Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to establishing and controlling virtual network communications between storage arrays. In embodiments, Input/Output (IO) workloads received by a source device are monitored. IO operations of each IO workload to be transmitted to one or more target devices of a plurality of target devices can be identified. Transmissions of one or more of the identified IO operations can be controlled based on one or more characteristics of each identified IO operation.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to using at least one service-level objective (SLO) to control data communications between two or more devices over a network. In embodiments, a notification is received by a source device. The notification can include status information of at least one of a plurality of communication paths between the source device and a target device. A communications control technique can be performed based on the indicated status. The communications control technique can include prioritizing one or more data packets based on a data payload corresponding to each packet. The technique can also include controlling the transmission of one or more data packets based on each data packet's priority.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for storage area network (SAN) connectivity management using switch fabric conditions. One method comprises ranking switches in a SAN that provides connectivity between host devices and storage arrays, wherein the ranking is based on a port utilization metric for a subset of the switches and/or an evaluation of switch performance degradation events associated with one or more of the switches; evaluating an input/output load of a workload executing on a host device; and determining a path between a given host device and a given storage array through the SAN based on the ranking and the evaluated input/output load of the workload. For a workload being deployed on a new host device, the evaluating may comprise determining an application type of the workload. Alternate switches may be identified based on a comparison of a peak load of a given switch and a peak load of an alternate switch for at least one time period.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to receive multi-pathing settings from a plurality of nodes of one or more clusters, and to identify at least one group of the plurality of nodes belonging to a same cluster of the one or more clusters. The processing device is further configured to identify a master node of the at least one group of nodes, and to deliver at least a portion of the multi-pathing settings of the master node to one or more remaining nodes of the at least one group of nodes.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for storage area network (SAN) connectivity management using switch fabric conditions. One method comprises ranking switches in a SAN that provides connectivity between host devices and storage arrays, wherein the ranking is based on a port utilization metric for a subet of the switches and/or an evaluation of switch performance degradation events associated with one or more of the switches; evaluating an input/output load of a workload executing on a host device; and determining a path between a given host device and a given storage array through the SAN based on the ranking and the evaluated input/output load of the workload. For a workload being deployed on a new host device, the evaluating may comprise determining an application type of the workload. Alternate switches may be identified based on a comparison of a peak load of a given switch and a peak load of an alternate switch for at least one time period.

Abstract: A host device comprises a processor coupled to a memory. Upon installation or update of a software program configured to execute on the host device and wherein a management operation is to be performed for the software program in conjunction with a management server, the host device is configured to send a query to a given system with which the host device interacts with respect to one or more operations different than the management operation. The host device is further configured to obtain from the given system, in response to the query, a reply with management server information previously stored on the given system, and then utilize the management server information obtained from the given system to communicate with the management server to perform the management operation.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a host device comprising a processor coupled to memory. The host device is configured to obtain a network congestion notification from a portion of a network that is utilized by the host device for submitting IO operations to a storage system. The network congestion notification comprises an indication that the portion of the network is experiencing network congestion. The host device is further configured to identify a first path of a plurality of paths as a path that utilizes the portion of the network and to adjust a dispatch weight of the first path based at least in part on the network congestion notification. The host device is further configured to submit an IO operation to the storage system along a second path instead of the first path based at least in part on the adjusted dispatch weight of the first path.

Abstract: A host device is configured to communicate over a network with a storage system. The host device comprises a multi-path input-output (MPIO) driver configured to control delivery of input-output (TO) operations from the host device to the storage system over selected ones of a plurality of paths through the network. The MPIO driver is further configured to send one or more requests to the storage system for data corresponding to performance of one or more switch fabrics in the network, and to receive the data corresponding to the performance of the one or more switch fabrics from the storage system. The MPIO driver is also configured to identify one or more performance issues associated with at least one of the selected ones of the plurality of paths based on the received data, and to manage one or more of the input-output operations responsive to the identified performance issues.

Abstract: A storage system may manage I/O communications between the storage system and other components on a storage network based on the state information of transceivers (e.g., SFPs) along I/O paths between the storage system and other network components. A storage system may send one or more queries to a switch of a data storage network. The query may request the state information of transceivers within any port on any I/O path through the switch between the storage system and another component on the storage network, for example, a host system or another storage system. The storage system may receive the requested transceiver state information in one or more responses, and manage I/O communications between the storage system and the other network component based on the received transceiver state information. The received state information may include, for each transceiver, an RX power level and/or a TX Power level for the transceiver.

Abstract: Path components associated with I/O paths between another network component and a target system may be determined, and the health of target ports on such I/O paths may be determined. Failed I/O communications may be redirected based on the determined path components and the determined health of target ports. In response to a failed I/O communication, it may be determined which of the remaining I/O paths between the host system and the storage system has the least amount of associated path components in common with the failed I/O path, and the I/O communication may be redirected on such I/O path. The redirect I/O path also may be selected based on the health ranking of target ports of the I/O paths.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one processing device that is configured to control delivery of input-output operations from a host device to a storage system over selected ones of a plurality of paths through a network. The at least one processing device is further configured to detect a reduction in performance of one or more of the input-output operations over one or more paths of the plurality of paths, to identify a physical initiator component corresponding to the one or more paths, and to notify the storage system about the reduction in performance and the identified physical initiator component. The at least one processing device is also configured to receive a notification from the storage system indicating one or more virtual initiator instances of a plurality of virtual initiator instances corresponding to the identified physical initiator component, and to deactivate the one or more virtual initiator instances.

Abstract: Path components associated with I/O paths between another network component and a target system may be determined, and the health of target ports on such I/O paths may be determined. Failed I/O communications may be redirected based on the determined path components and the determined health of target ports. In response to a failed I/O communication, it may be determined which of the remaining I/O paths between the host system and the storage system has the least amount of associated path components in common with the failed I/O path, and the I/O communication may be redirected on such I/O path. The redirect I/O path also may be selected based on the health ranking of target ports of the I/O paths.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one processing device that is configured to monitor, in a multi-path layer thereof, a storage area network (SAN) through which one or more host devices access storage devices of a storage system, and responsive to at least one particular detected condition of the SAN, to generate in the multi-path layer one or more notifications for delivery to the storage system. The storage system implements one or more dynamic configuration changes relating to the SAN based at least in part on the one or more notifications generated in the multi-path layer. The multi-path layer illustratively comprises at least one multi-path input-output driver implemented in a corresponding one of the host devices and configured to control delivery of input-output operations to the storage devices of the storage system over selected ones of a plurality of paths through the SAN.

Abstract: A storage system may manage I/O communications between the storage system and other components on a storage network based on the state information of transceivers (e.g., SFPs) along I/O paths between the storage system and other network components. A storage system may send one or more queries to a switch of a data storage network. The query may request the state information of transceivers within any port on any I/O path through the switch between the storage system and another component on the storage network, for example, a host system or another storage system. The storage system may receive the requested transceiver state information in one or more responses, and manage I/O communications between the storage system and the other network component based on the received transceiver state information. The received state information may include, for each transceiver, an RX power level and/or a TX Power level for the transceiver.

Abstract: A processing device is configured to control delivery of input-output (IO) operations from a host device to a storage system over selected ones of a plurality of paths through a network, and to monitor response times for particular ones of the IO operations sent from the host device to the storage system. The processing device is further configured, responsive to at least a subset of the monitored response times being above a threshold over a time period, to generate an alert, to send the alert to an intermediary device coupled to the host device and the storage system, to receive from the intermediary device a throttling command generated in the intermediary device based at least in part on the alert, and responsive to receipt of the throttling command, to at least temporarily reduce a rate at which additional ones of the IO operations are sent from the host device to the storage system.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for path management and failure prediction in a multipath environment using target port power levels. One method comprises obtaining, by a first entity that communicates with a second entity via multiple paths, a transmit power level and/or a receive power level of a target port associated with the second entity; evaluating the transmit power level and/or the receive power level of the target port relative to a threshold; and setting, by the first entity, a path state of one or more paths between the first entity and the target port to a standby state based on the evaluating, wherein the first entity establishes paths between the first entity and one or more other target ports of the second entity in an active state. Existing communications on the one or more paths between the first entity and the target port may be allowed to complete in the standby state.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing device comprising a processor coupled to memory. The processing device is configured to obtain failover information corresponding to a first node of a plurality of nodes where each node is configured to communicate with a storage system over a plurality of paths. The failover information comprises a failover node selection order according to which other nodes of the plurality of nodes are configured for selection in response to the first node becoming unavailable. The processing device is configured to determine that health information corresponding to a given node indicates that the given node is exhibiting performance issues on at least one of the paths and to modify the failover node selection order based at least in part on the determination.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one processing device that is configured to monitor, in a multi-path layer thereof, a storage area network (SAN) through which one or more host devices access storage devices of a storage system, and responsive to at least one particular detected condition of the SAN, to generate in the multi-path layer one or more notifications for delivery to the storage system. The storage system implements one or more dynamic configuration changes relating to the SAN based at least in part on the one or more notifications generated in the multi-path layer. The multi-path layer illustratively comprises at least one multi-path input-output driver implemented in a corresponding one of the host devices and configured to control delivery of input-output operations to the storage devices of the storage system over selected ones of a plurality of paths through the SAN.

Abstract: Access path management is provided based on one or more path conditions in an information processing system. For example, an apparatus comprises a storage system comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The storage system is configured to communicate over a network with one or more host devices. The storage system is further configured to obtain notification from one of the one or more host devices that a first path through the network between the storage system and the given one of the one or more host devices is at least temporarily unreliable. The storage system is further configured to cause a path state change for the first path from a first state to a second state and a path state change for a second path to the first state.

Abstract: A host device is configured to communicate over a network with a storage system. The host device comprises a multi-path input-output (MPIO) driver configured to control delivery of input-output (IO) operations from the host device to the storage system over selected ones of a plurality of paths through the network. The MPIO driver is further configured to identify a plurality of partitions of a storage device of the storage system, the storage device being used for booting a server. The MPIO driver is also configured to monitor an amount of consumed space of each partition, to transmit to the storage system data corresponding to the amount of consumed space of each partition, to process data from the storage system indicating that a size of the storage device has been increased, and to increase a size of one or more of the partitions.