Approaches to storage discovery

BMC Discovery performs discovery of storage entities using the following main approaches: 

• Discovery via management software

• Direct discovery through an embedded provider

• Direct discovery using SNMP

Discovery via management software 

Many storage entities are managed using bespoke storage management software. For example, the Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform is managed using Hitachi HiCommand Server. During routine discovery, if storage management software is discovered, an SI representing the software is created. The creation or confirmation of an SI representing storage management software triggers the appropriate storage discovery pattern. The storage discovery pattern interrogates the management software using WBEM credentials and queries to discover any storage entities that it is managing. 

When the pattern discovers the managed storage entity it creates a Storage System node to represent it, and other nodes to represent the associated storage components. 

Direct discovery through an embedded provider 

Some storage entities that are managed by storage management software can also be discovered directly, bypassing the management software. This is possible if the storage chassis runs an embedded WBEM/SMI-S provider in the chassis. During routine discovery, if a WBEM/SMI-S provider in the storage chassis is discovered, a Storage Device node representing the chassis is created. The creation or confirmation of the Storage Device node triggers the appropriate storage discovery pattern. The storage discovery pattern interrogates the WBEM/SMI-S provider using WBEM credentials and queries to discover the associated storage components.

When the pattern discovers the storage entity it creates a Storage System node to represent it, and other nodes to represent the associated storage components. 

Direct discovery using SNMP 

Some other storage entities, such as the NetApp products, can be discovered directly via SNMP. In this case, when an SNMP discovery of an IP address finds a storage entity, a Storage Device node representing the chassis is created. The creation or confirmation of the Storage Device node triggers the appropriate storage discovery pattern. The storage discovery pattern continues discovery of the storage entity using further SNMP requests to discover the associated storage components. 

When the pattern discovers the storage entity it creates a Storage System node to represent it, and other nodes to represent the associated storage components. 

Further information 

Further information on storage discovery, and the model built in BMC Discovery is available here. 

Storage systems discovery information and metrics are organized by vendor.