Method and system for monitoring events in storage area networks
View Patent ↗A method and system for monitoring events in a storage area network is provided. The system includes a threshold monitoring module that receives a message from plural monitoring agents indicating if a parameter varies from a threshold value, and in response to the message, the threshold monitoring module coordinates an event. The threshold values are stored and updated in a threshold table. The monitoring agents include a Chassis monitoring module, a fabric monitoring module, a port monitoring module, and/or an Nx_port event monitoring module. An event response module is notified of the variation and an event is generated in response to the notification based on an event table. The method includes, monitoring plural events by using plural monitoring agents in a fabric switch; comparing a parameter value to a threshold value for the parameter; and notifying a threshold monitoring module if the parameter value varies from the threshold value.
1. A system for monitoring events in a storage area network, comprising:
a fibre channel fabric switch element having a port monitoring agent that monitors at least a parameter value and detects when a parameter value varies from a threshold value stored in a threshold table for a parameter, wherein the port monitoring agent sends a message to a performance monitoring module that sends a message to an Event Response Director that selects an event in an Event Response Table and sends control signals to a Local Event Handler and an External Event Generator, and the Local Event Handler performs control actions on a local fabric switch and the External Event Generator sends input/output registered state change notices to host computing systems; and the Event Response Table and the threshold table is updated by a Threshold Event Configuration module based on historical data.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the performance monitoring module notifies a host computer when the parameter value varies from the threshold value.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a fibre channel port with a parameter value that varies from the threshold value is taken off-line.
4. A system for monitoring events in a storage area network, comprising:
a fabric monitoring module in a fibre channel fabric switch element, wherein the fabric monitoring module detects when a remote fabric switch and a local fabric switch cannot exchange information and then sends a message to a performance monitoring module that sends a message to an Event Response Director that selects an event in an Event Response Table and sends control signals to a Local Event Handler and an External Event Generator, and the Local Event Handler performs control actions on a local fabric switch and the External Event Generator sends input/output registered state change notices to host computing systems; and the Event Response Table and the threshold table are updated by a Threshold Event Configuration module based on historical data.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein a host system is notified by the performance monitoring module that the remote and the local fabric switch cannot exchange information.
6. A system for monitoring events in a storage area network, comprising:
a chassis monitoring module in a fibre channel fabric switch element THAT detects when an indicator value for a switch chassis of the fibre channel fabric switch element varies from a threshold value and notifies a performance monitoring module of the variation and the performance monitoring module sends a message to an Event Response Director that selects an event in an Event Response Table and sends control signals to a Local Event Handler and an External Event Generator; and the Local Event Handler performs control actions on a local fabric switch; and the External Event Generator sends input/output registered state change notices to host computing systems; and the Event Response Table and the threshold table is updated by a Threshold Event Configuration module based on historical data.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein a host computer is notified of the variation by the performance monitoring module.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein a remote fabric switch is notified of the variation by the performance monitoring module.
9. A system for monitoring events in a storage area network comprising:
a performance monitoring module in a fibre channel fabric switch element that receives a message from at least one monitoring agent indicating if a parameter value varies from a threshold value, and in response to the message, the performance monitoring module sends a message to an Event Response Director that selects an event in an Event Response Table and sends control signals to a Local Event Handler and an External Event Generator, and the Local Event Handler performs control actions on a local fabric switch and the External Event Generator sends input/output registered state chance notices to host computing systems; and the Event Response Table and the threshold table is updated by a Threshold Event Configuration module.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the threshold values in the threshold table are updated based on a user request.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring agent includes a Chassis monitoring module, a fabric monitoring module, a port monitoring module, and/or a Nx_Port event monitoring module.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the threshold values are updated based on historical data and/or reliability data.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the performance monitoring module consolidates threshold events and control signals sent by plural monitoring agents, if a threshold value for a parameter is exceeded.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein an event is generated in response to the notification based on the event response table.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the event response module notifies a host computer of the variation.
16. A method for monitoring events in a storage area network, comprising:
monitoring at least one parameter value, wherein at least one monitoring agent in a fibre channel fabric switch monitors the parameter value;
comparing the parameter value to a threshold value; and
notifying a performance monitoring module if the parameter value varies from the threshold value; wherein the performance monitoring module sends a message to an Event Response module that selects an event in an Event Response Table and sends control signals to a Local Event Handler and an External Event Generator, and the Local Event Handler performs control actions on a local fabric switch and the External Event Generator sends input/output registered state change notices to host computing systems; and the Event Response Table and the threshold table is updated by a Threshold Event Configuration module based on historical data.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
consolidating plural threshold variations and notifying an event response module of the variations, wherein the performance monitoring module consolidates plural threshold variations.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
generating an event in response to a threshold variation.
19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
notifying a host computer of the threshold variation, wherein the performance monitoring module notifies the host computer.
20. A system for notifying a computing system of an indicator that precedes a failure in a storage area network, comprising:
at least one monitoring agent in a fibre channel fabric switch element that monitors an indicator that can result in a failure in the storage area network; and
a performance monitoring module that compares an indicator value to a threshold value and coordinates an event if the indicator value varies from the threshold value, wherein the performance monitoring module sends a message to an Event Response Director that selects an event in an Event Response Table and sends control signals to a Local Event Handler and an External Event Generator, and the Local Event Handler performs control actions on a local fabric switch and the External Event Generator sends input/output registered state change notices to host computing systems; and the Event Response Table and the threshold table is updated by a Threshold Event Configuration module.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the threshold table is updated based on historical data and/or reliability data.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the monitoring agent includes at least a chassis monitor, port monitor, Nx_Port monitor, and/or fabric monitor.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the chassis monitor detects when an indicator value for a switch chassis varies from a threshold value and notifies the performance monitoring module of the variation.
24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the port monitoring module tracks port statistics for fibre channel ports and sends a message to the performance monitoring module to process an event when a fibre channel port link indicator value varies from the threshold value.
25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the fabric monitoring module detects when a remote fabric switch and a local fabric switch cannot exchange information and then sends a message to the performance monitoring module.
26. A fibre channel fabric switch element, comprising:
a port monitoring agent that monitors at least a parameter value and detects when a parameter value varies from a threshold value for a parameter, wherein the port monitoring agent sends a message to a performance monitoring module to process an event when the parameter value varies from the threshold value; wherein the performance monitoring module sends a message to an Event Response Director that selects an event in an Event Response Table and sends control signals to a Local Event Handler and an External Event Generator, and the Local Event Handler performs control actions on a local fabric switch and the External Event Generator sends input/output registered state change notices to host computing systems: and the Event Response Table and the threshold table is updated by a Threshold Event Configuration module.
27. The switch element of claim 26 , wherein the performance monitoring module notifies a host computer when the parameter value varies from the threshold value.
28. The switch element of claim 27 , wherein a fibre channel port with a parameter value that varies from the threshold value is taken off-line.
29. The switch element of claim 26 , wherein the monitoring agent includes a Chassis monitoring module, a fabric monitoring module, a port monitoring module, and/or a Nx_Port event monitoring module.
30. The switch element of claim 29 , wherein the fabric monitoring module detects when a remote fabric switch and a local fabric switch cannot exchange information.
31. The switch element of claim 29 , wherein the chassis monitor detects when an indicator value for a switch chassis varies from a threshold value and notifies the performance monitoring module of the variation.
32. The switch element of claim 29 , wherein the port monitoring module tracks port statistics for fibre channel ports and sends a message to the performance monitoring module to process an event when a fibre channel port link indicator value varies from the threshold value.