Storage Access Management via LUN and Port Set Accessibility Testing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Storage system managers face challenges in efficiently managing access for a growing number of clients and devices, requiring increasingly intelligent systems to identify and correct storage access issues in complex network storage environments.
Innovation Solution
A method is provided to discover Logical Unit Number (LUN) information, including initiator groups and logical interface status, to test accessibility of LUNs, and trigger events when access is deficient, using a machine-implemented approach that combines LUN, initiator, and port set information to optimize storage system configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual storage access management is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but management efficiency deteriorates as the number of clients increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis by automatically discovering LUN information, initiator groups, and logical interfaces, then autonomously tests accessibility and identifies configuration issues without requiring manual intervention from storage system managers
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous monitoring of storage access configurations and provides real-time feedback through generated reports that identify accessibility issues, enabling managers to correct problems based on systematic feedback rather than manual checking
2Reliability
If comprehensive access monitoring is implemented, then storage access issue detection is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a unified approach that combines multiple discovery functions (LUN information, initiator groups, logical interfaces) and testing capabilities into a single comprehensive accessibility test mechanism, reducing the need for separate monitoring tools
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual representations of storage access paths by combining LUN information, initiator group memberships, and logical interface status to simulate and test accessibility without requiring actual data transfer operations
3Measurement precision
If real-time accessibility testing is performed, then storage access issue identification is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary discovery of LUN information, initiator groups, and logical interfaces before conducting accessibility testing, so that when issues are detected, the precise configuration details are already available for immediate identification and correction
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for identifying and correcting storage system inefficiencies are provided. One method includes discovering Logical Unit Number (LUN) information from a network storage system node, the LUN information associated with a first LUN and including an initiator group (IGroup) associated with the first LUN; discovering node information. The node information includes logical interface (LIF) status information. The method includes determining whether LUN access information also comprises a port set associated with the IGroup; combining the LIF status information and the initiator access list of the IGroup to test accessibility of the first LUN, when a port set is not associated with the at least one IGroup; and combining the LIF status information, the initiator access list of the IGroup, and the LIF access list of the port set to test the accessibility of the first LUN, when there is a port set associated with the IGroup.