Offloading disk-related tasks from RAID adapter to distributed service processors in switched drive connection network enclosure
First Claim
1. A method for executing instructions in a RAID storage system having a RAID adapter, at least one array enclosure and a connecting fabric, each enclosure including a pair of redundant of disk array switches, each switch coupled to an array of storage drives, and a disk array processor coupled to both switches, the method comprising:
- initiating a specified operation in the RAID adapter;
dispatching a command from the RAID adapter to a disk array processor for the disk array processor to perform the operation on one or more selected storage drives in the at least one enclosure;
performing the operation on the one or more selected storage drives;
transmitting results of the operation to the RAID adapter; and
receiving the results in the RAID adapter from the disk array processor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A storage system includes a RAID adapter, disk array switches, sub-processors, and hard disk drives (HDDs). A disk-related operation is initiated in the RAID adapter. The RAID adapter dispatches a command to a disk array processor (or sub-processor) in an enclosure for the processor to perform the operation on one or more drives. The adapter may dispatch the command to a processor in a single enclosure through a disk array switch or to processors in multiple enclosures through switches in the upstream enclosures. The adapter is then free to perform other functions. The processor commences the specified operation on one or more selected drives, either sequentially one at a time or sequentially more than one (or all) at a time. Upon completion of the operation, the results are transmitted by the processor and received by the adapter. Thus, by offloading the task to the distributed sub-processors, the burden on the RAID adapter is significantly reduced, system bandwidth usage is reduced, and access to other drives within the enclosure (as well as within other enclosures) may be maintained. Tasks which may be offloaded in such a manner include, but are not limited to, drive firmware updating, drive scrubbing and secure data erasure.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A method for executing instructions in a RAID storage system having a RAID adapter, at least one array enclosure and a connecting fabric, each enclosure including a pair of redundant of disk array switches, each switch coupled to an array of storage drives, and a disk array processor coupled to both switches, the method comprising:
-
initiating a specified operation in the RAID adapter;
dispatching a command from the RAID adapter to a disk array processor for the disk array processor to perform the operation on one or more selected storage drives in the at least one enclosure;
performing the operation on the one or more selected storage drives;
transmitting results of the operation to the RAID adapter; and
receiving the results in the RAID adapter from the disk array processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An intelligent storage enclosure adapted for communicating with a RAID adapter and containing an array of disk drives, a pair of redundant disk array switches, each switch coupled to each disk drive, and an enclosure processor, the enclosure processor configured to execute instructions offloaded by the RAID adapter, the instructions comprising:
-
initiating a specified operation in the RAID adapter;
dispatching a command from the RAID adapter to a disk array processor for the disk array processor to perform the operation on one or more selected storage drives in the enclosure;
performing the operation on the one or more selected storage drives;
transmitting results of the operation to the RAID adapter; and
receiving the results in the RAID adapter from the disk array processor. - View Dependent Claims (8)
-
-
9. A disk array storage system, comprising
a RAID adapter; -
at least one array enclosure, each comprising;
a pair of redundant array switches;
an array of storage drives, each storage drive coupled to both switches; and
an array processor coupled to both switches;
a connecting fabric;
means for initiating a specified operation in the RAID adapter;
the RAID adapter comprising means for dispatching a command to the disk array processor in at least one of the array enclosures for the disk array processor to perform the operation on one or more selected storage drives in the enclosure;
the array processor comprising;
means for performing the operation on the one or more selected storage drives; and
means for transmitting results of the operation to the RAID adapter; and
the RAID adapter further comprising means for receiving the results in the RAID adapter from the disk array processor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An intelligent storage enclosure adapted for communicating with a host adapter, comprising
a pair of redundant array switches, each switch coupled to a RAID adapter; -
an array of storage drives, each storage drive coupled to both switches through respective ports;
an array processor coupled to both switches, the array processor configured to;
a) receive a command from the RAID adapter to perform a specified operation on one or more selected storage drives in the array;
b) direct one of the switches in the enclosure to enable one of the selected storage drives;
c) perform the operation on the one or more selected storage drives;
d) repeating steps a) through c) for each other selected storage drive; and
e) transmit results of the operation to the RAID adapter. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A computer program product of a computer readable medium usable with a programmable computer, the computer program product having computer-readable code embodied therein for executing instructions in a RAID storage system having a RAID adapter, at least one array enclosure and a connecting fabric, each enclosure including a pair of redundant of disk array switches, each switch coupled to an array of storage drives, and a disk array processor coupled to both switches, the computer-readable code comprising instructions for:
-
initiating a specified operation in the RAID adapter;
dispatching a command from the RAID adapter to a disk array processor for the disk array processor to perform the operation on one or more selected storage drives in the at least one enclosure;
performing the operation on the one or more selected storage drives;
transmitting results of the operation to the RAID adapter; and
receiving the results in the RAID adapter from the disk array processor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for deploying computing infrastructure, comprising integrating computer readable code into a RAID storage system having a RAID adapter, at least one array enclosure and a connecting fabric, each enclosure including a pair of redundant of disk array switches, each switch coupled to an array of storage drives, and a disk array processor coupled to both switches, wherein the code, in combination with the computing system, is capable of performing the following:
-
initiating a specified operation in the RAID adapter;
dispatching a command from the RAID adapter to a disk array processor for the disk array processor to perform the operation on one or more selected storage drives in the at least one enclosure;
performing the operation on the one or more selected storage drives;
transmitting results of the operation to the RAID adapter; and
receiving the results in the RAID adapter from the disk array processor. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification