Fibre Channel Storage Zoning for Seamless Volume Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Fibre Channel (FC) systems face challenges in efficiently migrating virtual machines and storage volumes across a large FC fabric, leading to interruptions in server I/O operations and cumbersome zoning management, particularly due to limitations in FC port migration and zoning configuration changes.
Innovation Solution
A computer system and management method that allows for the creation and registration of zoning information within the FC fabric, enabling the migration of partial volumes and host group information without changing the entire FC fabric configuration, by acquiring and modifying access control information from the source storage apparatus and registering it in the fabric at the destination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If FC port migration is implemented using conventional NPIV technology, then virtual machines can be migrated between physical servers, but the WWPN must be changed during migration which requires cumbersome zoning configuration changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the destination FC port with the source WWPN information before migration occurs. The destination storage apparatus acquires and stores the source WWPN in advance, so when migration happens, the WWPN is already registered and no zoning changes are needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention copies the WWPN information from the source FC port to the destination FC port. Instead of changing the WWPN during migration, the destination port creates a copy of the source port's WWPN, allowing the virtual machine to maintain its original identifier throughout the migration process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complete FC fabric zoning configuration changes are made for volume migration, then migration can be achieved, but management load and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary WWPN information from the source FC port configuration and transfers it to the destination port. Instead of copying or changing the entire zoning configuration across the fabric, only the essential identifier information is extracted and reused.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial action by only updating the WWPN registration at the destination port rather than performing complete fabric-wide zoning reconfiguration. This partial update achieves the migration goal without the excessive overhead of comprehensive configuration changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If FC port migration is performed, then storage volumes can be moved between apparatuses, but server I/O operations are interrupted during the process
Solution Approach 1:
The destination FC port is pre-configured with the source WWPN before the actual data migration begins. This preliminary setup ensures that when the migration occurs, the destination port is already ready to accept I/O operations with the correct identifier, minimizing interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains continuity of useful action by ensuring that the WWPN remains constant throughout the migration process. The virtual machine's FC port identifier does not change, allowing I/O operations to continue seamlessly from the perspective of the host system while the physical storage location changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system in which one or more host computers 30 having a FC (Fibre Channel) node port and one or more storage apparatuses 40 having a FC node port are coupled via a FC fabric. The storage apparatus acquires first information related to access control for controlling access to a relevant storage apparatus by the host computer. The storage apparatus, based on the first information, creates second information for defining the host computer that is able to access the relevant storage apparatus, and registers this second information in the fabric.