Apparatus and method for providing dynamic and automated assignment of data logical unit numbers
View Patent ↗A method and corresponding apparatus for providing dynamic and automated assignment of data logical unit numbers (LUNs) use an interface on a management server to control data backup process in a storage area network (SAN). The management server may keep a master list of which LUNs each server or host is allowed to access. Data backup may be accomplished using backup software. The method creates a snapshot LUN, i.e., an exact copy of an existing LUN at a given point in time, and creates a unique identifier, referred to as a snapshot identifier, corresponding to the snapshot LUN. The interface uses the snapshot identifier to control access to the snapshot LUN. The backup software may request that the management server assign the snapshot LUN to a backup server so that the backup server can access the snapshot LUN for data backup purposes.
1. A method for providing dynamic and automated assignment of data logical unit numbers (LUNs), comprising:
creating a snapshot LUN that represents an exact copy of an existing LUN at a given point in time, wherein the snapshot LUN is assigned a unique identifier;
passing the unique identifier to a backup server;
if the backup server cannot access the snapshot LUN based on the unique identifier, requesting a management server to assign the snapshot LUN to the backup server; and
if the management server assigns the snapshot LUN to the backup server, backing-up data represented by the LUN using the backup server.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backing-up step includes copying the data to a backup storage.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising searching for a LUN that matches the unique identifier.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier assigned to the snapshot LUN is a snapshot identifier.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising releasing the backup server's access to the snapshot LUN after the data backup.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assigning the snapshot LUN using an interface on a management server.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assigning the snapshot LUN using an application protocol interface (API).
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a storage area network (SAN) that uses host-based security in connection with the data backup.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a storage area network (SAN) that uses array-based security in connection with the data backup.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a storage area network (SAN) that uses switch-based security in connection with the data backup.
11. An apparatus for providing dynamic and automated assignment of data logical unit numbers (LUNs), comprising:
servers that access data represented by LUNs on one or more storage devices, each storage device comprising a snapshot LUN that represents an exact copy of an existing LUN at a given point in time;
backup software that assigns a unique identifier to the snapshot LUN and passes the snapshot identifier to a backup server to complete the data backup; and
an interface that assigns the snapshot LUN to the backup server for the data backup if the backup server is not able to access the snapshot LUN using the snapshot identifier.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a backup storage that stores data for data backup.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the backup storage is a backup tape.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the interface resides on a management server, and wherein the management server communicates with the backup server using a network.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein one or more of the storage devices are disk arrays.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the unique identifier is a snapshot identifier.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the interface is an application protocol interface (API).
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the interface releases the snapshot LUN from the backup server after the data backup is completed.
19. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions for dynamic and automated assignment of data logical unit numbers (LUNs), the instructions comprising:
creating a snapshot LUN that represents an exact copy of an existing LUN at a given point in time, wherein the snapshot LUN is assigned a snapshot identifier;
passing the snapshot identifier to a backup server;
if the backup server cannot access the snapshot LUN based on the snapshot identifier, requesting a management server to assign the snapshot LUN to the backup server; and
if the management server assigns the snapshot LUN to the backup server, backing-up data represented by the LUN using the backup server.
20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions searching for a LUN that matches the snapshot identifier.