Adapter configuration for a storage area network

1. A method, comprising:

automatic operations of a processor in a computing system having a host, a storage area network, storage wherein the storage area network includes at least one storage controller and a data path coupling the host to the storage controller wherein the storage controller is configured to control the storage in response to input/output requests transmitted by the host over the data path between the host and the storage controller, said host having at least one host adapter coupling the host to the data path and configured to transmit input/output requests and output data over the data path to the storage controller and receive input data from the storage controller over the data path, said automatic operations of a processor including:

selecting a configuration data structure from a set of selectable configuration data structures including a primary configuration data structure which is a first copy of a configuration data structure and a secondary configuration data structure which is a second, backup copy of the primary configuration data structure, each selectable configuration data structure of the set containing a copy of configuration data for configuring a first host adapter of the host; and

attempting to configure a second host adapter replacing the first host adapter, using the configuration data of the selected configuration data structure for the first host adapter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a configuration data structure includes:

attempting to obtain a first configuration data structure from the set of configuration data structures including the primary configuration data structure and the secondary configuration data structure; and

upon failing to obtain the first configuration data structure, selecting a second configuration data structure from the set of configuration data structures.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the attempting to configure the second host adapter includes using the configuration data of the selected second configuration data structure to configure the second host adapter replacing the first host adapter.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempting to configure the second host adapter includes reading the selected configuration data structure, and determining whether configuration data of the selected configuration data structure fails to match configuration requirements of the second host adapter.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration data of a configuration data structure of the set includes at least one of data path topology data, data path wavelength data, and data path on/off procedure data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the automatic processor operations further include:

prior to replacement of the first host adapter with the second host adapter, capturing the configuration data of the first host adapter when installed in the host;

creating the set of configuration data structures including the primary and secondary configuration data structures; and

storing the captured configuration data into both the primary and secondary configuration data structures of the set of configuration data structures.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the automatic processor operations further include storing the primary and secondary configuration data structures on different storage nodes of the storage area network.

8. A computer program product for an adapter configuration control logic of a storage area network of a computing system having a host, storage, and a storage area network which includes at least one storage controller and a data path coupling the host to the storage controller wherein the storage controller is configured to control the storage in response to input/output requests transmitted by the host over the data path between the host and the storage controller, said host having at least one host adapter coupling the host to the data path and configured to transmit input/output requests and output data over the data path to the storage controller and receive input data from the storage controller over the data path, wherein the computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor of the adapter configuration control logic to cause automatic operations, the automatic operations of a processor comprising:

selecting a configuration data structure from a set of selectable configuration data structures including a primary configuration data structure which is a first copy of a configuration data structure and a secondary configuration data structure which is a second, backup copy of the primary configuration data structure, each selectable configuration data structure of the set containing a copy of configuration data for a first host adapter of the host; and

attempting to configure a second host adapter replacing the first host adapter, using the configuration data of the selected configuration data structure for the first host adapter.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein selecting a configuration data structure includes:

attempting to obtain a first data configuration data structure from the set of configuration data structures including the primary configuration data structure and the secondary configuration data structure; and

upon failing to obtain a first configuration data structure, selecting a second configuration data structure from the set of configuration data structures including the primary configuration data structure and the secondary configuration data structure.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the attempting to configure the second host adapter includes using the configuration data of the selected second configuration data structure to configure the second host adapter replacing the first host adapter.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the attempting to configure the second host adapter includes reading the selected configuration data structure, and determining whether configuration data of the selected configuration data structure fails to match configuration requirements of the second host adapter.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the configuration data of a configuration data structure includes at least one of data path topology data, data path wavelength data, and data path on/off procedure data.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the automatic processor operations further include:

prior to replacement of the first host adapter with the second host adapter, capturing the configuration data of the first host adapter when installed in the host;

creating the set of configuration data structures including the primary and secondary configuration data structures; and

storing the captured configuration data into both the primary and secondary configuration data structures of the set of configuration data structures.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the automatic processor operations further include storing the primary and secondary configuration data structures on different storage nodes of the storage area network.

15. A computing system, comprising:

at least one host;

at least one storage unit; and

a storage area network which includes at least one storage controller and a data path coupling the host to the storage controller wherein the storage controller is configured to control the storage in response to input/output requests transmitted by the host over the data path between the host and the storage controller

wherein said host has at least one host adapter coupling the host to the data path and configured to transmit input/output requests and output data over the data path to the storage controller and receive input data from the storage controller over the data path,

and wherein at least one of the host and the storage area network has adapter configuration control logic configured to perform automatic host adapter configuration operations, said adapter configuration control logic including a processor and a computer program product wherein the computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor of the adapter configuration control logic to cause automatic operations, the automatic operations of a processor comprising:

selecting a configuration data structure from a set of selectable configuration data structures including a primary configuration data structure which is a first copy of a configuration data structure, and a secondary configuration data structure which is a second, backup copy of the primary configuration data structure, each selectable configuration data structure of the set containing a copy of configuration data for a first host adapter of the host; and

attempting to configure a second host adapter replacing the first host adapter, using the configuration data of the selected configuration data structure for the first host adapter.

16. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein selecting a configuration data structure includes:

attempting to obtain a first data configuration data structure from the set of configuration data structures including the primary configuration data structure and the secondary configuration data structure; and

upon failing to obtain a first configuration data structure, selecting a second configuration data structure from the set of configuration data structures including the primary configuration data structure and the secondary configuration data structure.

17. The computing system of claim 16 wherein the attempting to configure the second host adapter includes using the configuration data of the selected second configuration data structure to configure the second host adapter replacing the first host adapter.

18. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the attempting to configure the second host adapter includes reading the selected configuration data structure, and determining whether configuration data of the selected configuration data structure fails to match configuration requirements of the second host adapter.

19. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the configuration data of a configuration data structure includes at least one of data path topology data, data path wavelength data, and data path on/off procedure data.

20. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the automatic processor operations further include:

prior to replacement of the first host adapter with the second host adapter, capturing the configuration data of the first host adapter when installed in the host;

creating the set of configuration data structures including the primary and secondary configuration data structures;

storing the captured configuration data into both the primary and secondary configuration data structures of the set of configuration data structures; and

storing the primary and secondary configuration data structures on different storage nodes of the storage area network.