High performance storage array interconnection fabric using multiple independent paths
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A storage system comprising:
- a plurality of nodes;
one or more mass storage devices connected to each one of a first portion of said plurality of nodes respectively; and
an interconnection fabric configured for connecting each one of said plurality of nodes to every other one of said plurality of nodes;
wherein the interconnection fabric comprises a plurality of point-to-point connections between said plurality of nodes, wherein said interconnection fabric is configured to provide a plurality of independent communication paths between each one of said plurality of nodes to every other one of said plurality of nodes.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A storage array interconnection fabric may be configured using multiple independent paths. A storage system including a plurality of communication paths is configured for connecting each node of a plurality of nodes forming an interconnection fabric. Each of the communications paths is an independent communications path. In addition, a first portion of the plurality of nodes is configured to communicate with a plurality of mass storage devices such as disk drives. A second portion of the plurality of nodes may be configured to communicate with a host.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A storage system comprising:
-
a plurality of nodes;
one or more mass storage devices connected to each one of a first portion of said plurality of nodes respectively; and
an interconnection fabric configured for connecting each one of said plurality of nodes to every other one of said plurality of nodes;
wherein the interconnection fabric comprises a plurality of point-to-point connections between said plurality of nodes, wherein said interconnection fabric is configured to provide a plurality of independent communication paths between each one of said plurality of nodes to every other one of said plurality of nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of interconnecting a plurality of nodes in a storage system, said method comprising:
-
connecting each node to each other node using a plurality of point-to-point connections;
forming an interconnection fabric comprising the nodes and said point-to-point connections;
a source node sending a first message to a destination node over a first communication path in said interconnection fabric;
said source node sending a second message to said destination node over a second communication path in said interconnection fabric, wherein said second communication path is independent from said first communication path;
said destination node interfacing to a mass storage device to respond to said first and second communications. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for routing communications within a storage system comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by an interconnection fabric, the method comprising:
-
sending a communication from a source node to a destination node using a first communication path comprising one or more point-to-point connections between said source node, any intervening nodes, and said destination node;
detecting a failure in said first communication path; and
resending said communication from said source node to said destination node using a second communication path which is independent from said first communication path, wherein said second communication path comprises one or more point-to-point connections between said source node, any intervening nodes, and said destination node. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification