Data storage devices having ip capable partitions
First Claim
1. A storage device having a first type of media logically split into a first partition directly addressed by a first IP address and a second partition directly addressed by a second IP address that is distinct from the first IP address, wherein:
- the storage device is adapted to receive and process datagrams comprising a command field, a logical block address field, a data block field, a token field, and no more than 30 additional bytes encapsulated within the data portion of an IP packet, and the data block field of such datagrams is sized to correspond to a set block size of the storage device;
the storage device is adapted to associate a first name provided to it by an external device with the first partition and to associate a second name provided to it by an external device with the second partition, wherein the names are partition identifiers that are not network addresses;
the device is adapted to obtain the first and second IP addresses from an address server upon initialization of the storage device, and is adapted to allow the obtained IP addresses to change whenever the storage device is initialized while maintaining the associations between provided names and partitions;
the storage device is adapted to obtain an IP address for a partition at least in part by providing the name associated with the partition to the address server; and
the storage device adapted to support multicast spanning and mirroring at least in part by being adapted to allow an external device to use a single multicast IP to access at least two partitions of the storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A storage device (300) has partitions (310A, 310B, 310C, 320A, 320B, 320C, 330) that are separately addressed by distinct IP addresses (IP1, IP2, IP3, IP4, IP5, IP7, IP9). This allows direct access of the partitions (310A, 310B, 310C, 320A, 320B, 320C, 330), on a peer-to-peer basis, by any other device that can communicate using IP. Preferred storage devices support spanning between or among partitions of the same device, as well as between or among different storage devices. Both multicast and proxy spanning are contemplated. Combinations of the inventive storage devices with each other, and with prior art storage devices are contemplated, in all manner of mirroring and other arrangements. In still other aspects of the invention, a given storage device can comprise one or more types of media, including any combination of rotating and non-rotating media, magnetic and optical, and so forth.
117 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A storage device having a first type of media logically split into a first partition directly addressed by a first IP address and a second partition directly addressed by a second IP address that is distinct from the first IP address, wherein:
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the storage device is adapted to receive and process datagrams comprising a command field, a logical block address field, a data block field, a token field, and no more than 30 additional bytes encapsulated within the data portion of an IP packet, and the data block field of such datagrams is sized to correspond to a set block size of the storage device;
the storage device is adapted to associate a first name provided to it by an external device with the first partition and to associate a second name provided to it by an external device with the second partition, wherein the names are partition identifiers that are not network addresses;
the device is adapted to obtain the first and second IP addresses from an address server upon initialization of the storage device, and is adapted to allow the obtained IP addresses to change whenever the storage device is initialized while maintaining the associations between provided names and partitions;
the storage device is adapted to obtain an IP address for a partition at least in part by providing the name associated with the partition to the address server; and
the storage device adapted to support multicast spanning and mirroring at least in part by being adapted to allow an external device to use a single multicast IP to access at least two partitions of the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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- 2. A storage device having a first type of media logically split into a first partition directly addressed by a first IP address and a second partition directly addressed by a second IP address that is distinct from the first IP address, wherein the storage device is adapted to utilize a datagram protocol in which data blocks are atomically mapped to a target device.
- 3. A storage device having a first type of media logically split into a first partition directly addressed by a first IP address and a second partition directly addressed by a second IP address that is distinct from the first IP address, wherein the storage device is adapted to associate a first name provided to it by an external device with the first partition and to associate a second name provided to it by an external device with the second partition, wherein the names are partition identifiers that are not IP addresses.
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4. A storage device adapted to support multicast spanning at least in part by being adapted to allow an external device to use a single multicast IP address to access at least two partitions of the storage device.
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5. A storage device adapted to support mirroring at least in part by being adapted to allow an external device to use a single multicast IP address to access at least two partitions of the storage device, and by being adapted to cause the contents of one of the at least two partitions to mirror the contents of another of the at least two partitions.
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6. A storage system adapted to support multicast spanning at least in part by being adapted to allow an external device to use a single multicast IP address to access at least two partitions located on separate storage devices.
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7. A storage system adapted to support mirroring at least in part by being adapted to allow an external device to use a single multicast IP address to access at least two partitions located on separate storage devices, and by being adapted to cause the contents of one of the at least two partitions to mirror the contents of another of the at least two partitions.
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8. A storage system comprising a set of spanned or mirrored partitions wherein at least two of the partitions are located on devices separated by a proxy server.
Specification