Storage access prioritization using a data storage device

• US 20050257013A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ma, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/151
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0655 Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Herein described is a method and system of prioritizing access to data stored in one or more data processing devices communicatively coupled to the data storage device. The method may be based on the type of data file accessed. Prioritization may be based on data pool or share names. Further, one or more data ports of the data storage device may be used to prioritize access to one or more data files stored in the data storage device. The system may comprise a storage device, one or more data processing devices requesting data file access from the data storage device, a software resident in a memory of the data storage device, a processor executing the software, and a display.

Claims

4. A method of accessing one or more data files stored in a data storage device, said accessing performed using one or more data processing devices, said method comprising prioritizing said access to said one or more data files by way of using one or more file types.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a user inputs said one or more file types by way of a user interface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said one or more file types are categorized into one or more priority levels.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said one or more file types is categorized into one or more priority levels during manufacture of said data storage device.

8. A method of accessing one or more data files that are stored in a data storage device, said accessing performed by one or more data processing devices, said method comprising using one or more metadata associated with said one or more data files.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said one or more metadata is used as one or more identifiers to prioritize said accessing of said one or more data files, said metadata incorporated into one or more data packets of said one or more data files.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said metadata is interpreted and/or processed to generate one or more priority levels, wherein said one or more priority levels is represented using one or more bits of each data packet of one or more data packets of said one or more data files.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said one or more bits comprises three bits used to identify eight priority levels.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said one or more priority levels is implemented using the IEEE 802.1p protocol.

13. A method of allocating bandwidth to one or more data processing devices wherein said one or more data processing devices seek access to data stored in a data storage device, said method comprising using one or more data ports of said data storage device to prioritize said access.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a user interface is used by a user to input one or more priority levels of said one or more data ports.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said one or more data ports is categorized into one or more priority levels during manufacture of said data storage device.

16. A method of allocating bandwidth to one or more data processing devices wherein said one or more data processing devices seek access to data stored in a data storage device, said method comprising using one or more data pools and/or share names to prioritize said access.

17. A method of allocating bandwidth to one or more data processing devices wherein said one or more data processing devices seek access to data stored in a data storage device, said method comprising using one or more session requests generated by said one or more data processing devices.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein one or more session request times of said one or more session requests are used to prioritize said access.

19. A system of prioritizing access to one or more data files stored in a data storage device, said system comprising:

a storage device containing said one or more data files, said data storage device comprising one or more data storage drives;

one or more data processing devices requesting access to said data files stored in said data storage device;

a software resident in a memory of said data storage device; and

a processor executing said software.

1. A method of allocating bandwidth to one or more data processing devices wherein said data processing devices seek access to data stored in a data storage device, said method comprising using an admission control mechanism provided by said data storage device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said admission control mechanism is based on the RSVP protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said data storage device comprises one or more data storage drives.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said executing said software implements bandwidth provisioning and headroom management.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said bandwidth provisioning and headroom management uses an admission control mechanism.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said bandwidth provisioning and headroom management uses metadata.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein said storage device comprises one or more ports, said one or more ports used for said prioritizing access to said one or more data files stored in said data storage device.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein said access to said one or more data files is based on file type of said one or more data files.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein said access to said one or more data files is based on data pool and/or share name associated with said one or more data files.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein said access to said one or more data files is based on session request times generated by said one or more data processing devices.

22-1. The system of claim 19 further comprising a display on one of said one or more data processing devices, and wherein said executing said software generates one or more user interfaces, capable of being viewed using said display, for configuring said access to said data storage device by said one or more data processing devices.