International Business Machines Corporation

Raymond M Swank

Michael L Lamb

David W Groves

Kevin Joseph Webster

Edward Martin McCrickard

Alireza Razzaghi Daryan

David Maxwell Cannon

Duane Mark Baldwin

Gregory John Tevis

David Lynn Merbach

Daniel Graham Douglas

William Roy Yonker

Allen Robert Heitman

Douglas Stephen Noddings

Gregory John Knight

Douglas Paul Dunham

Stefan Jaquet

Nancy Lott Hobbs

Paul Lawrence Bradshaw

Srinivas Jandhyala

Cindy Zhou

Brian Augustine Delaire

Lisa Anne Huston

Vinh-Thuan Nguyen-Phuc

Justin Russell Bendich

Vincent Jomartin Hoang

Barbara J Camacho

Timothy Clarence Willging

Roman David Druker

Barry Lynn Eberly

Ron H Clark

Amir Nakhforoush

Arvind C Surve

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for maintaining multiple copy versions of component values in a system. A database includes entries for components in a system, wherein there is one entry for each of a plurality of component values associated with a component, wherein each entry indicates a range of copy versions for which the component value applies. A copy operation is performed at a current time to create a current copy version. A determination is made as to whether the component values for the components at the current time have changed since a previous copy version. The previous copy version is maintained in the database and immediately precedes the current copy version. For each component value that has changed, the entry for the component having the open indicator as the end copy version is updated to indicate the previous copy version as the end copy version.

Maintaining multiple copy versions of component values in a system

Provided are a method, system, and program for creating at least one volume in a disk storage system. A request is received to create at least one volume on the disk storage system indicating a volume size and number of volumes to create. Selection is made of a storage pool object representing one of a plurality of storage pools having available storage space to create the requested number of volumes. retrieving a storage configuration service of the disk storage system using an association of a disk storage system object representing the disk storage system and the selected storage pool object. The disk storage system object representing the disk storage system is associated with the retrieved storage configuration service. A volume size of the volume to create is set to a calculated size. The storage pool is set as the selected storage pool object. A method is invoked through the retrieved storage configuration service for each volume in the requested number of volumes to create.

Assigning or creating a resource in a storage system

Novel storage area networks (SANs) and methods of operation thereof utilize a plurality of hosts coupled via an interconnect with one or more storage units. A manager device, process or other functionality in communication with a plurality of agent processes, devices or other functionality, each of which is associated with a host. The agents identify attributes of (i) their associated hosts, (ii) interconnect to which that host is coupled, and/or (iii) storage units to which that host is coupled via the interconnect. The manager responds to these attributes identified by the agents to manage the SAN. The manager can be implemented on a first digital data processor and the hosts on further digital data processors. These digital data processors can be coupled via a first network, e.g., an IP or other network, to support communications between the manager and the agents. A second network, e.g., SCSI and/or fiber channel based fabric, separate from the first network, can be utilized as the interconnect between the hosts and the storage devices.

Storage area network methods and apparatus with centralized management

An example of a method for assigning a resource (for example, storage) includes receiving a request for a resource, wherein the request includes a list of paths. This example also includes retrieving a HardwareAccount, Controller, and an AccessAuthorization object for a first path in the list of paths. This example further includes making an attach device request to a CIMOM for a first available resource, using the Controller and the AccessAuthorization object. This example also includes determining if the first available resource was successfully attached, and if so, recording the assignment as successful, and if not, rolling back all assignments for the first available resource that were previously recorded as successful. Another aspect of the invention is a method for creating at least one LUN.

Method and system for assigning or creating a resource

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for provisioning storage resources according to a modeling policy. The modeling apparatus includes a monitoring module, a policy module, and a provisioning module. The monitoring module monitors the storage resources on the storage system. The policy module stores and maintains storage management, storage provisioning, and storage resource modeling policies. A user may access and specify these policies via a specification module. The provisioning module automatically provisions new storage resources, such as logical unit numbers (LUNs) according to the storage provisioning policies and modeling policies. The modeling policy defines a modeling strategy by which new storage resources are provisioned to include some or all of the attributes of a model storage resource.

Apparatus, system, and method for modeling for storage provisioning

One aspect of the invention is a method for responding to an inquiry. An example of the method includes receiving the inquiry, obtaining information from a CIMOM, and creating at least one Storage Object. This example of the method also includes populating the at least one Storage Object with information received from the CIMOM, and sending the at least one Storage Object to a calling function.

Common information model

An example of a method for assigning storage includes receiving a request for storage, wherein the request includes a requested amount of storage space and connectivity information. This example of the method also includes identifying storage that is accessible by a requesting device based on the connectivity information, and identifying all LUNs that are masked from all hosts, in the identified storage. This example of the method further includes selecting at least one identified LUN, and assigning the at least one selected LUN to the requesting device.

Method and system for assigning a resource

The invention provides improvements on storage area network (SAN) of the type having one or more host digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices, where a host has an operating system that utilizes (i) a port driver to define a software interface between a class driver and an adapter to which one or more of the storage devices are coupled, and (ii) a class driver that claims storage devices for access, e.g., by the operating system and any applications programs executing therein, by invoking the port driver to which the host is coupled, e.g., via the interconnect fabric. The improvement comprises a software filter in communication with the port driver and the class driver. That filter intervenes to block claiming of one or more selected storage devices by the class driver.

Storage area network methods and apparatus for storage device masking

The invention provides an improved storage area network (SAN) of the type that has a host or other digital data processor whose ports are coupled to peripheral devices that include fiber channel or other SAN-class storage devices. Processes executing on the host (or other digital data processor) generate requests for access to those peripheral devices. A persistent store identifies ports coupled to SAN-class storage devices. This store can be loaded, for example, by a process that executes on the host in user mode. A filter executes on the host in kernel mode to block access to selected ones of those SAN-class storage devices.

Storage area network methods and apparatus for identifying fiber channel devices in kernel mode

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Raymond M Swank