Virtual Storage Processor IP Address Recovery via Unique Identifier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual storage appliance technologies face challenges in maintaining seamless management communications across multiple virtual storage processors after a failure, as previous solutions like MAC address impersonation are ineffective due to hypervisor security settings that impact system performance and security when used in virtual environments.
Innovation Solution
A unique identifier is stored in shared data storage accessible to both virtual storage processors, allowing the second processor to obtain the same IP address used by the first processor, enabling seamless communication after a failure without modifying hypervisor security settings, by using this identifier to obtain IP addresses from a DHCP server or through SLAAC.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If MAC address impersonation technology is used to maintain management communications after virtual storage processor failure, then communication continuity is improved, but hypervisor security settings must be modified which negatively impacts system security and performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the MAC address generation function from the virtual storage appliance and places it in the hypervisor. The hypervisor generates and assigns unique MAC addresses to each virtual storage processor, eliminating the need for MAC address impersonation while maintaining communication continuity through proper address assignment and DHCP integration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the hypervisor as an intermediary that manages MAC address assignment and communication routing. The hypervisor acts as a mediator between the virtual storage processors and the management network, handling address assignment and frame forwarding without requiring security setting modifications
2Reliability
If MAC address impersonation technology is used to maintain management communications after virtual storage processor failure, then communication continuity is improved, but system performance deteriorates due to security setting changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the MAC address impersonation function from the virtual storage appliance and relocates it to the hypervisor, which natively handles MAC address management. This eliminates the performance overhead associated with security setting modifications and promiscuous mode operations
Solution Approach 2:
The hypervisor provides self-service MAC address management by automatically generating, assigning, and managing unique MAC addresses for each virtual storage processor. This eliminates the need for complex impersonation mechanisms and their associated performance penalties
3Reliability
If a unique identifier is stored in shared data storage and used to obtain IP addresses, then communication continuity is maintained without modifying hypervisor security settings, but additional data storage and identifier management infrastructure is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the unique identifier storage with existing shared data storage infrastructure used by virtual storage processors. The same shared storage that contains virtual disk data also stores the unique identifier, eliminating the need for separate infrastructure and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The shared data storage serves multiple functions: it stores virtual disk data, configuration information, and the unique identifier for MAC address generation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated identifier storage infrastructure while maintaining communication continuity
Data Source
AI summary
A unique identifier is stored in shared data storage that is accessible to at least a first virtual storage processor and a second virtual storage processor within a virtual storage appliance. The unique identifier is generated when the virtual storage appliance is first started up, and then used by the first virtual storage processor to obtain at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address for use by a management stack that initially executes in the first virtual storage processor. In response to failure of the first virtual storage processor, the unique identifier is used by the second virtual storage processor to obtain, for use by the management stack while the management stack executes in the second virtual storage processor after the failure, the same IP address obtained by the first virtual storage processor.