System and method for storage based path discovery

1 . A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising:

processing fabric device management interface (FDMI) information about one or more initiator devices from a fibre channel (FC) switch to allow a storage array to associate host bus adapter worldwide name (HBA-WWN) port information with one or more hostnames corresponding to the one or more initiator devices;

transmitting from each port available in the storage array, at predetermined intervals, a remote link service (RLS) signal to each HBA-WWN port in communication with the storage array;

processing a confirmation signal associated with receipt of the RLS signal at a first HBA-WWN port on a first initiator device; and

in response to processing the confirmation signal, marking a successful path used to transmit the RLS signal as valid.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the storage array is connected to each of the one or more initiator devices via at least one path going through the FC switch.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each HBA-WWN port is configured to send a confirmation signal in response to receiving the RLS signal.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further including:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port or to not receiving the confirmation signal from the HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, marking an unsuccessful path used to transmit the RLS signal as questionable;

in response to marking the unsuccessful path as questionable, transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via one or more alternate paths; and

in response to successfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, recategorizing the questionable path as invalid, and marking the first HBA-WWN port as active.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, attempting to transmit the RLS signal to an alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device; and

in response to successfully transmitting the RLS signal to the alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, notifying an end-user of the invalid path and reporting that the first initiator device is active.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein receiving RLS signals from the alternate HBA-WWN port indicates that the first initiator device is active.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, and unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to an alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, notifying the end-user of the invalid path and reporting that first initiator device is inactive.

8 . A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

processing fabric device management interface (FDMI) information about one or more initiator devices from a fibre channel (FC) switch to allow a storage array to associate host bus adapter worldwide name (HBA-WWN) port information with one or more hostnames corresponding to the one or more initiator devices;

transmitting from each port available in the storage array, at predetermined intervals, a remote link service (RLS) signal to each HBA-WWN port in communication with the storage array;

processing a confirmation signal associated with receipt of the RLS signal at a first HBA-WWN port on a first initiator device; and

in response to processing the confirmation signal, marking a successful path used to transmit the RLS signal as valid.

9 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the storage array is connected to each of the one or more initiator devices via at least one path going through the FC switch.

10 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein each HBA-WWN port is configured to send a confirmation signal in response to receiving the RLS signal.

11 . The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port or to not receiving the confirmation signal from the HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, marking an unsuccessful path used to transmit the RLS signal as questionable;

in response to marking the unsuccessful path as questionable, transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via one or more alternate paths; and

in response to successfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, recategorizing the questionable path as invalid, and marking the first HBA-WWN port as active.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, attempting to transmit the RLS signal to an alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device; and

in response to successfully transmitting the RLS signal to the alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, notifying an end-user of the invalid path and reporting that the first initiator device is active.

13 . The computer program product method of claim 12 , wherein receiving RLS signals from the alternate HBA-WWN port indicates that the first initiator device is active.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, and unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to an alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, notifying the end-user of the invalid path and reporting that first initiator device is inactive.

15 . A computing system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to process fabric device management interface (FDMI) information about one or more initiator devices from a fibre channel (FC) switch to allow a storage array to associate host bus adapter worldwide name (HBA-WWN) port information with one or more hostnames corresponding to the one or more initiator devices, to transmit from each port available in the storage array, at predetermined intervals, a remote link service (RLS) signal to each HBA-WWN port in communication with the storage array, to process a confirmation signal associated with receipt of the RLS signal at a first HBA-WWN port on a first initiator device, and in response to processing the confirmation signal, to mark a successful path used to transmit the RLS signal as valid.

16 . The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the storage array is connected to each of the one or more initiator devices via at least one path going through the FC switch.

17 . The computing system of claim 15 , wherein each HBA-WWN port is configured to send a confirmation signal in response to receiving the RLS signal.

18 . The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port or to not receiving the confirmation signal from the HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, mark an unsuccessful path used to transmit the RLS signal as questionable;

in response to marking the unsuccessful path as questionable, transmit the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via one or more alternate paths; and

in response to successfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, recategorize the questionable path as invalid, and marking the first HBA-WWN port as active.

19 . The computing system of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

in response to unsuccessfully transmitting the RLS signal to the first HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device via the one or more alternate paths, attempting to transmit the RLS signal to an alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device; and

in response to successfully transmitting the RLS signal to the alternate HBA-WWN port on the first initiator device, notifying an end-user of the invalid path and reporting that the first initiator device is active.

20 . The computing system of claim 19 , wherein receiving RLS signals from the alternate HBA-WWN port indicates that the first initiator device is active.