Maximizing Storage Controller Bandwidth Utilization In Heterogeneous Storage Area Networks

Abstract

A storage area network controlled, part, by performing the following steps: (i) for each host link of a plurality of host links in a storage area network (SAN), determining a maximum possible data transfer rate; (ii) for each host link of a plurality of host links in a storage area network, determining a maximum permitted data transfer rate based on the maximum possible data transfer rate; (iii) making a plurality of data transfers, through SAN fabric of the SAN and between a storage controller module of the SAN and various host links of the plurality of host links; and (iv) for each data transfer, controlling the data transfer so that a data transfer rate for the data transfer does not exceed the maximum permitted data transfer rate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system comprising:
 a processor(s) set; and   a computer readable storage medium;   wherein:   the processor set is structured, located, connected and/or programmed to run program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and   the program instructions include:
 first program instructions executable by a device, to cause the device to, for each host link of a plurality of host links in a storage area network (SAN), determine a maximum possible data transfer rate, 
 second program instructions executable by a device, to cause the device to, for each host link of a plurality of host links in the SAN, determine a maximum permitted data transfer rate based on the maximum possible data transfer rate, 
 third program instructions executable by a device, to cause the device to make a plurality of data transfers, through a SAN fabric of the SAN and between a storage controller module of the SAN and various host links of the plurality of host links, 
 fourth program instructions executable by a device, to cause the device to, for each of the plurality of data transfers, control the data transfer so that a data transfer rate for the data transfer does not exceed the maximum permitted data transfer rate, and
 fifth program instructions executable by a device, to cause the device to disable a network level flow control for the SAN; 
 
   the determination of the maximum permitted data transfer rate, by the second program instructions, is performed so that the maximum permitted data transfer rate is the maximum possible data transfer link associated with the corresponding host link;   the storage controller module includes a set of storage controller(s) and SAN management software;   the computer program product has further stored thereon sixth program instructions executable by a device, to cause the device to, for each data transfer, perform a query, of the SAN management software and by the set of storage controller(s), to determine the maximum possible data transfer rate for a host link through which the corresponding data transfer will be sent; and   the SAN fabric is heterogeneous.