IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,603,446
Granted Patent B2
US 7,603,446 · App. 11/943,387 · Granted Oct 13, 2009

System and method for configuring a storage area network

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,603,446
App. No.
11/943,387
Granted
Oct 13, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for configuring a storage area network (SAN) may include a plurality of selectable SAN elements, and a design module operable to graphically configure selected SAN elements, and a validation engine operable to dynamically validate the configuration of the selected SAN elements. The validation engine may include an element related validation module and a group related validation module. The element related validation module may be configured to validate element to element relationships of connected SAN elements in the configuration of selected SAN elements. The group related validation module may be configured to validate a group of SAN elements in the configuration of selected SAN elements. The validation modules may be arranged such that during validation of the configuration of selected SAN elements, the element related validation module is employed before the group related validation module.

Claims (41)

1. A computer system for configuring a storage area network (SAN), comprising:

a plurality of selectable SAN elements;

one or more processors; and

instructions embodied in computer-readable media and executable by the one or more processors, the instructions including:

a design module operable to graphically configure selected SAN elements; and

a validation engine operable to dynamically validate the configuration of the selected SAN elements, wherein the validation engine includes:

an element related validation module for validating element to element relationships of connected SAN elements in the configuration of selected SAN elements; and

a group related validation module for validating a group of SAN elements in the configuration of selected SAN elements, the validation modules being arranged such that during validation of the configuration of selected SAN elements, the element related validation module is employed before the group related validation module.

2. A computer system according to claim 1 , in which the group related validation module includes a cluster validation module and a zone validation module.

3. A computer system according claim 1 , further comprising the validation engine operable to provide dynamic validation of the selected SAN configuration.

4. The computer system according to claim 1 , further comprising a database including validation rules, the database being accessible by the validation engine for operating the validation modules of the validation engine.

5. A computer system according to claim 4 , wherein the validation rules include object independent and object dependent rules.

6. A computer system according to claim 1 , further comprising a report engine operable to provide a configuration report of the selected SAN configuration.

7. A computer system according to claim 6 , wherein the configuration report includes installation documentation for the selected SAN elements.

8. A computer system according to claim 6 , wherein the configuration report includes:

a SAN topology report;

a SAN inventory report; and

a SAN cable configuration report.

9. A computer system according to claim 1 , wherein the selectable SAN elements include:

at least one server element;

at least one switch element; and

at least one storage element.

10. A computer system according to claim 1 , wherein the selectable SAN elements further comprise a plurality of selectable connector elements for selectively connecting other SAN elements.

11. A computer system according to claim 1 , further comprising a profile engine for profiling the characteristics of each selected SAN element.

12. A method for designing a storage area network (SAN), comprising:

selecting a plurality of SAN elements;

arranging the selected SAN elements using a design module; and

validating the arrangement of selected SAN elements, the validation including:

performing element related validation to validate element to element relationships of connected SAN elements in the arrangement of selected SAN elements; and

after performing the element related validation, performing group related validation to validate a group of SAN elements in the arrangement of selected SAN elements.

13. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising producing a configuration report of the selected arrangement of SAN elements.

14. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising communicating the validated arrangement of SAN elements across a network.

15. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the group related validation comprises cluster validation followed by zone validation.

16. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the validation includes a master validation following the element related validation and group related validation.

17. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the validation is performed according to validation rules stored in a database.

18. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the validation rules include object independent and object dependent rules.

19. A system for dynamically validating a user-selected graphical configuration of selectable storage area network (SAN) elements, the system embodied in computer-readable media and executable by the one or more processors, the system comprising:

an element related validation module for validating element to element relationships of connected SAN elements in the user-selected graphical configuration; and

a group related validation module for validating a group of SAN elements in the user-selected graphical configuration;

wherein during validation of the user-selected graphical configuration, the element related validation module is employed before the group related validation module.

20. A system according to claim 19 , further including a master validation module configured to perform a master validation following the element related validation and group related validation.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040040/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0618 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031899/0261 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031897/0348 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031898/0001 →