Methods and structure for improved volume migration between storage array subsystems

1. A method for importing a storage device into a storage subsystem comprising:

exporting the storage device;

removing the storage device from a storage subsystem; and

importing the storage device into a storage subsystem such that the exported storage device is recognized as a foreign storage device in the storage subsystem into which it is imported.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exporting comprises:

altering configuration data stored on the storage device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of altering comprises:

writing configuration information on the storage device such that the configuration information will indicate that the storage device is a foreign storage device in any storage subsystem in which it is later inserted.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of writing comprises one or more of the following steps:

writing a database identifier to a new value;

writing a timestamp to a new value; and

writing a controller identifier to a new value.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage device is a storage volume consisting of a plurality of storage elements and wherein the step of exporting comprises:

altering configuration data stored in each of the plurality of storage elements.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of altering comprises:

writing configuration information on said each storage element such that the configuration information will indicate that said each storage element is a foreign storage device in any storage subsystem in which it is later inserted.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of writing comprises one or more of the following steps:

writing a database identifier to a new value;

writing a timestamp to a new value; and

writing a controller identifier to a new value.

8. A system for importing a storage device into a storage subsystem comprising:

means for exporting the storage device;

means for removing the storage device from a storage subsystem; and

means for importing the storage device into a storage subsystem such that the exported storage device is recognized as a foreign storage device in the storage subsystem into which it is imported.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for exporting comprises:

means for altering configuration data stored on the storage device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for altering comprises:

means for writing configuration information on the storage device such that the configuration information will indicate that the storage device is a foreign storage device in any storage subsystem in which it is later inserted.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for writing comprises one or more of the following:

means for writing a database identifier to a new value;

means for writing a timestamp to a new value; and

means for writing a controller identifier to a new value.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the storage device is a storage volume consisting of a plurality of storage elements and wherein the means for exporting comprises:

means for altering configuration data stored in each of the plurality of storage elements.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for altering comprises:

means for writing configuration information on said each storage element such that the configuration information will indicate that said each storage element is a foreign storage device in any storage subsystem in which it is later inserted.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for writing comprises one or more of the following:

means for writing a database identifier to a new value;

means for writing a timestamp to a new value; and

means for writing a controller identifier to a new value.

15. A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying program instructions providing a method for importing a storage device into a storage subsystem, the method comprising:

exporting the storage device;

removing the storage device from a storage subsystem; and

importing the storage device into a storage subsystem such that the exported storage device is recognized as a foreign storage device in the storage subsystem into which it is imported.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the method step of exporting comprises:

altering configuration data stored on the storage device.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the method step of altering comprises:

writing configuration information on the storage device such that the configuration information will indicate that the storage device is a foreign storage device in any storage subsystem in which it is later inserted.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the method step of writing comprises one or more of the following steps:

writing a database identifier to a new value;

writing a timestamp to a new value; and

writing a controller identifier to a new value.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the storage device is a storage volume consisting of a plurality of storage elements and wherein the method step of exporting comprises:

altering configuration data stored in each of the plurality of storage elements.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the method step of altering comprises:

writing configuration information on said each storage element such that the configuration information will indicate that said each storage element is a foreign storage device in any storage subsystem in which it is later inserted.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the method step of writing comprises one or more of the following steps:

writing a database identifier to a new value;

writing a timestamp to a new value; and

writing a controller identifier to a new value.