Abstract:
A data library system with managed device access comprises at least one partition, a plurality of data transfer elements each of the data transfer elements assigned to a partition, a plurality of data storage element slots, each of the slots assigned to a partition, a library controller comprising a virtual controller for each partition, the virtual controller directing movement of the media to and from the slots assigned to a same partition and to and from the data transfer elements assigned to the same partition, and at least one bridge operatively disposed between at least one user and the library, each of the bridges present the data transfer elements and the virtual controllers of each partition to the users as logical components beginning at a same designation for each partition.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present invention is related to the following copending and commonly assigned U.S. patent applications Ser. No. [30014510-1] entitled System and Method for Partitioning a Storage Area Network Associated Data Library, filed Dec. 28, 2001; Ser. No. [30014511-1] entitled System and Method for Partitioning a Storage Area Network Associated Data Library Employing Element Addresses, filed Dec. 28, 2001; Ser. No. [30014513-1] entitled System and Method for Peripheral Device Virtual Functionality Overlay, filed Dec. 28, 2001; Ser. No. [30014514-1] entitled System and Method for Securing Drive Access to Media Based On Medium Identification Numbers, filed Dec. 28, 2001; Ser. No. [30014515-1] entitled System and Method for Securing Drive Access to Data Storage Media Based On Medium Identifiers, filed Dec. 28, 2001; Ser. No. [30014516-1] entitled System and Method for Securing Fiber Channel Drive Access in a Partitioned Data Library, filed Dec. 28, 2001; Ser. No. [30014517-1] entitled Method for Using Partitioning to Provide Capacity on Demand in Data Libraries, filed Dec. 28, 2001; Ser. No. [30014518-1] entitled System and Method for Intermediating Communication with a Moveable Media Library Utilizing a Plurality of Partitions, filed Dec. 28, 2001; and Ser. No. [30008195-1], entitled System and Method for Managing a Moveable Media Library with Library Partitions, filed Dec. 28, 2001; the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to data storage; and more specifically to a system and method of managing access to multiple devices employed in a partitioned data tape library.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    In certain storage area network (SAN) usage scenarios, such as those encountered by storage service providers (SSPs), there are multiple customers attempting to share common SAN resources. In such cases, there is a need to ensure that customers can only see and access the storage resources they have been allocated and prevent them from accessing storage of other customers. For example, if a customer stores their critical business data with a SSP, then they generally do not want other customers of the SSP reading their data or even being aware that they have information stored with the SSP. Thus, there is a need to secure the storage device resources so that only specified users or equipment connected to the SAN can access or be aware of those resources.  
           [0004]    Further problems arise in some storage devices that can be subdivided into multiple separate resources. For example, a disk array can have multiple redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) or partitions defined where each RAID set appears as a different fibre channel (FC) logical unit number (LUN). Each one of these FC LUNs can be dedicated to a different server. Therefore, it may not be possible to secure the resources of a SAN whole-device by whole-device. Instead, the SAN resources may need to be secured at the LUN level.  
           [0005]    Existing fibre channel (FC) disk array firmware may be used to provide security in an FC redundant array of independent disks (RAID), since the disk array firmware has direct control over the array&#39;s ports connected to the SAN. Every host and device connection into the SAN generally has a unique FC-based world-wide-name (WWN), which can be used by an FC-based RAID to uniquely identify a device or host connection. Therefore, the FC-disk array firmware may be configured so that when a host attempts to send a small computer systems interface (SCSI) command to a FC-logical unit number (LUN) inside the RAID, the firmware will check the originating WWN from the server that sent the command against a list of authorized WWNs. If the WWN is on the list of authorized WWNs for that RAID FC-LUN, the SCSI command may be processed, if the WWN is not on the list of authorized WWNs for the RAID FC-LUN the command will be rejected. The list of authorized WWN&#39;s for each RAID FC-LUN may be configured via the existing management software for the RAID.  
           [0006]    However, if an existing SCSI device such as a data tape library is connected to a FC-based SAN via a FC-to-SCSI bridge, it is not possible with existing security measures to secure these devices so that only certain hosts can see and access them. For example, if a tape library is connected to a SAN via a FC-to-SCSI bridge, then it is visible to and accessible by every server connected to that SAN. This is unacceptable from a data security standpoint for a SAN that provides storage resources to different customers.  
           [0007]    Existing FC switches are capable of configuring security “zones” that define what WWNs or FC ports of servers can recognize listed WWN&#39;s or FC ports of devices. Such FC port and WWN security does not extend to FC addresses or FC device LUNs. Therefore, it is only possible to secure at the FC port level using existing FC switches on switch zoning.  
           [0008]    Even were FC switches developed that have the capability of defining security zones down to the device LUN level, for SCSI tape libraries attached behind FC bridges, it still would be impractical for a user to define security zones. The tape library may have multiple FC bridges, with each bridge connected to a subset of the library tape drives. Additionally, the tape library may be logically partitioned, and such partitions may extend across multiple FC bridges. For example, a tape library partition may use three tape drives connected to two different FC bridges. It would be impractical for a user to correctly identify which FC ports and LUNs are associated together in the same security zone for an existing switch with any certainty. Understandably, mistakes may easily be made in such a manual process. Furthermore, to use existing switch zoning with a partitioned SCSI-based tape library the library controller should be on a separate bridge from any drives. This would require existing libraries to support two bridges per level, at least on one level, which existing libraries cannot do. Another problem is that switch zoning must be carried out per-bridge, so there would be a two drive per partition restriction/requirement for partitioned SCSI tape libraries connected to a SAN using existing FC-to-SCSI bridges.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    A data library system with managed device access comprises at least one partition, a plurality of data transfer elements each of the data transfer elements assigned to a partition, a plurality of data storage element slots, each of the slots assigned to a partition, a library controller comprising a virtual controller for each partition, the virtual controller directing movement of the media to and from the slots assigned to a same partition and to and from the data transfer elements assigned to the same partition, and at least one bridge operatively disposed between at least one user and the library, each of the bridges present the data transfer elements and the virtual controllers of each partition to the users as logical components beginning at a same designation for each partition. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a SAN employing an embodiment of the present system and method;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic illustration of an example of a data library employing an embodiment of the present system and method;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2B is a diagrammatic illustration of a second example of a data library employing an embodiment of the present system and method;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a flow chart of implementation of a security configuration change request in accordance with the present system and method;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of firmware look-up tables for the two bridges of FIG. 2A in accordance with the present system and method;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 5A and 5B are each a partial view comprising a diagrammatic representation of device mapping of the look-up tables of FIG. 4 in accordance with the present system and method; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an example implementation of the security change of FIG. 3 by a firmware look-up table in accordance with the present system and method. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]    The present invention is directed to systems and methods which provide managed host access to multiple standard SCSI devices in a partitioned data library. Preferably this access is provided in a secure, yet OS-friendly, manner and may be carried out via a fiber channel-SCSI bridge. The present inventive systems and methods preferably present various subsets, including empty subsets, of a population of SCSI library devices behind a FC-to-SCSI bridge to different initiators by keying on the initiators&#39; FC world-wide-names (WWNs). The present systems and methods preferably employ FC security for FC-to-SCSI bridges connected to a partitioned data library.  
         [0018]    The present invention addressees problems that may arise in the case of some operating systems (OSs) or storage applications for tape libraries and backup applications where storage devices recognized by a server do not start at LUN-0. For example, an OS or backup application might ignore devices at a SCSI-ID which maps to a FC port if LUN-0 was not detected for that SCSI-ID during boot-up operations or the like. The present invention allows SCSI devices with one or more LUNs to be secured via a FC-to-SCSI bridge, while presenting devices that start at LUN-0 regardless of the host accessing the FC-to-SCSI bridge.  
         [0019]    Preferably, in the present invention each library bridge has a separate target SCSI-ID, with accessible components or elements behind the bridge presented as LUNs starting from a same designation, preferably zero. However, the library&#39;s host bus adapter configuration preferably determines how these LUNs are presented. Additionally, the present system and method preferably ensures that if multiple LUN-based library partitions are defined on the same FC-to-SCSI bridge, the SCSI devices in each library partition are preferably presented as LUNs in the aforementioned OS-friendly manner. This is preferably accomplished by numbering the LUNs as presented to each host contiguously starting from zero. So if devices in a partition are split across several bridges, a number of target SCSI-ID&#39;s with LUNs starting from zero under each target SCSI-ID are preferably employed by each bridge.  
         [0020]    Turning to FIG. 1, SAN  100  is shown. By way of example, first and second customer servers  101  and  102  are connected to SAN  100  via FC switch  103 . RAID  104  may be partitioned, assigning first partition  105  to server  101  and second partition  106  to server  102  using FC LUN-based existing RAID partitioning methods. Backups, particularly unattended backups such as zero downtime backups (ZDBs) may be performed of the data each server has on the RAID to tape library  108 , via interconnectivity, such as ZDB interconnectivity  107 , between RAID  104  and tape library  108 . Such ZDBs preferably employ data-mover firmware embodied in RAID  104  or other components of SAN  100 . ZDBs are preferably carried out without impinging on the processor operations or LAN capacity of servers  101  and  102 . Data tape library  108  is preferably partitioned into multiple virtual library partitions. Each library partition preferably has one or more physical tape drives, a unique subset of the library media slots, and a dedicated library changer device LUN assigned to the partition. Such a partitioning system and method is disclosed in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. [30014511-1] entitled “System and Method for Partitioning A Storage Area Network Associated Data Library Employing Element Addresses”, and copending application Ser. No. [30014510-1] entitled “System and Method for Partitioning a Storage Area Network Associated Data Library”. The present system and method may be used to insure that backup or library data for server  101  is maintained in partition  109  separate from data for server  102 , and that the backup or library data of server  102  is maintained in partition  110  separate from data for server  101 . Such partitioning ensures that the servers may not access each other&#39;s data even though it is maintained in the same physical library.  
         [0021]    Data tape library  200  employing a preferred embodiment of the present system and method is illustrated in FIG. 2A as an example of a library that may be employed as library  108  of FIG. 1. However, other library designs and/or capacities may embody the present system and method. Exemplar data tape library  200  has four data transfer elements, in the form of tape drives  201 - 204 ; forty media storage slot elements  205 , that are shown organized into four trays  206 - 209  of ten slots  205  each; two FC-to-SCSI bridges  210  and  211 ; a library management interface card or remote management card (RMC)  212 ; and library controller  213 . Tape drives  201 - 204 , FC-to-SCSI bridges  210  and  211 , RMC  212  and library controller  213  preferably communicate with each other using an inter-integrated circuit (I 2 C) serial management bus  214  and/or automated control interface (ACI)  214  or the like. Any of tape drives  201 - 204  may be SCSI-based devices or FC tape drives that may employ cartridge memory (CM) reading functionality.  
         [0022]    For partitions to employ the present system and method library media slots  205  and tape drives  201 - 204  should be assigned to each partition, and a virtual library controller should be addressable with respect to each partition. The slots may be assigned by trays or individually. The example partitioning shown in FIG. 2A is indicated by boxes  215 ,  216  and  217 . Import/export elements or mailslots may be assigned to each partition or configured for use by the entire library. Preferably, easily accessible media storage slots may be configured as mailslots by the present invention. For the partitioning system and method to be transparent to a user server, the library robotic arm (not shown) used to move media from slots to drives is preferably shared among user servers. However, it should appear to each server that it is the owner of the arm.  
         [0023]    SCSI library controller  213 , preferably with a separate LUN presented for each library partition, LUN-0 for partition  215 , LUN-1 for partition  216  and LUN-2 for partition  217 , is also connected to one of the FC-to-SCSI bridges  210 . Because of this complexity, the control of the FC-LUN security is preferably via a library subsystem management interface of RMC  212 , which is connected to FC-to-SCSI bridges  210  and  211  via a private management network such as I 2 C bus  214 . Thereby, users may configure security for each library partition via a library web management interface, rather than being required to configure the security separately for each FC-to-SCSI bridge  210  and  211  attached to library  200 . As the FC-LUN security in the bridges is preferably configured via the management interface of the tape library in the present system and method, this configuration takes place out-of-band, not through the SCSI bus(es) used to carry user data.  
         [0024]    With attention directed to FIG. 2B, data tape library  200   b  employing a preferred embodiment of the present system and method has partitions  215   b  and  217   b  and may also be employed as library  108  of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2B, partition  215   b  is assigned library controller LUN-0 and partition  217   b  is assigned library controller LUN-1. Drives  201 ,  202  and  203  of partition  215   b  are connected to two FC-to-SCSI bridges  210  and  211 . Drives  201  and  202  of partition  215   b  are connected and FC-to-SCSI bridge  210  and drive  203  of partition  215   b  is connected to FC-to-SCSI bridge  211 . Drive  204  of partition  217   b  is connected to FC-to-SCSI bridge  211 .  
         [0025]    The tape library management firmware preferably maintains which resources in tape libraries  200  and  200   b , such as tape drives  201 - 204 , media slots  205  and changer LUNs, are members of which library partition  215 ,  216 ,  217 ,  215   b  or  217   b . Therefore, when a user sets security for specific library partition according to a preferred embodiment, the library management firmware sends a request over management network such as I 2 C  214  or the like, to each FC-to-SCSI bridge  210  or  211  that has devices that are part of that library partition attached. A FC-to-SCSI bridge that has library changer device and SCSI controller  213  attached, for example bridge  210 , will be affected by any library partition security changes, since every library partition contains one of the SCSI ID LUNs of library changer/controller  213 .  
         [0026]    Preferred process  300  used to set up security or to enter a security setting change is illustrated in FIG. 3. According to a preferred embodiment a user should enter, via a web management interface or the like hosted by the RMC, a list or one or more WWNs of servers authorized to access a subject library partition at box  301 . Preferably, the RMC firmware determines which FC-to-SCSI bridges are affected by a security change at box  302 , and sends a security configuration request for that library partition to the affected bridges over the management interface at box  303 . For the specified library partition, the security configuration request to each affected FC-to-SCSI bridge preferably contains a partition ID, a list of authorized WWNs for that partition, and a list of which SCSI device Bus/ID/LUN objects attached to the bridge are members of that partition.  
         [0027]    Preferably, when a FC-to-SCSI bridge receives a security configuration change request over its management interface, the bridge checks, at  304 , that the list of SCSI Device Bus/ID/LUN objects included in the request are a valid subset of the SCSI devices attached to the bridge. The bridge firmware should include any tape drives that have been set to offline status via the library management interface in the check to avoid unwarranted mismatches. If there is a mismatch between the list of objects in the security request and those attached to the bridge, the security request will preferably be rejected with an error indicating the mismatch, box  305 . If the SCSI Bus/ID/LUN objects in a security request match the bridge attached devices, then the bridge firmware will preferably add the new library partition security information into the security lookup-table held by the bridge firmware (box  306 ) as indicated below. Preferably, the security look-up table is held in non-volatile memory in the bridges and is indexed by authorized WWNs, not by SCSI Bus/ID/LUN objects. This facilitates providing OS-friendly mapping as also discussed below.  
         [0028]    Preferably, the default security state of the FC-to-SCSI bridges is a single unsecured entry in the security look-up table which lists all of the devices attached to the bridge by SCSI Bus/ID/LUN. So, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, initially any host is preferably authorized to access any of the attached devices. Also, the default partition ID is preferably set as 0. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by default the entire library is initially partitioned as a single unsecured partition with the partition ID of 0, until altered via a web interface, library control panel or other means. The library management firmware preferably assigns a unique partition ID for each new partition it is directed to create, preferably the same as the virtual changer LUN assigned to that library partition. However, the partition ID may be any relatively unique number.  
         [0029]    With attention directed to FIG. 4, each row  401 - 405  of security look-up tables  400  may represent the SCSI Bus/ID/LUN objects  406  of active partitions that are available to a specified initiator WWN  407  along with the partition number of each SCSI Bus/ID/LUN object. The exemplar tables  400  of FIG. 4 correspond to illustrated example library  200  of FIG. 2, with partition-ID 0 corresponding to partition  215  using virtual library controller LUN-0, partition-ID 1 corresponding to partition  216  using virtual library controller LUN-1 and partition-ID 2 corresponding to partition  217  using virtual library controller LUN-2. Preferably, a partitioned library may be viewed by a set of hosts as specified in look-up table  400 , for example, partition-ID 0 is secured and can only be seen by the host which has WWN — 1; partition-ID 1 is secured and can only be seen by the host which has WWN — 2; and partition-ID 2 is unsecured and can be seen by all hosts on the SAN or that may have access to the library.  
         [0030]    In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, security configuration tables  400  for bridge 0 and bridge 1 are shown. Each entry  401 - 405  in bridge security configuration tables  400  should also maintain a FC source ID  408  to WWN mapping  407 . FC commands do not contain the WWN of the originating host, but use source ID  408 . The bridge firmware should gather information regarding source ID to WWN mappings from a name server at login, and issue a request state change notification to the name server to be informed of any changes to these mappings. If new WWNs are added to the table the bridge should query the name server for the source ID of this new WWN. Disabled elements, elements not configured as part of an active partition should not appear in the look-up table. Unsecured entry  403  and  405  contain any library partitions configured as unsecured and thus are available to any initiator WWNs  407 . Device objects  406  are shown ordered from left to right in terms of the device bus, SCSI ID and LUN, the partition ID preferably does not affect the device object order.  
         [0031]    Preferably, source ID  408  of each incoming command is compared against tables  400  and used to determine security access as indicated below. If source ID  408  matches row  401 ,  402 , or  404  in tables  400  then a temporary virtual device object list is made by first taking the device objects in the row matching the source ID  408  and then appending the device objects of unsecured lists  403  and  405  to the temporary virtual device object list. The FC target LUN in the FC command is then remapped/mapped to a target Bus/ID/LUN on the bridge by counting along the device object entries in the temporary list.  
         [0032]    In example tables  400  of FIG. 4, the server with WWN — 1 is authorized to access, and can see presented as LUNs, device resources  409 ,  410  and  411  in library partition 0 on bridge 0, which are SCSI-ID0/LUN-0 on Bus 1 of bridge 0 ( 409 ) as well as SCSI-ID1/LUN-0 ( 410 ), SCSI-ID4/LUN-0 ( 411 ) on Bus 0 of bridge 0. Additionally, the server with WWN — 1 can access the device resources in unsecured library partition 2, which is SCSI-ID4/LUN-2 on Bus 0 ( 412 ) of bridge 0. It can also access the device resources in unsecured library partition 2 ( 413 ) on bridge 1, which is SCSI-ID3/LUN-0 on Bus 1 ( 413 ) of bridge 1. Similarly, as shown in rows  402  and  404  of tables  400 , the server with WWN — 2 is authorized to access the resources of library partitions 1 and 2 on both bridges 0 and 1 ( 414  and  415 , respectively), as well as the resources of unsecured partition 2 ( 412  and  413 ). A server with an unrecognized WWN, such as WWN — 3 in this example is authorized to access the device resources on unsecured library partitions Partition ID 2 on bridges 0 and 1 ( 412  and  413 ).  
         [0033]    [0033]FIGS. 5A and 5B make up temporary device mapping  500  of the tables of FIG. 4 organized into temporary device object lists  501 - 503 . For purposes of illustration FIGS. 5A and B parenthetically relate the reference numerals of FIGS. 2 and 4. Each bridge presents the device resources a host has access to on that bridge starting from LUN-0 as depicted in column  504 . For example, as shown in temporary device object list  501 , if the host with WWN — 1 sends a SCSI command to FC LUN-0 on bridge 0, then it would be directed to first device  409  in the list for WWN — 1 entry  401 . If the command from WWN — 1 was sent to FC LUN-1 on bridge 0 then it would be directed to second device  410  in WWN — 1 list  401 . If the command from WWN — 1 is sent to LUN-2 on bridge 0 then it is directed to third, and last device  411  in WWN — 1 list  401 . If the command from WWN — 1 was sent to LUN-3 on bridge 0 then it would be directed to first device  412  on bridge 0 in unsecured list  403 .  
         [0034]    Similarly, turning to temporary device list  502  when the host with WWN — 2 sends a SCSI command to FC LUN-0 on bridge 1, then it would be directed to device  415  WWN — 2 entry  402 . If the command from WWN — 2 is sent to LUN-0 on bridge 0, then it would be directed to device  414  in WWN — 2 entry  404 . If the command from WWN — 2 is sent to LUN-1 of bridge 1, then it is directed to device  413  in unsecured list  405 . If the command from WWN — 2 was sent to LUN-1 of bridge 0, then it would be directed to unsecured device  412  in unsecured list  403 .  
         [0035]    If source ID  408  does not match any row in the table then temporary virtual device object list  503 , made up of only device objects  412  and  413  in unsecured lists  403  and  405  is created. The FC target LUN in the FC command is then mapped to a target Bus/ID/LUN on the bridge by counting along the device object entries in the temporary list. For example, using the example look-up table for bridge 0, if a host not in table  400 , for example WWN — 4, sends a SCSI command to FC LUN-0 on bridge 0, then it would be directed to first device  412  on bridge 0 in the list for unsecured entry  403 .  
         [0036]    This system and method not only provides complete secure access to the devices, it also provides an OS-friendly LUN mapping scheme so that each server host will always see its library resources starting at LUN-0. This facilitates the use of conventional backup software with a partitioned data tape library.  
         [0037]    Turning to FIG. 6, when a valid security configuration request is received by a bridge, the bridge firmware should process the request employing the following steps to carry out step  306  of FIG. 3 described above. First, all device objects in all rows in the bridge security look-up table that match the partition ID are removed from the security look-up table, box  601 . If the security configuration request contains disabled elements at  602 , step  306  is completed for these elements, as all entries for the partition were disabled as part of the removal step of box  601 . These devices are now disabled and no longer addressable until added back into an active partition.  
         [0038]    If at  602  some or all of the device objects of the request are not to be disabled, a determination is made at  603  if the security configuration request contains an unsecure command. If the security configuration request contains an unsecure command, the list of device objects from the security configuration request, with partition ID information, are added to the unsecured row in the table, at box  604 , enforcing bus/ID/LUN orderings.  
         [0039]    Next, if the security configuration request contains a list of WWNs at box  605 , a check is preferably made to see if each WWN matches an existing look-up table entry. If each WWN does not match an existing look-up table entry at  606 , then a new entry to the look-up table for each unmatched WWN is preferably added at box  607 . The new device object entries are based on the SCSI Bus/ID/LUN objects and the partition ID contained in the security configuration request and are added to the bridge security look-up table, enforcing bus/ID/LUN ordering.  
         [0040]    If a WWN matches an existing look-up table row at  606 , the device objects, partition ID/SCSI Bus/ID/LUN combinations, in the security configuration request are added to the bridge security look-up table for that entry at box  608 , enforcing bus/ID/LUN ordering.  
         [0041]    If a FC-to-SCSI bridge supports data mover LUNs for unattended direct back-up of RAID data or the like, then the security of the data-movers can also be configured by sending a security configuration request to on FC-to-SCSI bridge. The data-mover LUNs will have their own Bus/ID/LUN on the bridge and will preferably be subject to the LUN ordering scheme implemented by the bridge.  
         [0042]    An advantage of the present system and method is that security configuration changes to the look-up table are preferably made to devices inside a specific library partition. Thus, any SCSI commands currently active to devices or being carried out by devices in other partitions on the same FC-to-SCSI bridge are unaffected by the security change  
         [0043]    If the library management interface allows a user to manually change the SCSI ID of devices that are attached to the FC-to-SCSI bridges, this operation is preferably integrated with the present security system and method. To that end, any SCSI ID change via the management interface should also trigger a security configuration request for the affected library partition to its FC-to-SCSI bridge(s).  
         [0044]    A security configuration erase command should be available over the FC-to-SCSI bridge I 2 C management interface. Therefore, if a user wishes to set the library back to factory defaults or if the library management firmware detects a replacement FC-to-SCSI bridge that already contains security information from another library, the library management firmware may clear that security information. The FC-to-SCSI bridge security can then be configured with a series of security configuration requests. A security configuration report command is preferably available over the FC-to-SCSI bridge I 2 C management interface, so that the library management firmware can read a FC-to-SCSI bridge&#39;s current security configuration.  
         [0045]    Preferably, if a bridge detects security configuration problem such as LUN mismatches, an invalid security configuration request, or if on power up a bridge controller issues an alert that it has been changed and needs reconfiguring, the bridge preferably sends a security configuration status alert to the RMC.  
         [0046]    Preferably, partition IDs and the library controller partition LUNs are persistent, even if a user deletes a partition. To that end, a partition ID may be identical to the partition LUN on the library controller. For example, if a user configured partitions 0, 1 and 2 and then later deleted partition 0, then partitions 1 and 2 should still exist and should still be accessed via LUNs 1 and 2 on the library controller. Therefore, when a partition is deleted the remaining library controller partition LUNs are not renumbered in the security look-up table as such reordering could mean that the library changer device would appear as different SCSI devices to server operating systems. When a partition is created the next available partition number, starting from 0, is used, so in the above example, the next partition created will preferably be assigned the partition number 0 and will preferably be addressed on LUN-0.  
         [0047]    In an alternative embodiment, the library management firmware updates the entire security look-up table for all attached FC-to-SCSI bridges when any security configuration change is made by a user. In this alternative embodiment, the security configuration request at step  601  of FIG. 6 should be comprised of the entire security look-up table. The library management firmware should process all the library partition security information every time a configuration change is made to any partition, such as adding an authorized WWN. The library management firmware should then convert this security information into a look-up table, formatted similar to the one shown in FIG. 4, including all devices attached to the FC-to-SCSI bridge. However, no partition information would need to be in the alternative security look-up table. This alternative embodiment has the advantage that the FC-to-SCSI bridge firmware is simpler to implement.  
         [0048]    The present invention may be used for other types of storage bridges, for example iSCSI-to-SCSI bridges. In such a system and method, the iSCSI equivalent of FC-WWNs, such as iSCSI names, are preferably used to authenticate initiators onto secured partition LUNs.