Network Interface and Router with a Mass Storage Interface Device Emulating a Hard Disk Controller

• US 20090304011A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intesym Limited
• Original Assignee: Intesym Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Neale Bremner
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/40 Wormhole routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks

Abstract

A network interface device (15a) has a mass storage device interface (3a), which emulates a hard disk controller to transfer network traffic between a node (Ia) and the network. As a result, the node (Ia), typically a computer, is presented with a virtual hard disk (4a), which network traffic (e.g. data) can be written to and read from using standard hard disk protocols, e.g. SATA or PATA. In a computer cluster (13), several network interface devices (15a-15c) may be integrated in a router (8) having a switch (9). The router may connect to optional components such as hard disks (17a, 17b), a processor (18) and a Ethernet connection (19).

Claims

1. A network interface device for connecting a node to a network, the network interface device comprising a mass storage device interface, the network interface device being operable to transfer network traffic between the node and the network via the mass storage device interface.

2. The network interface device of claim 1 wherein the mass storage device interface is operable to transfer the network traffic with the node using a mass storage device protocol.

3. The network interface device of claim 1 wherein the mass storage device interface is operable to receive mass storage device commands from the node and the network interface device is operable to transfer the network traffic using the mass storage device commands.

4. The network interface device of claim 1 wherein the network interface device is further operable to emulate a mass storage device.

5. The network interface device of claim 4 wherein the emulation of the mass storage device comprises partial emulation of the mass storage device.

6. The network interface device of claim 4 wherein the network interface device is further operable to emulate a mass storage device that appears to be local to the node.

7. The network interface device of claim 1 wherein the network interface device is operable to emulate a hard disk controller.

8. The network interface device of claim 7 wherein the emulation of the hard disk controller comprises partial emulation of the hard disk controller.

9. The network interface device of claim 7 wherein the hard disk controller is selected from the group comprising Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), Serial ATA (SATA), Parallel ATA, external SATA, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), ATA Packet Interface, and Serial Attached SCSI.

10. The network interface device of claim 7 wherein the network interface device is operable to emulate the hard disk controller of a boot disk.

11. The network interface device of claim 2 wherein the mass storage device interface is operable to transfer the network traffic using a hard disk addressing scheme of the mass storage device protocol.

12. The network interface device of claim 1 wherein the mass storage device interface is operable to receive one or more logical block addresses from the node and the network interface device is operable to transfer the network traffic using the one or more logical block addresses.

13. The network interface device of claim 1 wherein the mass storage device interface is operable to transfer the network traffic using a dedicated command of the mass storage device protocol in which the payload of the dedicated command comprises an address.

14. The network interface device of any previous claim wherein the network interface device further comprises communication means operable to transfer the network traffic between the network interface device and the network.

15. The network interface device of claim 14 wherein the communication means is operable to transfer the network traffic between the network interface device and another network interface device.

16. The network interface device of claim 14 wherein the communication means is operable to transfer the network traffic between the network interface device and a switch.

17. A router for providing network connections between a plurality of nodes, the router comprising a plurality of network interface devices of according to claim 1.

18. The router of claim 17 further comprising a switch adapted to connect at least some of the plurality of network interface devices.

19. The router of claim 17 further comprising a storage interface adapted to connect to a storage device.

20. The router of claim 17 further comprising a processor interface adapted to connect to a processing means.

21. The router of claim 17 further comprising an external network interface operable to connect the router to an external network.

22. The router of claim 17 further comprising an external router interface operable to connect the router to one or more external routers.

24. The router of claim 19 wherein the switch comprises the storage interface.

25. The router of claim 20 wherein the switch comprises the processor interface.

26. The router of claim 21 wherein the switch comprises the external network interface.

27. The router of claim 18 wherein the switch is adapted to route network traffic using packet switching.

28. The router of claim 18 wherein the switch is adapted to route network traffic using circuit switching.

29. The router of claim 18 wherein the switch is adapted to route network traffic using wormhole routing.

30. A computer cluster comprising a plurality of nodes connected to a router of claim 17 to route network traffic between one or more of the plurality of nodes.

31. The computer cluster of claim 30 further comprising at least one storage device operably connected to the router.

32. The computer cluster of claim 30 further comprising at least one processing means operably connected to the router.

33. The computer cluster of claim 32 wherein the processing means comprises a function accelerator.

34. The computer cluster of claim 32 wherein the processing means is adapted to encrypt network traffic.

35. The computer cluster of claim 32 wherein the processing means is adapted to correlate network traffic.

36. The computer cluster of claim 32 wherein the processing means is adapted to filter network traffic.

37. The computer cluster of claim 30 further comprising at least one external network interface device operably connected to the router and adapted to provide a connection to an external network.

38. The computer cluster of claim 37 wherein at least one of the external network interface devices is adapted to provide a connection to the Internet.

39. The computer cluster of claim 37 wherein at least one of the external network interface devices is adapted to provide a connection to a local area network.

23. (canceled)

40. A method of transferring network traffic between a node and a network, the method comprising the step of transferring the network traffic between the node and the network using a mass storage device protocol.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic between the node and the network uses a mass storage device protocol.

42. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of receiving mass storage device commands from the node and transferring the network traffic using the mass storage device commands.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of receiving mass storage device commands comprises receiving modified mass storage device commands.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic using the mass storage device commands comprises using modified mass storage device commands.

45. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic comprises the step of emulating a mass storage device.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the step of emulating the mass storage device comprises partial emulation of the mass storage device.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic comprises the step of emulating a mass storage device such that the mass storage device appears to be local to the node.

48. The method of claim 45 wherein the step of emulating a mass storage device comprises the step of emulating a hard disk controller.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the step of emulating the hard disk controller comprises partial emulation of the hard disk controller.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein the step of emulating a hard disk controller comprises the step of emulating a hard disk controller selected from the group comprising Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), Serial ATA (SATA), Parallel ATA, external SATA, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), ATA Packet Interface, and Serial Attached SCSI.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein the step of emulating a hard disk controller comprises the step of emulating the hard disk controller of a boot disk.

52. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of receiving one or more logical block addresses from the node and transferring the network traffic using the one or more logical block addresses.

53. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic comprises the step of transferring network traffic with a switch.

54. A method of routing network traffic between a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the step of transferring the network traffic between the plurality of nodes using a mass storage device protocol.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic further comprises the step of emulating a plurality of mass storage devices.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the step of emulating the plurality of mass storage devices comprises partial emulation of the plurality of mass storage devices.

57. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic further comprises the step of switching the network traffic.

58. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic further comprises the step of routing the network traffic to a storage device.

59. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic further comprises the step of routing the network traffic to a processing means.

60. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic further comprises the step of routing the network traffic to an external network.

61. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of transferring the network traffic further comprises the step of routing the network traffic to another plurality of nodes.

62. The method of claim 57 wherein the step of switching comprises the step of packet switching.

63. The method of claim 57 wherein the step of switching comprises the step of circuit switching.

64. The method of claim 57 wherein the step of switching comprises the step of wormhole routing.