Patent ID: 8499074

Claim:
A method for accessing files stored in a storage access network (SAN), wherein the files may be accessed through at least two different links to the storage access network, the method comprising the steps of: accessing a first portion of a first file through a first link; determining a time for accessing said first portion of the first file and an amount of accessed data for the first portion of the first file; comparing the determined time, the determined data amount or an access rate calculated from the determined time and determined data amount, with an expected value; if the difference from the comparing step exceeds a predetermined threshold indicative of an unexpected long time, a low data amount or a low access rate, performing an analysis, the analysis comprising a first or a second analysis procedure, wherein the first analysis procedure comprises the steps of: accessing the first portion of the first file through a second link and determining the time, amount of data or access rate for said accessing the first portion of the first file through the second link; determining whether accessing the first portion of the first file is faster through the second link than through the first link, wherein: if said accessing the first portion of the first file is faster through the second link, accessing the first file through the second link, and marking the first link as not preferable; and if said accessing the first portion of the first file is not faster through the second link, accessing a second file through the first link, and marking the first file as currently not accessible; and wherein the second analysis procedure comprises the steps of: accessing a first portion of a second file through the first link, and determining the time, amount of data or access rate for accessing said first portion of the second file through the first link; determining if said accessing the first portion of the second file through the first link is faster than said accessing the first portion of the first file through the first link, wherein: if said accessing the first portion of the second file through the first link is faster, accessing the second or a further file through the first link, and marking the first file as currently not accessible; if said accessing the first portion of the second file is not faster, accessing the first file through a different link than said first link, and marking the first link as not preferable; and determining whether link problems or file system problems appear more frequently, and based on the determination performing either the first or the second analysis procedure; wherein if link problems appear more frequently, the first analysis procedure is performed, and if file system problems appear more frequently, the second analysis procedure is performed.