Application server blade for embedded storage appliance

• US 20050010709A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dot Hill Systems Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Dot Hill Systems Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Davies, Ian Robert, Pecone, Victor Key, Kalwitz, George Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,334,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2051 in regular structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device

Abstract

An application server blade for an embedded storage appliance is disclosed. The blade includes a printed circuit board (PCB) with a connector for connecting to a chassis backplane including a local bus. Affixed on the PCB is a server, a portion of a storage controller, and an I/O link coupling the server and storage controller portion. The server transmits packets on the I/O link to the storage controller portion. The packets include commands to transfer data to a storage device controlled by the storage controller. The storage controller portion receives the packets from the server on the I/O link and forwards the commands on the backplane local bus to another portion of the storage controller affixed on a separate PCB also enclosed in the chassis. The blade also includes a removal mechanism for hot-replacement of the blade in the chassis. The blade architecture facilitates software reuse.

Claims

1. A server blade, comprising:

a computer, having an input/output (I/O) port; and

an I/O interface controller, comprising;

an I/O port coupled to said computer I/O port, for transferring data therewith; and

a local bus interface, for interfacing to a local bus;

wherein the server blade comprises a field replaceable unit (FRU) including said computer and said I/O interface controller, configured to plug into a backplane comprising said local bus, thereby enabling data transfers with other intelligent FRUs coupled to said backplane.

2. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said I/O interface controller comprises a portion of a storage controller whose remaining portions are comprised in said other intelligent FRUs coupled to said backplane.

3. The server blade of claim 2, wherein said storage controller comprises a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) controller.

4. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said I/O ports are capable of transferring at least approximately 40 Megabytes (MB) of data per second.

5. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said I/O ports comprise FibreChannel ports.

6. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said I/O ports comprise Ethernet ports.

7. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said I/O ports comprise Infiniband ports.

8. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said I/O ports comprise SCSI ports.

9. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said local bus comprises a PCI-X bus.

10. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said local bus comprises a PCI bus.

11. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said local bus comprises a PCI-Express bus.

12. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said local bus comprises a VME bus.

13. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said local bus comprises a HyperTransport bus.

14. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said local bus comprises a RapidIo bus.

15. The server blade of claim 1, further comprising:

a second I/O interface controller, comprising;

an I/O port coupled to said computer I/O port, for communication therewith; and

a local bus interface, for interfacing to a second local bus comprised in said backplane;

whereby said first and second I/O interface controllers enable data transfers with redundant intelligent FRUs coupled to said backplane via said first and second local buses.

16. The server blade of claim 15, wherein said second I/O interface controller I/O port is coupled to a second I/O port of said computer.

17. The server blade of claim 1, further comprising:

a port combiner, coupled to said computer I/O port and said I/O interface controller I/O port, for enabling high speed data transfers therebetween;

a second interface controller, comprising;

an I/O port coupled to said port combiner, for communication with said computer I/O port; and

a local bus interface, for interfacing to a second local bus comprised in said backplane;

whereby said first and second I/O interface controllers enable data transfers with redundant intelligent FRUs coupled to said backplane via said first and second local buses.

18. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises:

a network interface, for interfacing the server blade with host computers via a network.

19. The server blade of claim 1, further comprising:

an I/O link, for coupling said I/O port of said I/O interface controller to said I/O port of said computer, wherein said I/O link is etched in a printed circuit board comprising the server blade FRU.

20. The server blade of claim 1, wherein the server blade is hot-pluggable into said backplane.

21. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises:

a non-volatile memory, for storing an operating system.

22. The server blade of claim 21, wherein said non-volatile memory comprises a solid state memory.

23. The server blade of claim 22, wherein said solid state memory comprises a disk-on-chip memory.

24. The server blade of claim 21, wherein said non-volatile memory comprises a microdrive.

25. The server blade of claim 21, wherein said operating system comprises a Linux operating system.

26. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises:

a non-volatile memory, for storing storage application software.

27. The server blade of claim 26, wherein said storage application software comprises a data backup application.

28. The server blade of claim 26, wherein said storage application software comprises a remote mirroring application.

29. The server blade of claim 26, wherein said storage application software comprises a data snapshot application.

30. The server blade of claim 26, wherein said storage application software comprises a storage virtualization application.

31. The server blade of claim 26, wherein said storage application software comprises a file server application.

32. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises a diskless PC.

33. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises a central processing unit and a plurality of peripherals, wherein said plurality of peripherals substantially conform to the peripherals of a personal computer.

34. The server blade of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises a central processing unit and a plurality of peripherals, wherein said plurality of peripherals are mapped into an address space of said central processing unit substantially conforming to the peripheral mappings of a personal computer.

35. The server blade of claim 1, further comprising:

a port combiner, for coupling said computer I/O port and said I/O controller I/O port.

36. The server blade of claim 35, wherein said port combiner comprises a FibreChannel hub.

38. The server blade of claim 36, wherein said I/O link comprises a serial link.

39. The server blade of claim 38, wherein said serial I/O link comprises a FibreChannel link.

40. The server blade of claim 38, wherein said serial I/O link comprises an Infiniband link.

41. The server blade of claim 38, wherein said serial I/O link comprises an Ethernet link.

37. A server blade, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB), including a connector for connecting the blade to a backplane comprising a local bus, and a removal mechanism for use by a person to disconnect said connector from said backplane for removal of the blade from a chassis while said chassis is powered up;

an I/O link, affixed on said PCB;

a server, affixed on said PCB, configured to transmit packets on said I/O link to a storage controller enclosed in said chassis, said packets including commands to transfer data to at least one storage device controlled by said storage controller; and

a portion of the storage controller, affixed on said PCB, configured to receive said packets from said server on said I/O link, and to forward said commands on said backplane local bus to another portion of said storage controller affixed on a separate PCB enclosed in said chassis.

42. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said I/O link is etched in said PCB.

43. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said removal mechanism is also configured for use by a person to connect said connector to said backplane during insertion of the blade into said chassis while said chassis is powered up.

44. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said portion of said storage controller comprises an interface controller for receiving said packets on said I/O link.

45. The server blade of claim 44, wherein said interface controller is further configured to forward said commands on said local bus to the remaining portion of the storage controller.

46. The server blade of claim 44, wherein said interface controller comprises a QLogic FibreChannel-to-PCIX interface controller.

47. The server blade of claim 44, wherein said interface controller comprises a JNIC FibreChannel-to-PCIX interface controller.

48. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said local bus comprises a PCIX bus.

49. The server blade of claim 37, further comprising:

a faceplate, coupled to said PCB, comprising at least one connector for coupling said server to a network.

50. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said commands comprise SCSI commands.

51. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said packets comprise FibreChannel packets.

52. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said packets comprise internet protocol (IP) packets.

53. The server blade of claim 37, wherein said connector is further configured to connect the blade to a second local bus on said backplane.

54. The server blade of claim 53, further comprising:

a second I/O link, affixed on said PCB.

55. The server blade of claim 54, wherein said server is further configured to transmit second packets on said second I/O link to a second storage controller enclosed in said chassis, said second packets including second commands to transfer data to at least one second storage device controlled by said second storage controller.

56. The server blade of claim 55, further comprising:

a portion of said second storage controller, affixed on said PCB, configured to receive said second packets from said server on said second I/O link, and to forward said second commands on said second backplane local bus to another portion of said second storage controller affixed on a separate PCB enclosed in said chassis.

57. A method for transferring data within a network storage appliance, comprising:

transmitting a packet on an I/O link from a server to a first portion of a storage controller, wherein said transmitting the packet is performed within a single blade module in a chassis enclosing the storage appliance; and

forwarding a data transfer command within the packet from the first portion of the storage controller to a second portion of the storage controller, wherein the forwarding is performed via a local bus on a backplane of the chassis through a connector of the blade connecting the blade to the backplane.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said transmitting the packet on the I/O link comprises transmitting a FibreChannel packet on a FibreChannel link.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein said transmitting the packet on the I/O link comprises transmitting an IP packet on an Ethernet link.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein said transmitting the packet on the I/O link comprises transmitting an Infiniband packet on an Infiniband link.

61. The method of claim 57, wherein said forwarding the packet via the local bus comprises forwarding the packet on a PCIX local bus.

62. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

receiving, by the first portion of the storage controller, the data requested by the data transfer command from the second portion of the storage controller via the local bus on the backplane; and

transmitting the data on the I/O link from the first portion of the storage controller to the server, wherein said transmitting the data is performed within the single blade module.

63. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

transmitting a second packet on a second I/O link from the server to a first portion of a second storage controller, wherein said transmitting the second packet is performed within the single blade module; and

forwarding a second data transfer command within the second packet from the first portion of the second storage controller to a second portion of the second storage controller, wherein said forwarding the second data transfer command is performed via a second local bus on the backplane of the chassis through the connector of the blade connecting the blade to the backplane.