IP Library Granted Patent US 10,992,532
Granted Patent B1
US 10,992,532 · App. 16/743,125 · Granted Apr 27, 2021

Automated network configuration changes for I/O load redistribution

Inventors: Erik P. Smith (Douglas, MA); Arieh Don (Newton, MA)
Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
H04L41/0886H04L41/0843H04L43/0817H04L43/16H04L67/1097
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,992,532
App. No.
16/743,125
Granted
Apr 27, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

Techniques for determining connectivity may include: defining predetermined configurations, each including a predetermined zoning configuration of a network and selection criteria indicating when to transition into and activate the predetermined configuration; loading the predetermined configurations; activating a first of the predetermined configurations that includes a first predetermined zoning configuration and first selection criteria; receiving current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network; determining whether the current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network matches second selection criteria associated with a second of the predetermined configurations that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated; and responsive to determining the current I/O workload and/or performance information matches the second selection criteria, activating the second predetermined configuration that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated. The predetermined configurations may configure paths between initiator ports and target ports of the network.

Claims (40)

1. A method of determining connectivity comprising:

defining a plurality of predetermined configurations, wherein each of the plurality of predetermined configurations includes a predetermined zoning configuration of a network and includes selection criteria indicating when to transition into and activate said each predetermined configuration, wherein the network includes an initiator set of one or more initiator ports and a target set of one or more target ports;

loading the plurality of predetermined configurations;

activating a first of the plurality of predetermined configurations that includes a first predetermined zoning configuration and first selection criteria;

receiving current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network;

determining whether the current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network matches second selection criteria associated with a second of the plurality of predetermined configurations that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated; and

responsive to determining the current I/O workload and/or performance information matches the second selection criteria, activating the second predetermined configuration that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network is a storage area network.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network includes a switch.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said loading includes loading a plurality of predetermined zoning configurations of the plurality of predetermined configurations into the switch.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said activating the first predetermined configuration includes issuing a first command to the switch to activate the first predetermined zoning configuration.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first predetermined configuration includes first predetermined masking information, and wherein said activating the first predetermined configuration includes activating the first predetermined masking information for use on a data storage system connected to the network.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data storage system includes at least some target ports of the target set.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second selection criteria includes at least one metric regarding workload of one or more components including any of a target port of the data storage system, an initiator port of a host, a front end adapter of the data storage system, a storage group of one or more storage devices of the data storage system, a path between an initiator port and a target port.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second selection criteria includes criteria identifying when the one or more components are considered overloaded having a current workload exceeding a specified threshold.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more components includes a plurality of components, and wherein the second selection criteria includes criteria identifying when the plurality of components are considered to have unbalanced workloads thereby requiring redistribution.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said activating the second predetermined configuration includes issuing a second command to the switch to activate the second predetermined zoning configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second predetermined configuration includes second predetermined masking information, and wherein said activating the second predetermined configuration includes activating the second predetermined masking information for use on the data storage system connected to the network.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one memory comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method of determining connectivity comprising:

defining a plurality of predetermined configurations, wherein each of the plurality of predetermined configurations includes a predetermined zoning configuration of a network and includes selection criteria indicating when to transition into and activate said each predetermined configuration, wherein the network includes an initiator set of one or more initiator ports and a target set of one or more target ports;

loading the plurality of predetermined configurations;

activating a first of the plurality of predetermined configurations that includes a first predetermined zoning configuration and first selection criteria;

receiving current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network;

determining whether the current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network matches second selection criteria associated with a second of the plurality of predetermined configurations that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated; and

responsive to determining the current I/O workload and/or performance information matches the second selection criteria, activating the second predetermined configuration that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method of determining connectivity comprising:

defining a plurality of predetermined configurations, wherein each of the plurality of predetermined configurations includes a predetermined zoning configuration of a network and includes selection criteria indicating when to transition into and activate said each predetermined configuration, wherein the network includes an initiator set of one or more initiator ports and a target set of one or more target ports;

loading the plurality of predetermined configurations;

activating a first of the plurality of predetermined configurations that includes a first predetermined zoning configuration and first selection criteria;

receiving current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network;

determining whether the current I/O workload and/or performance information for the network matches second selection criteria associated with a second of the plurality of predetermined configurations that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated; and

responsive to determining the current I/O workload and/or performance information matches the second selection criteria, activating the second predetermined configuration that is different from the first predetermined configuration currently activated.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the network is a storage area network.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the network includes a switch.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein said loading includes loading a plurality of predetermined zoning configurations of the plurality of predetermined configurations into the switch.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein said activating the first predetermined configuration includes issuing a first command to the switch to activate the first predetermined zoning configuration.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the first predetermined configuration includes first predetermined masking information, and wherein said activating the first predetermined configuration includes activating the first predetermined masking information for use on a data storage system connected to the network.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the data storage system includes at least some target ports of the target set.

Assignments (9)
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 (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052216/0758) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0680 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AF REEL 052243 FRAME 0773 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0152 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
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 26, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052243/0773 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Mar 24, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052216/0758 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2020
From: SMITH, ERIK P.; DON, ARIEH
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 051520/0098 →