to a server interface of the server by the adapter agent in response to the request, wherein the adapter interface overload indication is indicative of whether an adapter interface of the adapter is overloaded;
and
for a path which includes the server interface and over which the server accesses at least one storage device via the adapter, employing the serve agent to determine whether the path is overloaded, in a manner using the adapter interface overload indication.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/819,775Filed 6 Aug 2015
Published: US 2017/0041182 A19 Feb 2017
Granted: 17 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

H04L 41/046
Network management architectures or arrangements: comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
G06F 3/0613
Improving I/O performance: in relation to throughput
G06F 3/0635
Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems: by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
G06F 3/067
Adopting a particular infrastructure: distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]