Non-disruptive data mobility using virtual storage area networks with split-path virtualization
US8028062B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 26, 2007 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 13, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L67/1097
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system creates a storage area network (SAN) centric storage virtualization layer in front of storage devices. The system allows data mobility and migration without disruption to the one or more host servers attached to the SAN. Specifically, the host servers are not disrupted when switching I/Os between physical and virtual storage, for example, by taking advantage of WWPN spoofing and Fibre Channel VSAN technology. The use of VSANs effectively allow multiple virtual directors and/or switches to be created within a physical director and/or switches, each with their own separate name server, thereby providing complete isolation from one another. The host-storage pathing information is unchanged as the original physical storage port's WWPNs are spoofed by the virtual storage port. The result is two identical WWPNs within the SAN which is normally disallowed; however, by separating the physical port WWPN into one VSAN and the virtual port WWPN into another, the restriction may be circumvented.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.