Single command payload transfers block of security functions to a storage device

• US 20060288237A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Thibadeau, Robert H., Schwartzkopf, Thomas John, Goodwill, William Preston, Nestor, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,747,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/805 using a security table for the storage sub-system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0611 in relation to response time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device

Abstract

A storage device has a storage medium and a processor. The processor is disposed within the storage device and is adapted to receive multiple commands as a command block over an interface. The processor is adapted to extract each of the multiple commands from the single block for execution on the storage device.

Claims

1. A storage device comprising:

a storage medium;

a processor within the storage device adapted to receive multiple commands as a command block over an interface, the processor adapted to extract each of the multiple commands from the command block for execution on the storage device.

2. The storage device of claim 1 wherein the storage medium comprises one or more security partitions and wherein at least one of the multiple commands extracted from the command block for execution on a security session is associated with one of the one or more security partitions.

3. The storage device of claim 2 further comprising:

a session manager within the storage device adapted to host a plurality of security sessions with the one or more security partitions

4. The storage device of claim 3 wherein the session manager is adapted to associate each of the multiple commands with selected sessions of the plurality of security sessions.

5. The storage device of claim 3 wherein the session manager is adapted to route information associated with the at least one of the multiple commands to the associated security session.

6. The storage device of claim 3 wherein the session manager is adapted to control an order of execution of the multiple commands.

7. The storage device of claim 2 wherein a security session comprises:

a secured transaction between the storage medium of the storage device and a device external to the storage device.

8. The storage device of claim 1 wherein the storage medium comprises:

multiple storage cards having one or more security partitions on at least one of the multiple storage cards.

9. A method for processing commands on a storage device, the method comprising:

receiving on the storage device a command block comprising a plurality of commands from an external device over an interface; and

extracting each of the plurality of commands from the command block using a command processor of the storage device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

relating each of plurality of commands to a particular transaction using a session manager.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of relating comprises:

identifying an open security session based on information contained an extracted command of the plurality of commands; and

queuing the extracted command to the open security session, if the open security session is identified.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein if the open security session cannot be identified, the method further comprising:

opening a new security session; and

queuing the extracted command to the new security session.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein before the step of extracting, the method comprises:

invoking the command processor with a function call.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the storage device comprises a disc drive.

15. A storage device comprising:

a storage medium having one or more security partitions;

a processor within the storage device adapted to extract single commands from a command block comprising a plurality of commands, the processor adapted to process each single command on security sessions associated with the one or more security partitions.

16. The storage device of claim 15 further comprising:

a session manager adapted to open and manage the security sessions on the one or more security partitions and to direct each of the single commands to an associated security session.

17. The storage device of claim 16 wherein the session manager is adapted to implement a fairness algorithm for balancing processing time among a plurality of security sessions so that each of the single commands is assured adequate processor time.

18. The storage device of claim 15 wherein the command block comprises:

a header having information about the command block; and

a payload comprising the plurality of commands.

19. The storage device of claim 15 further comprising:

a set of commands to which the storage device responds, the set of commands stored in a security partition of the storage medium and accessible to a session manager for execution of commands extracted from the command block.

20. The storage device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the single commands comprises a remote procedure call.