Isolation of unverified devices in a SAS expander
First Claim
1. A Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander for validating an attached device before enabling the attached device to be visible to a storage network, comprising:
- a processor programmed forisolating the device from the storage network,performing a validation procedure on the device,maintaining the device in an isolated state without generating a broadcast change notification (BCN) if the device is determined to be functioning improperly, andexposing the device to the storage network if the device is determined to be functioning properly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
When a new device is attached to a SAS expander, malfunctioning devices can cause many BCNs to be generated, which in turn can cause excessive re-discovery processes to be performed by initiators in a storage network. Therefore, the isolation of devices from the storage network until they can be validated as healthy is disclosed. Any device malfunctions during this time of isolation do not cause BCNs to be generated and do not cause re-discovery processes to be performed. Once the device is validated (via a port-test-before-insertion approach) and found to be healthy, the fabric is notified via a BCN, and the device can be made visible to the network.
23 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander for validating an attached device before enabling the attached device to be visible to a storage network, comprising:
a processor programmed for isolating the device from the storage network, performing a validation procedure on the device, maintaining the device in an isolated state without generating a broadcast change notification (BCN) if the device is determined to be functioning improperly, and exposing the device to the storage network if the device is determined to be functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander for validating an attached device before enabling the attached device to be visible to a storage network, comprising:
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means for isolating the device from the storage network; means for performing a validation procedure on the device; means for maintaining the device in an isolated state without generating a broadcast change notification (BCN) if the device is determined to be functioning improperly; and means for exposing the device to the storage network if the device is determined to be functioning properly.
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15. A method for validating a device attached to a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander before enabling the device to be visible to a storage network, comprising:
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isolating the device from the storage network, performing a validation procedure on the device, maintaining the device in an isolated state without generating a broadcast change notification (BCN) if the device is determined to be functioning improperly, and exposing the device to the storage network if the device is determined to be functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer-readable medium comprising program code for isolating devices connected into a storage network until they can be validated, the program code for causing performance of a method comprising:
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isolating the device from the storage network, performing a validation procedure on the device, maintaining the device in an isolated state without generating a broadcast change notification (BCN) if the device is determined to be functioning improperly, and exposing the device to the storage network if the device is determined to be functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification