PROTOCOL TRANSLATION IN A DATA STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20100281201A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: DeTar, George F. JR., O'Brien, John Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/308
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence

Abstract

A data storage system includes an input/output server and a storage unit. The input/output server includes a processor, memory, and a host channel adapter. The storage unit includes a processor, memory, and a storage module. The storage module includes a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit further includes a host channel adaptor. The storage unit host channel adapter is connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit host channel adapter is capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server. Protocol translation logic is configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the storage unit host channel adapter and the input/output server host channel adapter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a data storage system, the apparatus comprising:

a storage unit including a processor, memory, and a storage module;

the storage module including a storage controller, an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface, and protocol translation logic between the storage controller and the interface block;

the storage unit further including a host channel adaptor for connecting the storage unit to an input/output server, the host channel adapter being connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface, the host channel adapter being capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server; and

wherein the protocol translation logic is configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the host channel adapter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage controller comprises a non-volatile memory host controller interface (NVMHCI) controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface block connects the storage module to a corresponding PCI-Express interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the host channel adapter is connected to a corresponding PCI-Express interface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the host channel adapter is an InfiniBand host channel adaptor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the protocol translation logic comprises a circuit connecting the storage controller to the interface block.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage unit processor is programmed to establish a network connection between the host channel adapter of the storage unit and a host channel adapter of the input/output server, and to handle error conditions arising during communications over the network connection involving the protocol translation logic.

8. A data storage system comprising:

an input/output server including a processor, memory, and a host channel adapter;

a storage unit including a processor, memory, and a storage module;

the storage module including a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface;

the storage unit further including a host channel adaptor for connecting the storage unit to the input/output server, the storage unit host channel adapter being connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface, the storage unit host channel adapter being capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server; and

protocol translation logic configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the storage unit host channel adapter and the input/output server host channel adapter.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the storage controller comprises a non-volatile memory host controller interface (NVMHCI) controller.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the interface block connects the storage module to a corresponding PCI-Express interface.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the host channel adapter of the storage unit is connected to a corresponding PCI-Express interface.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the host channel adapter of the storage unit is an InfiniBand host channel adaptor.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the protocol translation logic comprises a circuit connecting the storage controller to the interface block.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the protocol translation logic comprises a protocol translation device including an interface block for connecting to a corresponding memory-mapped interface.

15. A method of operating the system of claim 8, the method comprising:

establishing a network connection between the host channel adapter of the input/output server and the host channel adapter of the storage unit;

intercepting a memory access request from the storage controller, with the protocol translation logic; and

initiating, with the protocol translation logic, a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the host channel adapter of the storage unit and the host channel adapter of the input/output server.

16. A method of operating the system of claim 8, the method comprising:

establishing a network connection between the host channel adapter of the input/output server and the host channel adapter of the storage unit;

writing a command header and associated command table to the memory of the input/output server;

delivering the command header to the protocol translation logic, which stores the command header;

reading the command header, by the storage controller, from the protocol translation logic;

requesting, from the storage controller, to read, from the memory of the input/output server, a command at the beginning of the command table pointed to by the command header;

intercepting the read request from the storage controller, with the protocol translation logic; and

initiating, with the protocol translation logic, a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the host channel adapter of the storage unit and the host channel adapter of the input/output server.

17. A method of operating the system of claim 8, the method comprising:

establishing a network connection between the host channel adapter of the input/output server and the host channel adapter of the storage unit;

receiving, at the storage controller, a write command;

requesting, from the storage controller, to read, from the memory of the input/output server, the write data;

intercepting the read request from the storage controller, with the protocol translation logic; and

initiating, with the protocol translation logic, a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the host channel adapter of the storage unit and the host channel adapter of the input/output server.

18. A method of operating the system of claim 8, the method comprising:

establishing a network connection between the host channel adapter of the input/output server and the host channel adapter of the storage unit;

receiving, at the storage controller, a read command;

requesting, from the storage controller, to write, to the memory of the input/output server, the read data;

intercepting the write request from the storage controller, with the protocol translation logic; and

initiating, with the protocol translation logic, a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the host channel adapter of the storage unit and the host channel adapter of the input/output server.

19. A method of operating the system of claim 8, the method comprising:

establishing a network connection between the host channel adapter of the input/output server and the host channel adapter of the storage unit;

receiving, at the storage controller, a command;

completing the command, at the storage controller;

asserting a storage controller interrupt line, at the storage controller; and

in response to the assertion of the storage controller interrupt line, delivering a message to the memory of the input/output server, with the protocol translation logic.

20. An apparatus for use in a data storage system, the apparatus comprising:

a storage unit including a processor, memory, and a storage module;

the storage module including a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface;

the storage unit further including a host channel adaptor for connecting the storage unit to an input/output server, the host channel adapter being connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface, the host channel adapter being capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server; and

a protocol translation device including an interface block for connecting to a corresponding memory-mapped interface, and configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the host channel adapter.