System of managing remote resources

Abstract

A system of managing remote resources that includes a local storage associated with a local storage manager constituting a local storage system. A remote storage associated with a remote storage manager constituting a local storage system. The local storage system is associated with a remote storage system by means of a first link. The local storage system is configured to send through the first link I/O remote commands complying with the SCSI protocol, for execution in the remote storage system. The system includes a second link associating the local storage system and the remote storage system. The local storage manager being responsive to remote storage management commands and being configured to send through the second link corresponding cross-storage-remote management commands that comply with the SCSI protocol, for execution in the remote storage.

1 . A system of managing remote resources, that includes
 a local storage associated with a local storage manager constituting a local storage system and a remote storage associated with a remote storage manager constituting a local storage system   the local storage system is associated with a remote storage system by means of a first link; the local storage system is configured to send through said link at least one I/O remote command complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in said remote storage system; the system comprising:   a second link associating said local storage system and remote storage system; the local storage manager being responsive to at least one remote storage management command) and being configured to send through said second link at least one cross-storage-remote management command corresponding to said remote storage management command, complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in said remote storage.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said I/O protocol being the SCSI protocol. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first link and second link are the same. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said local storage system is associated with a host manager by means of a third link and wherein said host manager is configured to send through said third link said at least one remote storage management command complying with said I/O protocol. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said local storage includes a local pool and said remote storage includes an associated remote pool. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said host manager is associated with said local storage system by means of a fourth link and wherein said host manager is configured to send through said fourth link at least one local storage management command complying with said I/O protocol, for executing in said local storage. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said remote storage management command being a “create remote mirror”, including create a volume in said local storage, indicate in a local data structure that said volume in the local storage is associated to a volume in a remote storage, and create volume in said remote storage, and indicate in a remote data structure that that the volume in the remote storage is associated to said volume in local storage. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein said remote storage management command being a “create remote snapshot”, including create a snapshot of said remote volume in said remote storage. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein said I/O remote command being a remote mirror including utilizing said local and remote data structures and storing in said volume in the remote storage a mirror of data in the volume of the local storage. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the host manager is attached through a first handle to a local extended pool; said extended pool is associated with said local storage manager, a remote extended pool is associated by means of a second handle to said local manager; the remote extended pool is associated with said remote storage manager; and wherein said host manager is configured to send said remote management command to said local extended pool through said handle, which command is sent to said local manager, and wherein said local storage manager is configured to issue a cross storage remote management command and send it through said second handle to said remote extended pool which command is sent to said remote storage manager; said remote storage manager is configured to parse said command and to execute it in said remote pool. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said first handle includes an initiator port for attaching to the host, a target port for attaching to a local pool volume of said local extended pool, and a LUN uniquely identifying the handle; and wherein said second handle includes an initiator port for attaching to the local storage, a target port for attaching to a remote pool volume of said remote extended pool, and a LUN uniquely identifying the handle. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the execution of said create remote mirror management command obviates intervention of a human storage administrator. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the execution of said create remote snapshot management command obviates intervention of a human storage administrator. 
     
     
         14 . A system of managing remote resources, that includes
 a local storage associated with a local storage manager, constituting a local storage system and a remote storage associated with a remote storage manager, constituting a remote storage system;   the local storage system having a first link for association with a remote storage system; the local storage system is configured to send through said link at least one I/O remote command complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in a remote storage system; the system comprising:   the local storage system having a second link for association with the remote storage system; the local storage manager being responsive to at least one remote storage management command and being configured to send through said second link at least one cross-storage-remote management command corresponding to said remote storage management command, complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in said remote storage.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said I/O protocol being the SCSI protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said local storage system having a third link for association with a host manager; the local storage system is configured to receive from said host manager through said third link said at least one remote storage management command complying with said I/O protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said local storage includes a local pool and said remote storage includes an associated remote pool. 
     
     
         18 . A system of managing remote resources, that includes
 a local storage associated with a local storage manager, constituting a local storage system and a remote storage associated with a remote storage manager, constituting a remote storage system;   the remote storage system having a first link for association with the local storage system; the remote storage system is configured to receive through said first link at least one I/O remote command complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in the remote storage system; the system comprising:   the remote storage system having a second link for association with the local storage system; the remote storage manager being configured to send through said second link at least one cross-storage-remote management command corresponding to a remote storage management command, complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in said remote storage. In a system that includes   a local storage associated with a local storage manager, constituting a local storage system; a remote storage associated with a remote storage manager, constituting a remote storage system; the local storage system having a first link for association with the remote storage system; the local storage system is configured to send through said link at least one I/O remote command complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in the remote storage system, a method for managing remote resources method comprising:   (a) providing for the local storage system a second link for association with the remote storage system;   (b) in response to receiving at least one remote storage management command the local storage manager sending through said second link at least one cross-storage-remote management command corresponding to said remote storage management command, complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in said remote storage.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said I/O protocol being the SCSI protocol. 
     
     
         20 . A method for managing remote resources in a system that includes
 a local storage associated with a local storage manager, constituting a local storage system; a remote storage associated with a remote storage manager, constituting a remote storage system; the remote storage system having a first link for association with the local storage system; the remote storage system is configured to received through said link at least one I/O remote command complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in the remote storage system, the method comprising:
 (a) providing for the remote storage system a second link for association with the local storage system; 
 (b) the remote storage manager receiving through said second link at least one cross-storage-remote management command corresponding to a remote storage management command, complying with an I/O protocol, for execution in said remote storage.