International Business Machines Corporation

Mitsutoshi Jinno

Hiroyuki Miyoshi

Yoshihiko Terashita

Hiroyuki Tanaka

Hlroyuki Tanaka

Various embodiments are provided for managing a storage network system. The storage network system includes a plurality of zones. Each of the plurality of zones includes at least one storage network device. A link-down event associated with one of the storage network devices is detected. A determination of whether alternative storage network devices in an identified one of the plurality of zones where the link-down event occurred are in a link-down state, where at least a zone table and a routing table is used for the determining. In response to all of the storage network devices being in the link-down state, the identified one of the plurality of zones where the link-down event occurred is placed in a down state.

Method and system for managing a storage network to reduce power consumption

Various embodiments are provided for managing a storage network system. The storage network system includes a plurality of zones. Each of the plurality of zones includes at least one storage network device. A link-down event associated with one of the storage network devices is detected. One of a plurality of zones is identified where the link-down event occurred, and a broadcast signal is transmitted in the storage network giving notice of the detected link-down event. A determination of whether alternative storage network devices in the identified one of the plurality of zones where the link-down event occurred are in a link-down state, where at least a zone table and a routing table is used for the determining. In response to all of the storage network devices being in the link-down state, the identified one of the plurality of zones where the link-down event occurred is placed in a down state.

Methods, computer systems, and computer program products are provided for managing a storage network system is provided. The storage network system includes a plurality of zones. Each of the plurality of zones includes at least one storage network device. A link-down event associated with one of the storage network devices is detected. One of the plurality of zones is identified is identified as being unused if the zone is not accessed by another of the storage network devices in another of the plurality of zones and if the zone does not access another of the storage network devices in another of the plurality of zones.

An identification request is received from a host device. A virtual address that identifies at least the first device and a second device is determined. The first device and the second device are coupled together to form a plurality of redundant paths between the host device and a target device. A plurality of target ports associated with the target device are determined. A single virtual target port address is assigned to the plurality of target ports associated with the target device. A first of the plurality of redundant paths between the host device and the target device is designated as an active path. The first of the plurality of redundant paths between the host device and the target device is associated with a first of the plurality of target ports. The virtual address and the virtual target port address are transmitted to the host device.

Expander to control multipaths in a storage network

In a path determination unit of a SAS expander connected to a SAS initiator and connected via first and second paths to a SAS target, an SSP controller receives an SSP command frame received from the SAS initiator; a requested-data-length manager stores a requested data length of the SSP command frame in a requested-data-length storage unit; and a data-transfer-amount manager selects one of the first and second paths having a smaller one of the data transfer amounts stored in a data-transfer-amount storage unit, and adds the requested data length to the data transfer amount of the selected path. The SSP command frame is transmitted to the SAS target via the selected path. Upon receipt of an SSP response frame responding thereto, the requested data length is deleted from the requested-data-length storage unit, and the requested data length is subtracted from the data transfer amount of the selected path.

System and method for using a multipath

A SAS expander forms a first path coupling the SAS initiator and a first port of a SAS target together. The first SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of a virtual expander address instead of a SAS address of the first SAS expander. The first SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of a virtual target port address, at least instead of a SAS address of the first port of the SAS target. A second SAS expander forms a second path coupling the SAS initiator and a second port of the SAS target together. The second SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of the virtual expander address instead of a SAS address of the second SAS expander. The second SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of the virtual target port address, at least instead of a SAS address of the second port of the SAS target.

Growing community of inventors

Yamato, Japan

Mitsutoshi Jinno