Enhanced network direct attached storage controller

• US 20070008988A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SynKloud Technologies, LLC (SY Ventures)
• Original Assignee: Zhe Khi Pak
• Inventors: Kim, Han-gyoo, Lim, Han, Hwang, Shin
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a storage medium accessible across a network to a host. The storage medium'"'"'s operation is generally controlled by a network disk controller. The network disk controller may receive a packet from a remote host, decapsulate the packet, and act on the packet to either transmit data from a storage medium or write data to a storage medium. Generally, the network disk controller does not execute any file system. Rather, the file system for communication between the host and controller is executed by the host. The performance of the network disk controller generally matches that of a local (i.e., non-network) disk controller in terms of data access and writing.

Claims

1. A network-accessible storage medium system, comprising:

a network storage medium controller; and

a storage medium operatively connected to the network storage medium controller by a SATA connection;

wherein

neither the network storage medium controller nor the storage medium executes a network file system.

2. The network-accessible storage medium system of claim 1, wherein the network storage medium controller comprises:

a protocol engine;

a command processing engine operatively connected to the protocol engine; and

an arbitrator operatively connected to the command processing engine and controlling access to the storage medium.

3. A method for accessing a storage medium across a network, comprising:

receiving a first packet from a network at a first controller module;

decapsulating the first packet into a header and a payload;

determining, from the header, a protocol associated with the payload;

determining whether the payload is associated with a non-network storage medium access command;

in the event the payload is associated with a local storage medium access command, executing the non-network storage medium access command; and

assigning a communication link between an arbitrator and the storage medium to the first controller module.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a second packet from a second host;

determining whether the communication link between the first controller module and the storage medium is assigned; and

in the event the communication link is assigned, preventing the second packet from reaching the storage medium.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second packet is discarded in the event the communication link is assigned.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the second packet is stored in a memory in the event the communication link is assigned; and

the second packet is passed to the storage medium when the communication link is no longer assigned.

7. An apparatus for controlling access to a storage medium, comprising:

a first control module operative to connect to a first host;

a second control module operative to connect to a second host;

a third control module operative to connect to the storage medium;

an arbitrator module operative to receive data from the first and second control modules;

a signal line operative to indicate if a one of the first and second hosts is in communication with the storage medium;

wherein

in the event the one of the first and second hosts is in communication with the storage medium, the arbitrator module is operative to assign the third control module'"'"'s operation to the one of the first and second hosts in communication with the storage medium.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the arbitrator module is further operational to block all data from a second one of the first and second hosts not in communication with the storage medium.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the arbitrator is further operative to release the third control module'"'"'s operation from the one of the first and second hosts when the communication terminates.