Determination of a suitable target for an initiator by a control plane processor

Abstract

A first computational device receives a response generated by a second computational device for a third computational device. A target that is suitable for use by the third computational device is determined. The response is transmitted with an address of the target to the third computational device.

What is claimed is 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 programming, by a computational device, one or more switches of a switch configuration to forward any Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) packet to the computational device; and   in response to receiving, by the computational device from the one or more switches, a forwarding of a DHCP response to a DHCP request from an initiator, transmitting, by the computational device, a modified DHCP response that identifies a target suitable for use in booting the initiator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DHCP response is generated by a DHCP server, in response to the DHCP request. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the initiator is booted by using an address of the target in the modified DHCP response. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the target is a storage node that provides boot support for the initiator. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein suitability of the target for use in booting the initiator is based on at least a distance of the target from the initiator, an available bandwidth, and a processing load on the target. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the target has a relatively light processing load and is relatively more proximate to the initiator in comparison to other potential targets of a plurality of targets. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein to generate the modified DHCP response an address of the target is added to the DHCP response by modifying a DHCP Option 17 command that includes an Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) target name to uniquely identify an iSCSI target. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising a computational device that is communicatively coupled to an initiator, wherein the system comprises:
 a memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is operable to perform operations, the operations comprising:   program, by the computational device, one or more switches of a switch configuration to forward any Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) packet to the computational device; and   in response to a receiving, by the computational device from the one or more switches, a forwarding of a DHCP response to a DHCP request from the initiator, transmit, by the computational device, a modified DHCP response that identifies a target suitable for use in booting the initiator.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the DHCP response is generated by a DHCP server, in response to the DHCP request. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the initiator is booted by using an address of the target in the modified DHCP response. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the target is a storage node at provides boot support for the initiator. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein suitability of the target for use in booting the initiator is based on at least a distance of the target from the initiator, an available bandwidth, and a processing load on the target. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , the target has a relatively light processing load and is relatively more proximate to the initiator in comparison to other potential targets of a plurality of targets. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein to generate the modified DHCP response an address of the target is added to the DHCP response by modifying a DHCP Option 17 command that includes an Internet Small Computer System interface (iSCSI) target name to uniquely identify an iSCSI target. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a computational device;   an initiator, wherein the computational device is communicatively coupled to the initiator, and wherein the computational device is operable to:   program one or more switches of a switch configuration to forward any Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) packet to the computational device; and   in response to a receiving of a forwarding of a DHCP response to a DHCP request from the initiator, transmit a modified DHCP response that identifies a target suitable for use in booting the initiator.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the DHCP response is generated by a DHCP server, in response to the DHCP request. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the initiator is booted by using an address of the target in the modified DHCP response. 
     
     
         18 . A system, comprising:
 means for programming, by a computational device, one or more switches of a switch configuration to forward any Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) packet to the computational device; and   means for performing, in response to receiving, by the computational device from the one or more switches, a forwarding of a DHCP response to a DHCP request from an initiator, transmitting, b e computational device, a modified DHCP response that identifies a target suitable for use in booting the initiator.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the DHCP response is generated by a DHCP server, in response to the DHCP request. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the initiator is booted by using an address of the target in the modified DHCP response.