Creating and/or managing meta-data for data storage devices using a packet switch appliance

1. A method of creating and/or managing meta-data for data storage devices using a first packet switch appliance having a plurality of ports associated with port numbers, wherein a first port on the first packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a first instrument port connected to a first data storage device, a second port on the first packet switch appliance is configured as a first network port connected to a packet-switching network, a third port on the first packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a second instrument port connected to a second data storage device, and a fourth port on the first packet switch appliance is a management port connected to a storage management server, the method comprising:

when a first block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the first network port:

creating a first meta-data tag for the first block at the first packet switch appliance;

sending the first block of one or more packets to the first data storage device through the first instrument port; and

sending the first meta-data tag or a copy of the first meta-data tag to the first data storage device; and

when a second block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the first network port:

creating a second meta-data tag for the second block at the first packet switch appliance;

sending the second block of one or more packets to the second data storage device through the second instrument port; and

sending the second meta-data tag or a copy of the second meta-data tag to the second data storage device:

sending the first meta-data tag or the copy of the first meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the first meta-data tag or the copy of the first meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the first instrument port; and

sending the second meta-data tag or the copy of the second meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the second meta-data tag or the copy of the second meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the second instrument port;

wherein the first meta-data tag or the copy of the first meta-data tag, and the second meta-data tag or the copy of the second meta-data tag, are sent to the storage management server so that the storage management server can perform the acts of:

receiving the first and second meta-data tags or copies of the first and second meta-data tags;

creating a first superset meta-data tag for the first meta-data tag or the copy of the first meta-data tag, wherein the first superset meta-data tag include an association between the port number associated with the first instrument port and a unique identification for the first data storage device;

storing the first superset meta-data tag;

creating a second superset meta-data tag for the second meta-data tag or the copy of the second meta-data tag, wherein the second superset meta-data tag include an association between the port number associated with the second instrument port and a unique identification for the second data storage device; and

storing the second superset meta-data tag.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first meta-data tag is created by filtering the one or more packets received through the first network port, applying tags to the filtered one or more packets, and creating the first meta-data tag based on the applied tags, and wherein the method further comprises appending the first meta-data tag to the first block.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first meta-data tag is created by filtering the one or more packets received through the first network port, and parsing the filtered one or more packets based on one or more criteria to create the first meta-data tag, wherein the method further comprises appending the first meta-data tag to the first block.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first meta-data tag is created by filtering the one or more packets received through the first network port, applying tags to the filtered one or more packets, parsing the filtered one or more packets based on one or more criteria, and creating the first meta-data tag based on the applied tags, wherein the method further comprises appending the first meta-data tag to the first block.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a fourth port on the first packet switch appliance is configured as a second network port connected to the packet-switching network, and wherein the method further comprises:

when a third block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the second network port:

creating a third meta-data tag for the third block;

sending the third block of one or more packets to the first data storage device through the first instrument port; and

sending the third meta-data tag or a copy of the third meta-data tag to the first data storage device; and

when a fourth block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the second network port:

creating a fourth meta-data tag for the fourth block;

sending the fourth block of one or more packets to the second data storage device through the second instrument port; and

sending the fourth meta-data tag or a copy of the fourth meta-data tag to the second data storage device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the association between the port number of the first instrument port and the unique identification for the first data storage device; and

storing the association between the port number of the second instrument port and the unique identification for the second data storage device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

at the storage management server:

when a reduction in availability or performance of the first data storage device is detected, sending a command to the first packet switch appliance to reroute packets that are to be sent to the first data storage device through the first instrument port to the second data storage device through the second instrument port.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

at the storage management server:

polling the first and second data storage devices to determine the availability or the performance of the first storage device, and availability or performance of the second data storage device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first port on a second packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a first instrument port connected to a third data storage device, wherein a second port on the second packet switch appliance is configured as a first network port connected to the packet-switching network, wherein a third port on the second packet switch appliance is a management port connected to the storage management server, and wherein the first instrument port of the second packet switch is associated with a port number, the method further comprising:

when a third block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the first network port of the second packet switch appliance:

creating a third meta-data tag for the third block;

sending the third block of one or more packets to the third data storage device through the first instrument port of the second packet switch; and

sending the third meta-data tag or a copy of the third meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the third meta-data tag or the copy of the third meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the first instrument port of the second packet switch.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

assigning a first unit number to the first packet switch appliance, wherein the first meta-data tag or the copy of the first meta-data tag includes the first unit number of the first packet switch appliance; and

assigning a second unit number to the second packet switch appliance, wherein the third meta-data tag or the copy of the third meta-data tag includes the second unit number of the second packet switch appliance, wherein the first and second unit numbers are different.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a fifth port on the first packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a second network port, and wherein the method further comprises:

when a third block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the second network port:

creating a third meta-data tag for the third block;

sending the third block of one or more packets to the first data storage device through the first instrument port; and

sending the third meta-data tag or a copy of the third meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the third meta-data tag or the copy of the third meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the first instrument port; and

when a fourth block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the second network port:

creating a fourth meta-data tag for the fourth block;

sending the fourth block of one or more packets to the second data storage device through the second instrument port; and

sending the fourth meta-data tag or a copy of the fourth meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the fourth meta-data tag or the copy of the fourth meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the second instrument port.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ports includes the first port, the second port, and the third port.

13. A method of creating and/or managing meta-data for data storage devices using a first packet switch appliance having a plurality of ports associated with port numbers, wherein a first port on the first packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a first instrument port connected to a first data storage device, wherein a second port on the first packet switch appliance is configured as a first network port connected to a packet-switching network, wherein a third port on the first packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a second instrument port connected to a second data storage device, and wherein a fourth port on the first packet switch appliance is a management port connected to a storage management server, the method comprising:

when a first block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the first network port:

creating a first meta-data tag for the first block at the first packet switch appliance;

sending the first block of one or more packets to the first data storage device through the first instrument port; and

sending the first meta-data tag or a copy of the first meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the first meta-data tag or the copy of the first meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the first instrument port; and

when a second block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the first network port:

creating a second meta-data tag for the second block at the first packet switch appliance;

sending the second block of one or more packets to the second data storage device through the second instrument port; and

sending the second meta-data tag or a copy of the second meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the second meta-data tag or the copy of the second meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the second instrument port;

wherein the second meta-data tag or the copy of the second meta-data tag is sent to the storage management server so that the storage management server can perform the acts of:

receiving the first and second meta-data tags or the copies of the first and second meta-data tags;

creating a first superset meta-data tag for the first meta-data tag or the copy of the first meta-data tag;

storing the first superset meta-data tag;

creating a second superset meta-data tag for the second meta-data tag or the copy of the second meta-data tag; and

storing the second superset meta-data tag.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

storing an association between the port number of the first instrument port and a unique identification for the first data storage device; and

storing an association between the port number of the second instrument port and a unique identification for the second data storage device.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein a first port on a second packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a first instrument port connected to a third data storage device, wherein a second port on the second packet switch appliance is configured as a first network port connected to the packet-switching network, wherein a third port on the second packet switch appliance is a management port connected to the storage management server, and wherein the first instrument port is associated with a port number, and wherein the method further comprises:

when a third block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the first network port of the second packet switch appliance:

creating a third meta-data tag for the third block;

sending the third block of one or more packets to the third data storage device through the first instrument port of the second packet switch appliance; and

sending the third meta-data tag or a copy of the third meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the third meta-data tag or the copy of the third meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the first instrument port of the second packet switch appliance.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein a fifth port on the first packet switch appliance is configured to operate as a second network port, and wherein the method further comprises:

when a third block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the second network port:

creating a third meta-data tag for the third block;

sending the third block of one or more packets to the first data storage device through the first instrument port; and

sending the third meta-data tag or a copy of the third meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the third meta-data tag or the copy of the third meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the first instrument port; and

when a fourth block of one or more packets is received from the packet-switching network through the second network port:

creating a fourth meta-data tag for the fourth block;

sending the fourth block of one or more packets to the second data storage device through the second instrument port; and

sending the fourth meta-data tag or a copy of the fourth meta-data tag to the storage management server, wherein the fourth meta-data tag or the copy of the fourth meta-data tag sent to the storage management server includes the port number associated with the second instrument port.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of ports includes the first port, the second port, and the third port.