Emc Corporation

John D Panelli

Keerthi Kumar Arutla

Sesh Jalagam

Mark Andrew McBride

Alan Kin Chung Leung

Shankar Kundala

Bindu Nimmagadda

Suppakit Maneeroj

A rule engine applies storage area network configuration validation rules to verify whether a proposed storage area network configuration includes compatible resources for use in a storage area network environment. The storage area network configuration validation rules enable a proposed combination of storage area network resources to be validated against compatibility data in a repository even when one or more of the resources in the proposed combination ambiguously maps to multiple possible resources and each of other resources in the proposed combination specifically maps to a single respective known component type. Accordingly, an advisory system herein can provide notification whether a proposed or existing storage area network configuration is qualified for use even though one or more of the resources in the combination is ambiguously mapped to multiple possible storage area network resource types.

Configuration validation and ambiguous mapping

A matching graphical user interface (GUI) for a storage area network (SAN) management tool is disclosed. The matching GUI allows a user to match a managed object that corresponds to a unit of a SAN with a component of the SAN management tool, so the SAN management tool may validate the configuration of the SAN. The GUI receives information describing a managed object and displays the information and a result of an attempted match of the information with a component. A result indicates a current status of the attempted match. The GUI provides a user-selectable listing of components for the displayed result. The selection of a component from the user-selectable listing of components by a user creates a match between the received information for the unit and the selected component.

Matching user interface

A system identifies at least one VSAN, and analyzes a configuration of the VSAN by applying a policy to the configuration of the VSAN. The system then outputs a result of the policy applied to the VSAN.

Methods and apparatus for analyzing VSAN configuration

A SAN connectivity advisor analyzes the physical connections of a physical fabric, identifies logical connections based on the physical connections and connectivity information, and applies a set of connectivity rules indicative of good or mandatory SAN connection practices. The connectivity advisor generates a report indicative of connections that may need or benefit from modification, typically an error message for each suspect connection found. The connectivity advisor applies the rules to each physical and logical connection to qualify the connection according to the rules, thus reflecting the actual configuration at the port-to-port connection level, rather than the conventional device-to-device level. Further, the connectivity advisor does not require an interoperability matrix or other database query of device interoperability. The generated results indicate suggested (warning) or mandatory (inoperative) actions for remedying particular connection anomalies, and in this manner, apply a consistent set of aggregated rules to each physical and logical SAN connection.

Methods and apparatus for physical and logical SAN fabric analysis

A message rendering process receives an indication of a selected display context (e.g., one of multiple types of information pages) for viewing information associated with a respective storage area network resource. The message rendering process identifies one or more message data structures stored in a repository. The one or more message data structures are used to potentially display a respective message associated with the selected display context. For example, in response to detecting a presence of message data associated with the message data structure, the message rendering process populates a respective format specified by the message data structure to produce the respective message associated with the selected display context. Consequently, a respective user can view information associated with a respective storage area network resource. The message rendering process automatically initiates display of messages pertinent to the storage area network resource information being viewed by the respective user.

Methods and apparatus for rendering messages

A system provides a user map service that receives component data associated with a resource in a storage area network and matches the component data to entries in a user-created component matching database to determine a specific identity of the resource in the storage area network to which the component data is associated. The system provides the specific identity of the resource in the storage area network to which the component data is associated. The system maintains the user-created component matching database by allowing a user to create matches between individual resources for which component data is received to specific identities of those resources as determined by the user. The database can be queried and updated to make matching more efficient.

Maintaining and using user-created mapping history for network resource mapping

A processor retrieves configuration information (e.g., interoperability rules) indicating acceptable configurations of different types of resources in a storage area network. Based on the retrieved configuration information, the processor generates a set of records. Each record in the set of records includes corresponding identifiers (e.g., numerical integer values) indicating different types of compatible resources associated with a corresponding acceptable storage area network configuration. Each identifier in a respective record maps to a particular manufacturer, model, type, version, etc. of a respective storage area network resource. Consequently, a respective record identifies a group of compatible storage area network resources. For purposes of enabling quick generation of a decision whether a respective configuration is acceptable for use in a storage area network, the processor stores the records in memory and maintains the records in an order depending on respective values of the identifiers stored in the set of records.

Methods and systems for maintaining configuration information

A processor (e.g., a search function) searches for particular interoperability records stored in a data structure to identify whether a proposed configuration includes a set of compatible components. For example, a processor receives a query including one or more parameter values identifying a grouping of one or more corresponding unique resources that may or may not be compatible for use in a respective storage area network. Based on receipt of the query, the processor initiates a search with respect to a data structure of interoperability records sorted according to multiple parameter values associated with each respective record. In response to initiating the search, the processor identifies any records in the data structure that include the one or more parameter values identified in the query.

Methods and systems for utilizing configuration information

A rule engine process utilizes so-called validator functions to identify how to apply specified sets of different rules to respective types of resources in a storage area network environment. For example, a rule engine initially receives information indicating a given storage area network resource to be validated. The rule engine process identifies a type or characteristic associated with the given resource and, thereafter, selects one of multiple respective validator functions to test the given resource. The selected validator function specifies rule processing information such as which rules to apply to the identified type of resource, an order for applying the rules, and conditions whether certain rules will be applied to the given resource based on an outcome of previously applied rules. In one embodiment, application of a set of rules specified by a respective validator function can yield a range of different types of error and/or warning information.

Growing community of inventors

Campbell, CA, United States of America

John D Panelli