APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR ISOLATING A STORAGE APPLICATION FROM A NETWORK INTERFACE DRIVER

• US 20080244621A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jialin Ju, John Earle Lindley, Kiron Haltore, Tu-An Cheng, William James Scales
• Original Assignee: Jialin Ju, John Earle Lindley, Kiron Haltore, Tu-An Cheng, William James Scales
• Inventors: Scales, William James, Haltore, Kiron, Ju, Jialin, Lindley, John Earle, Cheng, Tu-An
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/326
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system

Abstract

An apparatus and system are provided for isolating a storage application from a network interface driver. The apparatus includes a definition module, an application interface, a translation module, and a data buffer. The definition module defines a set of storage application functions. The translation module translates each storage application function to one or more network interface driver functions. The data buffer transfers data blocks between the storage application and the network interface driver.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing an independent interface to update a function of a storage application independent from the storage application, and to update a function of a network interface driver independent from the network interface driver, the apparatus comprising:

an isolation module stored on a storage device, the isolation module to isolate the storage application from the network interface driver, wherein the isolation module comprises;

a definition module configured to define a set of storage application functions and a set of network interface driver functions;

an application interface configured to utilize the storage application functions to exchange messages with the storage application;

a translation module configured to translate each of the storage application functions to one or more network interface driver functions and each of the network interface driver functions to one or more storage application functions; and

a data buffer module configured to transfer data blocks between the storage application and the network interface driver through a data buffer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a driver interface configured to utilize the network interface driver functions to exchange messages with the network interface driver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network interface driver comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) interface driver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the driver interface exchanges messages with a plurality of network interface drivers.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the isolation module comprises a software isolation layer to allow continued functionality between the storage application and a plurality of existing network interface drivers after an addition of another network interface driver and before an update to the storage application.

5. A system for providing an independent interface to update a function of a storage application independent from the storage application, and to update a function of a network interface driver independent from the network interface driver, the system comprising:

a processor module configured to execute machine code;

an Input/Output (I/O) module configured to couple the system to a network;

a memory module configured to store and retrieve data comprising;

an isolation module to isolate the storage application from the network interface driver, the isolation module including,

a definition module configured to define the set of storage application functions and a set of network interface driver functions;

an application interface configured to utilize the storage application functions to exchange messages with the storage application;

a translation module configured to translate each of the storage application functions to one or more network interface driver functions and each of the network interface driver functions to one or more storage application functions;

a data buffer configured to transfer data blocks between the storage application and the network interface driver; and

a bus configured to enable communication between the memory module, processor module, and I/O module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the isolation module further comprises a driver interface configured to utilize the network interface driver functions to exchange messages with the network interface driver.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the network interface driver comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) interface driver.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the driver interface exchanges messages with a plurality of network interface drivers.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the storage application may be replaced without impacting the network interface driver.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the network interface driver may be replaced without impacting the storage application.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the messages comprise SCSI commands.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the data blocks comprise SCSI data blocks.

24. The system of claim 5, wherein the isolation module further comprises a software isolation layer to allow continued functionality between the storage application and a plurality of existing network interface drivers after an addition of another network interface driver and before an update to the storage application.

13. A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of computer-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to provide an independent interface to update a function of a storage application independent from the storage application, and to update a function of a network interface driver independent from the network interface driver, the operations comprising:

isolating the storage application from the network interface driver;

defining the set of storage application functions and a set of network interface driver functions;

utilizing the storage application functions to exchange messages between the storage application and an isolation layer;

utilizing the network interface driver functions to exchange messages between the network interface driver and the isolation layer;

translating each of the storage application functions to one or more network interface driver functions;

transferring data blocks between the software application and the network interface driver through a data buffer; and

translating each of the network interface driver functions to one or more storage application functions.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the network interface driver comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) interface driver.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the storage application exchanges messages with a plurality of network interface drivers through the isolation layer.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the storage application may be replaced without impacting the network interface driver.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the network interface driver may be replaced without impacting the storage application.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the messages comprise SCSI commands.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the data blocks comprise SCSI data blocks.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise allowing continued functionality between the storage application and a plurality of existing network interface drivers after an addition of another network interface driver and before an update to the storage application.

20. An apparatus for providing an independent interface to update a function of a storage application independent from the storage application, and to update a function of a network interface driver independent from the network interface driver, the apparatus comprising:

a means for isolating the storage application from the network interface driver;

a means for defining the set of storage application functions;

a means for defining a set of network interface driver functions;

a means for utilizing the storage application functions to exchange messages between the storage application and an isolation layer;

a means for utilizing the network interface driver functions to exchange messages between the network interface driver and the isolation layer;

a means for translating each of the storage application functions to one or more network interface driver functions;

a means for transferring data blocks between the software application and the network interface driver through a data buffer; and

a means for translating each of the network interface driver functions to one or more storage application functions.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the network interface driver comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) interface driver.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the storage application exchanges messages with a plurality of network interface drivers through the isolation layer.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the apparatus further comprises means for allowing continued functionality between the storage application and a plurality of existing network interface drivers after an addition of another network interface driver and before an update to the storage application.