IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,438,333
Granted Patent B2
US 8,438,333 · App. 12/029,219 · Granted May 7, 2013

Systems and methods for automatically generating a mirrored storage configuration for a storage array

Inventors: William C. Edwards, III (Round Rock, TX); Patrick O. Boyd (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,438,333
App. No.
12/029,219
Filed
Feb 11, 2008
Granted
May 7, 2013
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2187
USPC
711/114
Abstract

An information handling system includes a plurality of storage enclosures, a plurality of logical storage units located in each storage enclosure, a controller connected to each of the plurality of logical storage units. The controller is configured to receive data regarding the plurality of logical storage units, and automatically execute an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration to be implemented, the mirrored storage configuration defining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units.

Claims (81)

1. A method for automatically generating a mirrored storage configuration, comprising:

receiving data regarding a plurality of logical storage units located in multiple storage enclosures connected to a single controller by multiple connections, the data including data identifying, for each logical storage unit, an established data connection between that logical storage unit and the controller; and

automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration;

separating the plurality of logical storage units into groups based on the established data connection between the controller and each logical storage unit;

sorting the logical storage units in each group based on a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

determining mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on:

the established data connection between the controller and each logical storage unit;

the groups of the logical storage units; and

the size of the logical storage units within the groups.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving at least a portion of the data regarding the plurality of logical storage units from a user via a user interface.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving from a user:

a selection of the group of logical storage units; and

a selection of a RAID level.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:

receiving data regarding a plurality of logical storage units further comprises automatically receiving data from a data object stored in each logical storage unit; and

the data object for each logical storage unit defines at least one of:

a storage enclosure ID identifying a particular storage enclosure in which the logical storage unit is located;

a slot ID identifying a particular slot in which the logical storage unit is located;

a connector ID identifying a particular data connection between the controller and the logical storage unit;

the storage size of the logical storage unit; and

the type of the logical storage unit.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the received logical storage unit data further includes data identifying a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration further comprises determining the mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on the storage size of each logical storage unit.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein automatically executing an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration further comprises:

pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different established connections;

after pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different established connections, pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures; and

after pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures, pairing remaining logical storage units located within the same storage enclosure.

7. A system for automatically generating a mirrored storage configuration in an information handling system including a plurality of logical storage units located in multiple storage enclosures, the system comprising:

a single controller coupled to the plurality of logical storage units located in multiple storage enclosures, the controller configured to:

receive data regarding the plurality of logical storage units, the data including data identifying, for each logical storage unit, an established data connection between that logical storage unit and the controller; and

automatically execute an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration;

separate the plurality of logical storage units into groups based on the established data connection between the controller and each logical storage unit;

sort the logical storage units in each group based on a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

determine mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on:

the established data connection between the controller and each logical storage unit;

the groups of the logical storage units; and

the size of the logical storage units within the groups.

8. A system according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive at least a portion of the data regarding the plurality of logical storage units from a user via a user interface.

9. A system according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive from a user a selection of the group of logical storage units, and a selection of a RAID level; and

automatically execute an algorithm based at least on the selected group of logical storage units and the selected RAID level.

10. A system according to claim 7 , wherein:

the controller is further configured to receive a data object stored in each logical storage unit; and

the data object for each logical storage unit defines at least one of:

a storage enclosure ID identifying a particular storage enclosure in which the logical storage unit is located;

a slot ID identifying a particular slot in which the logical storage unit is located;

a connector ID identifying a particular data connection between the controller and the logical storage unit;

the storage size of the logical storage unit; and

the type of the logical storage unit.

11. A system according to claim 7 , wherein:

the received logical storage unit data further includes data identifying a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

the controller is further configured to determine the mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on the storage size of each logical storage unit.

12. A system according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

pair logical storage units connected to the controller by different established connections;

after pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different established connections, pair remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures; and

after pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures, pair remaining logical storage units located within the same storage enclosure.

13. An information handling system, comprising:

a plurality of storage enclosures;

a plurality of logical storage units located in each storage enclosure; and

a single controller connected to each of the plurality of logical storage units, the controller configured to:

receive data regarding the plurality of logical storage units, the data including data identifying, for each logical storage unit, an established data connection between that logical storage unit and the controller; and

automatically execute an algorithm based on the received logical storage unit data to generate a mirrored storage configuration;

separate the plurality of logical storage units into groups based on the established data connection between the controller and each logical storage unit;

sort the logical storage units in each group based on a storage size of each logical storage unit; and

determine mirrored pairs of the plurality of logical storage units based at least on:

the established data connection between the controller and each logical storage unit;

the groups of the logical storage units; and

the size of the logical storage units within the groups.

14. An information handling system according to claim 13 , wherein:

the controller is further configured to receive data from a data object stored in each logical storage unit; and

the data object for each logical storage unit defines at least one of:

a storage enclosure ID identifying a particular storage enclosure in which the logical storage unit is located;

a slot ID identifying a particular slot in which the logical storage unit is located;

a connector ID identifying a particular data connection between the controller and the logical storage unit;

the storage size of the logical storage unit; and

the type of the logical storage unit.

15. An information handling system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

pair logical storage units connected to the controller by different established connections

after pairing logical storage units connected to the controller by different established connections, pair remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures; and

after pairing remaining logical storage units located in different storage enclosures, pair remaining logical storage units located within the same storage enclosure.

Assignments (15)
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 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
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 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
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 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, 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 040040/0001 →
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 (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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2008
From: EDWARDS, WILLIAM C., III; BOYD, PATRICK O.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 020618/0615 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090204757A1 · Aug 13, 2009