Patent ID: 7177921
Filing Date: 2007-02-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a storage system having a plurality of interface ports and a plurality of logical devices, wherein the interface ports are connected to a multiple protocol label switching (MPLS) network and the interface ports are formed to conduct MPLS protocol, a method of establishing a path between a logical device and a client connected to the MPLS network, comprising: selecting an interface port having a requested bandwidth by a client from among the plurality of interface ports; mounting to the selected interface port a logical device capable of handling the MPLS network and designated for the client; establishing a label switching path from the selected interface port over the MPLS network to the client, said label switching path having the requested bandwidth; setting a service priority of the selected interface port to the client in response to the requested bandwidth; operatively connecting the selected interface port and the client to said label switching path; transmitting data through said label switching path while masking data transmitted therethrough from unauthorized access by at least one of: (i) a host software, (ii) host bus adapter utilities, (iii) switch zoning, and (iv) mapping within a storage controller; releasing said label switching path and said logical device from the selected interface port after transmitting said data; and separately managing data transmission performance inside the storage system from data transmission performance of the MPLS network.