Host Connectivity Management for Storage Multipath Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large-scale distributed storage systems, managing multipath connections between hosts and storage nodes becomes complex due to the increasing number of independent paths, leading to difficulties in configuring and maintaining proper connectivity, resiliency, and load balancing, especially with manual configurations prone to human error and scalability issues.
Innovation Solution
A host connectivity management system determines and assigns a subset of ports to each host system for connecting to storage nodes, using a centralized system that automatically discovers system resources and state, and implements connection distribution policies to ensure resiliency, throughput, and balanced load distribution, reducing the complexity of multipath management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of storage nodes within a cluster increases to expand storage capacity and improve system scalability, then the storage system's capacity and scalability are improved, but the number of independent paths that must be managed by the multipath driver increases, leading to increased complexity and difficulty in proper operation and configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multipath configuration manager as an intermediary component that automatically generates and manages multipath driver configurations. This mediator translates storage system topology into appropriate multipath configurations, eliminating the need for manual configuration and reducing complexity as the system scales. The configuration manager sits between the storage array and hosts, automatically discovering the topology and generating configuration files for multipath drivers on each host.
2Ease of manufacture
If manual configuration methods are used to manage multipath connections, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but human error increases and scalability is limited due to the time-consuming nature of manual configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The multipath configuration manager implements self-service by automatically discovering the storage system topology and generating appropriate multipath driver configurations without human intervention. The system queries the storage array for topology information, processes this data to determine optimal path configurations, and automatically generates configuration files for deployment to hosts. This eliminates manual configuration steps that are prone to human error while maintaining ease of implementation through automation.
3Reliability
If all available ports of storage nodes are exposed to hosts for maximum connectivity options, then connection resiliency is improved, but the complexity of managing and selecting appropriate paths increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of port exposure and path availability to different hosts based on their specific requirements and the storage system topology. Rather than uniformly exposing all ports to all hosts, the configuration manager analyzes the topology and assigns appropriate subsets of ports to each host, optimizing for both resiliency and manageability. This localized approach ensures each host receives exactly the connectivity it needs without being overwhelmed by unnecessary path options.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided for managing host connectivity to a data storage system. A host connectivity management system receives a request from a host system to connect to a data storage system. The data storage system includes storage nodes which include storage volumes, and each storage node includes multiple ports to enable connection to the storage node. The host connectivity management system determines a subset of ports, among all available ports of the storage nodes, to assign to the host system for use by the host system for connecting to the storage nodes of the data storage system to access the storage volumes. The host connectivity management system sends connection information to the host system to enable the host system to connect to the data storage system, wherein the connection information includes port identifiers associated with the subset of ports assigned to the host system.