Operating A Storage Server On A Virtual Machine

摘要

A system and method of testing, during development, the operation of a clustered storage server system and its associated storage operating system. The system includes at least one host computer having a host operating system, and at least one virtual computer having a simulated storage operating system, at least one simulated disk, a simulated NVRAM, and a simulated flashcard within a guest operating system hosted by the host operating system. The simulated storage operating system represents an actual storage operating system. Facilities of the simulated storage operating system including the simulated disk, the simulated NVRAM, and the simulated flashcard are mapped onto corresponding facilities of the host operating system via virtualization components of the virtual computer so that the simulated storage operating system operates substantially the same as the actual storage operating system on low cost host hardware platforms.

主权项

1. A system for simulating a storage server, comprising:
at least one host computer having a host operating system; and at least one virtual computer operating on the host computer, the virtual computer having one or more virtualization components and a guest operating system, said guest operating system being hosted by said host operating system of the host computer, wherein the virtual computer has, within said guest operating system, at least one simulated storage operating system, and at least one facility of the simulated storage operating system including at least one simulated disk for storing data of at least one virtual volume, said at least one simulated storage operating system representing at least one actual storage operating system, wherein the host computer is operative to receive at least one command of a user for manipulating data of a specified virtual volume stored on the simulated disk, wherein said simulated storage operating system is operative to execute within said guest operating system to manipulate said data of said specified virtual volume stored on the simulated disk in accordance with the at least one user command, and wherein said at least one facility of the simulated storage operating system is mapped onto at least one corresponding facility of the host operating system via the virtualization components of the virtual computer so that the simulated storage operating system operates substantially the same as the actual storage operating system.