Storage area network edge-core interswitch link optimization

1. A method of configuring a network, the method comprising:

creating, by a processor, a list containing a plurality of functional elements for the network, a number of functional element ports for each functional element, and a bandwidth of each functional element port;

selecting, by the processor, an acceptable oversubscription rate of the plurality of functional elements;

identifying, by the processor, a number of interconnecting element ports and an interconnecting element bandwidth associated with each of the interconnecting element ports based on the plurality of functional elements, operational requirements of the functional elements, the number of functional element ports for each functional element, the bandwidth of each functional element port, and the acceptable oversubscription rate;

designing, by the processor, a plurality of interconnecting elements required to connect the functional elements, wherein the plurality of interconnecting elements accommodate the number of interconnecting element ports and the interconnecting element bandwidth associated with each of the interconnecting element ports;

identifying, by the processor, a number of core elements ports and a core element bandwidth associated with each of the core element ports based on the plurality of functional elements, the operational requirements of the plurality of functional elements, the number of interconnecting element ports, the bandwidth of each interconnecting element port, and the acceptable oversubscription rate;

designing, by the processor, a plurality of core elements to accommodate the number of core element ports and the core element bandwidth associated with each core elemental ports;

determining, by the processor, a network configuration for connecting each of the plurality of functional elements to one or more of the plurality of interconnecting elements and connecting each of the plurality of core elements to one or more of the interconnecting elements; and

creating, by the processor, a schematic of a configuration of the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core elements are inter-switch link (ISL) switches.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional elements are selected from a group comprising servers, other storage units, legacy storage units, and disk storage units.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational requirements comprise latency requirements and bandwidth requirements.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acceptable oversubscription rate comprises the product of the device oversubscription multiplied with the network oversubscription.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list further includes the corresponding operational requirement of each of the functional element ports.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein designing a plurality of interconnecting elements comprises:

querying a database to determine a physical configuration of one or more cards available, wherein the one or more cards each comprise one or more ports, and wherein each of the one or more ports of the one or more cards each have an associated bandwidth; and

selecting the one or more cards that accommodate the number of interconnecting element ports and the interconnecting element bandwidth associated with each of the interconnecting element ports.

8. An automated method for configuring a network, the automated method comprising:

determining, by a processor, a latency requirement, a bandwidth requirement, and a throughput requirement for each of a plurality of interconnecting elements;

determining, by the processor, a latency requirement, a bandwidth requirement, and a throughput requirement for each of a plurality of core elements used to connect the plurality of interconnecting elements using the latency requirement, the bandwidth requirement, and the throughput requirement for each of the plurality of interconnecting elements;

designing, by the processor, the plurality of core elements based on the latency requirement, the bandwidth requirement, and the throughput requirement for each of the plurality of core elements;

determining, by the processor, a latency requirement, a bandwidth requirement, and a throughput requirement for each of a plurality of functional elements to be connected to the interconnecting elements using one or more of the latency requirement, the bandwidth requirement, and the throughput requirement for each of the plurality of interconnecting elements and the latency requirement, the bandwidth requirement, and the throughput requirement for each of for the plurality of core elements; and

creating, by an application stored on a non-transitory media and executed by the processor, a network configuration for the plurality of functional elements, the plurality of core elements, and the plurality of interconnecting elements.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising validating the configuration.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising optimizing the configuration.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the optimization of the configuration comprises moving a functional element that is connected to a switch to be connected to a second switch.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the network configuration includes a port configuration for each of the plurality of interconnecting elements.

13. A system for configuring a network, the system comprising

a memory component to store instructions and network information related to a data network, wherein the data network comprises at least one core switch, at least one interconnecting switch, and at least one functional element, and wherein the network information includes a number of ports for each of the at least one core switch, the at least one interconnecting switch, and the at least one functional element, and a bandwidth associated with each of the ports;

an interface to accept input, wherein the input includes an acceptable oversubscription rate;

a processor component that executes the instructions stored in the memory component to:

identify a number of core elements ports and a core element bandwidth associated with each of the core element ports based on the plurality of functional elements, the operational requirements of the plurality of functional elements, the number of interconnecting element ports, the bandwidth of each interconnecting element port, and the acceptable oversubscription rate;

determine the capabilities of each port on each of at least one core switch, the at least one interconnecting switch, and the at least one functional element, and

use the capabilities of each port to create a network schematic that reconfigures the physical connections between the ports of the at least one core switch, the at least one interconnecting switch, and the at least one functional element by indicating the physical connections between ports of substantially equal bandwidth, and

an output component to output the network schematic.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the output component creates an output to a computer readable medium.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the interface is a graphical user interface.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the memory component comprises a hard drive and random access memory.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to create redundancy within the network.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to validate the network configuration.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the memory component further comprises network information related to the operational requirements of the at least one functional element.