JP2003167794A - Diagnostic system for access path of san - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To diagnose the redundancy for the access from a server to a storage in a SAN comprising the server and storage mutually connected through a connecting device, and to also diagnose the bias of the access path of the connecting device in the middle. <P>SOLUTION: In a diagnostic system for the access path of the SAN comprising the server and storage mutually connected through the connecting device, the access path from the server to the storage is analyzed to diagnose the redundancy for the access. The redundancy is determined when the path between the devices or the connecting device on the access path, even if it is not usable in the access from the server to the storage, can be alternated by another access path. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a SAN access path diagnosis system, and more particularly, to a SAN access path diagnosis suitable for diagnosis of a system composed of a large-scale SAN that requires high reliability. Regarding the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The amount of data handled by corporate information systems is increasing rapidly, and there is an urgent need to reduce data sharing and operational management costs. Instead, there is a need for storage integration that enables data sharing from multiple servers and storage operation management for high-speed access. In order to cope with such a situation, a SAN (Storage Area N
etwork) is becoming popular.

There is also a program that forms a plurality of access paths, separates the failure path when a failure occurs, and continues I / O only on the remaining paths in order to prevent the system from going down due to the failure of a certain part. To do. SAN
In the environment, software for such path switching is combined, and the server and storage device are connected to FC HUB /
Since a high-speed FC is connected via a connecting device called a switch (FC is an abbreviation for Fiber Channel, and is also abbreviated as “HUB / switch” below), it has a very complicated configuration.

[0004]

As described above, in a highly reliable SAN, the system configuration tends to be complicated.

Since it is very laborious to manually create a configuration diagram of such a system, modify it every time a device is added or the configuration is changed, and always maintain the latest state, Automatically recognize the SAN device configuration and
There is a tool for visually displaying the relationship between the server, the FC HUB / switch, and the storage system connected to each other by GUI (graphic user interface).

[0006] With this tool, even when the device configuration is changed, it can be automatically detected and the current configuration diagram can be always kept up to date. However, this configuration diagram only shows the current connection state, and it may not be noticed even if the redundancy is reduced due to a connection error or the like.

In order to secure high reliability of the system, it is necessary to provide redundancy so that the server can access the storage even if the access path or the connection device in the middle goes down. Become. However, as described above, the existing SAN diagnostic tools have a problem that they do not support such analysis.

Further, when access paths are concentrated on a connecting device called a specific FC HUB / switch, that portion may become a performance bottleneck. May have a negative impact. The above-mentioned related art does not have a function of diagnosing such bias of access paths and issuing a warning.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a diagnostic system for an access path of a SAN in which a server and a storage are coupled via a connection device, from the server to the storage. It is an object of the present invention to provide a SAN access path diagnosis system capable of diagnosing the redundancy for access of the SAN access path and diagnosing the bias of the access path of the connection device on the way.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention diagnoses the redundancy of SAN connections of servers, switches, storages, etc.,
We also point out the bottleneck in system performance. As a result, the management cost of the system administrator is reduced, and it becomes possible to construct a SAN system with high reliability and system performance.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, a system configuration to which the SAN access path diagnosis system according to the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows the SA according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram to which the N access path diagnostic system is applied.

Systems to which the present invention is applied include servers 2, 3, ... And a disk system 6 as a storage.
7 and 8 ... are HUB / switches 4, 5 ...
Connected through.

Further, although the present embodiment is described on the premise that the FC is connected as the SAN connection, other connection forms such as SCSI may be used.

Here, the difference between the functions of the HUB and the switch is whether or not it has a function of dividing access paths into zones and restricting access. That is, the HUB does not have the zoning function of the access path,
The switch has an access path zoning function. In FIG. 1, the case of a switch is shown, and H
The partition of the UB / switches 4 and 5 means that the access path is in one zone.

The server 2 is connected to the ports of the HUB / switch 4 by the connection ports 21 and 22. Further, in the disk system 6, the disk device is connected to the port of the HUB / switch 4 by the disk control devices 61 and 62. Then, the server 2 can access the disk device 6. The same applies to other servers and disk systems, and the thick line in FIG. 1 indicates an access path on the SAN, which constitutes the SAN and communicates by FC. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the HUB / switch 4 has a zoning area 41,
It turns out that it has 42.

The configuration management server 1 is a server for managing the configuration information of such a SAN configuration, and is a component of each SAN, such as a server, a disk system, a HUB / switch 4 and Ethernet.
By means of t or the like, it is connected as a LAN and the configuration information of the SAN connection can be collected. In FIG. 1, the dotted line means that this LAN connection is used.

The management console 10 is the configuration management server 1
The configuration information of the SAN connection and the result of the SAN access path diagnosis system of the present invention are displayed.

Next, the data structure of the SAN access path diagnosis system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the system management information table. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a connection management table. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of links in the connection management table.

The system management information table is a table showing the relationship between the components constituting the SAN and the connection management table.

The system management information table has fields such as "IP address", "device", "connection management table ID", "WWN" as shown in FIG.

The "IP address" field stores the IP address assigned to the device. This IP
The address is used when the configuration management server 1 accesses each device.

In the "device" field, the name, ID, etc. representing the device are stored.

The "connection management table ID" stores the ID of the connection management table corresponding to the device represented by this record.

The "WWN" field stores the WWN (World Wide Name) of the device indicated by this record.
The WWN is an identification number uniquely assigned to the device.

As shown in FIG. 3, the connection management table has items of "entry number", "pointer to entry", and each entry.

The entry stores information on the SAN connection of each device and information related to this device. The configuration management server 1 collects information on the connection relationship on the SAN from each device, and the SAN access path diagnosis system of the present invention collects the information by looking at this connection relationship.

"Number of entries" and "pointer to entry" are information for managing this entry itself and accessing it.

The "upper connection device pointer" of the entry stores a pointer to the connection management table corresponding to the device connected to the upper side, and the "lower connection device pointer" is connected to the lower side. The pointer to the connection management table corresponding to the existing device is stored. Here, the upper side means a direction closer to the server, and the lower side means a direction closer to the storage.

For example, in the example of the system configuration shown in FIG. 1, the HUB / switch 4 is a server 2 as a host device.
And a disk system 6 as a lower device. If this is expressed by the connection relationship in the connection management table,
As shown in FIG. 4, the ID of the HUB / switch 4 is H1.
Is. An example of the entry therein is as follows: For an entry called H1-1,
Link information (S1 to S1-1 of server S1 of the host device)
(Pointing to the "pointer to the entry") corresponding to S1-1) and the link information of C1-1 of the disk system 6 of the lower device (corresponding to C1-1 of C1) as a pointer to the lower connection device. There is a "pointer to the entry").

As described above, by referring to the link information of the connection management table, all the connection relationships on the SAN can be represented.

Next, S to be diagnosed by the diagnostic system of the present invention
The redundancy of the AN connection relationship will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the redundancy of the SAN connection relationship.

In FIG. 5, S1, S2 and S3 are server nodes, H1, H2 and H3 are HUB / switch nodes, and D1, D2 and D3 are disk system nodes which are storages, P1, P2. ... indicates an access path between them.

Now, consider securing an access path from the server to the storage path.

For example, the access path from the server S1 to the disk system D1 is S1 → P1 → H1 → P2 → D
It is one way. Therefore, if a failure occurs in the access path or HUB / switch during this period, the server S1 cannot access the disk system D1. At this time, the access path, HU
B / switch from server S1 to disk system D1
It is determined that there is no redundancy regarding access to.

Next, from the server S2 to the disk system D
The access path to S2 is S2 → P3 → H1 → P4 → D2
And S2 → P5 → H2 → P6 → D2. Therefore, even if one of the HUBs / switches fails, the server S2 can access the disk system D2 as long as both systems do not fail at the same time. At this time, the path and H
UB / switch from server S2 to disk system D
Regarding access to 2, it is judged that there is no redundancy.

Next, from the server S3 to the disk system D
The access path to S3 is S2 → P7 → H3 → P8 → D
3 and S2 → P7 → H3 → P9 → D3.
Here, it should be noted that between H3 and D3, there are P8 and P9 as paths, and redundancy is secured, but if a path of P7 fails, from server S3 to disk system D3. Inaccessible. Therefore, it is determined that the access path from the server S3 to the disk system D3 has no redundancy.

From another point of view, the HU which is the connection device
Consider redundancy as a B / switch.

Now, in the example shown in FIG. 5, when a failure occurs in H2, what is affected as an access path is
It is one of S2 → P5 → H2 → P6 → D2. However, when H1 fails, S1 → P1 → H1
Two access paths of → P2 → D1 and S2 → P3 → H1 → P4 → D2 cannot be used. Therefore, in such a case, H1 is determined to be less redundant than H2. In this way, generally, the HUB / switch in which the paths are concentrated has a great influence on the system when a failure occurs in the device. Therefore, it is considered that such a HUB / switch has low redundancy. To be

The SAN access path diagnostic system of the present invention diagnoses such redundancy and gives the system administrator the information to warn.

The processing of the SAN access path diagnostic system of the present invention will be described based on the above description of redundancy.

The configuration management server 1 acquires the SAN connection relationship on the network by referring to the connection management table as shown in FIG.

For example, the zoning area 41 of the HUB switch 4 is connected to the upper device server 2,
The pointer indicates that the disk system 6 is connected to the lower device. According to this connection management table, (1) Is the highest server and the lowest disk system passing through the same location?

(2) Is the highest server and lowest disk system connected by two or more routes?

Diagnosis is made about the following two points.

The processing of the SAN access path diagnosis system of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Figure 6
3 is a flowchart showing a process of a SAN access path diagnosis system.

First, in order to perform a search, the numbers of the entry of the server and disk system to be searched are initialized (S100).

Next, all the routes of the data path between the target server and the disk are washed out (S10).
1). Then, one of the routes that have been identified is taken out (S102), a passage simulation is performed for that route, and a device on the route is already diagnosed by a device on the route. At S10, it is confirmed whether or not it is "passed" (S10).
3).

If there is no route passing through this device, the device is set to "passed" (S10).
4).

If the device is already "passed", the disk system will be accessed from more than one path through the device. When this happens
If a failure or the like of the device occurs, access may not be possible from these two or more routes. Therefore, it becomes a weak point in the access between the server and the disk system on that route, and GU says "low redundancy".
A warning message can be issued by I, etc. (S10
5).

Next, after searching through the paths between the servers on the system and the disk system, finally,
It is confirmed whether or not there is an independent path that does not pass through two or more same devices among a plurality of paths between the server and the disk system (S108).

If there is no independent route, or if a failure occurs in that device, there is a possibility that a plurality of routes will become unusable. A warning can be raised to the system administrator at (S109).

Similarly, the paths to the next server and the next disk device are investigated to check whether or not there is redundancy for all the paths (S111 to S11).
5).

Next, the user interface of the SAN access path diagnostic system will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be explained. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a screen for redundancy diagnosis of the SAN access path diagnosis system. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a screen for diagnosing path bias in the SAN access path diagnosis system.

The SAN access path diagnosis system according to the present invention includes the management console 10 shown in FIG.
A screen S10 as shown in (a) shows the SAN connection relationship. On this screen, the server displays S1, S2
The S3 icon is displayed, the HUB / switch connection device is displayed as H1, H2, and the disk system is D
It is displayed with icons 1 and D2.

It is assumed that the system administrator wants to check the redundancy of the connection between the server S1 and the disk system D1. At this time, the system administrator positions the mouse pointer on the icons of the target server S1 and the disk system D1 and clicks them, and then the redundancy diagnosis button b
Click 1. Then, the screen S as shown in FIG.
11 is displayed, and the midway path, HUB / switch H1 is displayed in red. This means that this access path has no redundancy.

As another pattern, the system administrator wants to check the redundancy of the connection between the server S2 and the disk system D1.

At this time, if the icon of the target server S1 and the disk system D1 is clicked and the same operation is performed, the result is as shown in FIG. 7C, and the path and HUB / switch H1 in the middle are indicated by thick lines. Is displayed.

This is the server S1 and the disk system D.
The two access paths between 1 indicate that the redundancy is secured.

Next, the SAN access path diagnosis system of the present invention is displayed on the management console 10 as shown in FIG.
The SAN connection is displayed on the screen S20 as shown in FIG.

Here, it is assumed that the system administrator wants to check the connection relationship between the HUB / switch H1. At this time,
Click the HUB / switch H1 icon and click the path diagnosis button b2.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8B, the connected path and the HUB / switch H1 are displayed in blue, and the diagnostic message M1 is displayed in the message area.
Is displayed. As a result, the system administrator can
The relationship of the paths connected to the B / switch H1 can be understood at a glance, and this HUB / switch H1 can be
Being alerted that the buses are skewed, the system administrator can take appropriate action.

In this way, the problem of performance degradation in the HUB / switch H1 can be avoided by utilizing the result of the diagnostic tool.

[0064]

According to the present invention, in a SAN access path diagnostic system in which a server and a storage are coupled via a connection device, redundancy for access from the server to the storage is diagnosed, and It is possible to provide a SAN access path diagnosing system capable of diagnosing the deviation of access paths of connected devices on the way.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram to which a SAN access path diagnosis system according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a system management information table.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a connection management table.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of links in a connection management table.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the redundancy of SAN connection relationships.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process of a SAN access path diagnosis system.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a screen for redundancy diagnosis of a SAN access path diagnosis system.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a screen for diagnosing path bias in the SAN access path diagnosis system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Configuration management server, 2, 3 ... Server, 4,5 ... HUB
/ Switch, 6, 7, 8 ... Disk system 21, 21
2 ... Connection port of server 2, 31, 32, 33 ... Connection port of server 3, 41, 42, 43 ... Zoning area of HUB / switch 4, 51, 52 ... Zoning area of HUB / switch 5, 61, 62 ... Disk device 6 control device, 71, 72 ... Disk device 7 disk control device, 81, 82 ... Disk device 8 disk control device, 90 ... SAN access path, 91 ... LAN connection path

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A diagnostic system for a SAN (Storage Area Network) access path in which a server and a storage are connected via a connection device, analyzes an access path from the server to the storage, and SAN access path diagnostic system for diagnosing redundancy. 2. This SAN access path diagnosis system is configured so that, when the storage is accessed from the server, even if a path between devices or the connected device on the access path becomes unavailable, 2. The SAN access path diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that there is redundancy when the access path can be substituted. 3. The SAN access path diagnosis system according to claim 1, which has a function of diagnosing a bias in paths connected to the connection device. 4. The SAN access path diagnosis system according to claim 1, wherein the redundancy for the access is displayed. 5. The SAN access path diagnosis system according to claim 3, wherein the deviation of paths connected to the connection device is displayed.