STORAGE VIRTUALIZATION COMPUTER SYSTEM AND EXTERNAL CONTROLLER THEREFOR

• US 20130013827A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infortrend Technology Incorporated (Infortrend Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Infortrend Technology Incorporated (Infortrend Corporation)
• Inventors: Liu, Ling-Yi, Lee, Tse-Han, Schnapp, Michael Gordon, Wang, Yun-Huei, Pao, Chung-Hua
• Granted Patent: US 10,452,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• 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 3/0611 in relation to response time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• 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: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A storage virtualization computer system. The storage virtualization computer system comprises a host entity for issuing an IO request, a storage virtualization controller coupled to the host entity for executing IO operations in response to the IO request, and a at least one physical storage device, each coupled to the storage virtualization controller through a point-to-point serial-signal interconnect, for providing storage to the storage virtualization computer system through the storage virtualization controller. As an example, the point-to-point serial-signal interconnect can be a Serial ATA IO device interconnect.

Claims

1. A storage virtualization computer system comprising:

a host entity for issuing IO requests;

an external storage virtualization controller (SVC) coupled to said host entity for executing IO operations in response to said IO requests; and

a group of physical storage devices (PSDs), each coupled to the storage virtualization controller through a point-to-point serial-signal interconnect, for providing storage to the storage virtualization computer system through the storage virtualization controller;

wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to define at least one logical media unit (LMU) consisting of sections of said group of PSDs;

wherein the IO requests are parsed to determine what operation is to be performed and on which section of the LMU the operation is to be performed.

2. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein when the operation comprises internally-emulated, asynchronous device sub-operations, then the SVC executes the associated sub-operations including transferring any associated data to/from the host entity and then, when there is a failed operation, the SVC responds to the host entity with a status report indicating the failed operation.

3. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 2, wherein the operation further comprises a synchronous device sub-operation.

4. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said point-to-point serial-signal interconnect is a Serial ATA IO device-side interconnect.

5. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs).

6. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises SATA PSDs.

7. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises PATA PSDs and a serial-to-parallel converter is provided between said device-side IO device interconnect controller and said PATA PSDs.

8. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, further comprising a detachable canister attached to said storage virtualization controller for containing one of said group of the PSDs therein.

9. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein one of said group of the PSDs is detached from said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

10. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein a new PSD is attached to said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

11. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to provide a mapping that allows at least one section of the at least one LMU to be accessible to the host entity.

12. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said storage virtualization controller comprises a plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports each for coupling to a host-side IO device interconnect, and said storage virtualization controller is configured to present redundantly the LMU on at least two of said plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports.

13. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said group of PSDs include a first set of PSDs and a second set of PSDs, said first set of PSD and said external storage virtualization controller are in the same enclosure, said first set of PSDs and said second set of PSDs are not received in a same enclosure, and said external storage virtualization controller further comprises at least one multiple-device device-side expansion port for coupling to said second set of said PSDs.

14. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 1, wherein said storage virtualization controller comprises:

a central processing circuitry for performing IO operations in response to said IO requests of said host entity;

at least one IO device interconnect controller coupled to said central processing circuitry;

at least one host-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to said host entity; and

at least one device-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to a said at least one physical storage device.

15. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in a same IO device interconnect controller.

16. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in different IO device interconnect controllers.

17. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting point-to-point connectivity in target mode.

18. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting private loop connectivity in target mode.

19. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting public loop connectivity in target mode.

20. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is parallel SCSI operating in target mode.

21. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is ethernet supporting the iSCSI protocol operating in target mode.

22. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) operating in target mode.

23. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial ATA operating in target mode.

24. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14, wherein said external SVC issues a device-side IO request to said IO device interconnect controller, and said IO device interconnect controller re-formats said device-side IO request and accompanying IO data into at least one data packet for transmission to said group of PSDs through said device-side IO device interconnect port.

25. The storage virtualization computer system of claim 14 further comprising an enclosure management services mechanism for managing and monitoring devices belonging to the storage virtualization computer system.

27. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 1, wherein when the operation comprises internally-emulated, asynchronous device sub-operations, then the SVC executes the associated sub-operations including transferring any associated data to/from the host entity and then, when there is a failed operation, the SVC responds to the host entity with a status report indicating the failed operation.

28. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 27, wherein the operation further comprises a synchronous device sub-operation.

26. A storage virtualization subsystem for providing storage to a host entity, comprising:

an external storage virtualization controller for connecting to the host entity and executing IO operations in response to IO requests issued from said host entity; and

a group of physical storage devices (PSDs), each coupled to the storage virtualization controller through a point-to-point serial-signal interconnect, for providing storage to the host entity through the storage virtualization controller;

wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to define at least one logical media unit (LMU) consisting of sections of said group of PSDs;

wherein the IO requests are parsed to determine what operation is to be performed and on which section of the LMU the operation is to be performed.

29. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said point-to-point serial-signal interconnect is a Serial ATA IO device-side interconnect.

30. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs).

31. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises SATA PSDs.

32. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises PATA PSDs and a serial-to-parallel converter is provided between said device-side IO device interconnect controller and said PATA PSDs.

33. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26 further comprising a detachable canister attached to said storage virtualization controller for containing one of said group of the PSDs therein.

34. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein one of said group of the PSDs is detached from said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

35. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein a new PSD is attached to said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

36. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to provide a mapping that allows at least one section of the at least one LMU to be accessible to the host entity.

37. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said storage virtualization controller comprises a plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports each for coupling to a host-side IO device interconnect, and said storage virtualization controller is configured to present redundantly the LMU on at least two of said plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports.

38. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said group of PSDs include a first set of PSDs and a second set of PSDs, said first set of PSD and said external storage virtualization controller are in the same enclosure, said first set of PSDs and said second set of PSDs are not received in a same enclosure, and said external storage virtualization controller further comprises at least one multiple-device device-side expansion port for coupling to said second set of said PSDs.

39. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 26, wherein said storage virtualization controller comprises:

a central processing circuitry for performing IO operations in response to said IO requests of said host entity;

at least one IO device interconnect controller coupled to said central processing circuitry;

at least one host-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to said host entity; and

at least one device-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to a said at least one physical storage device.

40. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in a same IO device interconnect controller.

41. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in different IO device interconnect controllers.

42. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting point-to-point connectivity in target mode.

43. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting private loop connectivity in target mode.

44. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting public loop connectivity in target mode.

45. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is parallel SCSI operating in target mode.

46. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is ethernet supporting the iSCSI protocol operating in target mode.

47. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) operating in target mode.

48. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial ATA operating in target mode.

49. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39, wherein said external SVC issues a device-side IO request to said IO device interconnect controller, and said IO device interconnect controller re-formats said device-side IO request and accompanying IO data into at least one data packet for transmission to said group of PSDs through said device-side IO device interconnect port.

50. The storage virtualization subsystem of claim 39 further comprising an enclosure management services mechanism for managing and monitoring devices belonging to the storage virtualization subsystem.

51. An external storage virtualization controller (SVC) for executing IO operations in response to IO requests from a host entity, comprising:

a central processing circuitry for performing IO operations in response to said IO requests of said host entity;

at least one IO device interconnect controller coupled to said central processing circuitry;

at least one host-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to said host entity; and

at least one device-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to and performing point-to-point serial-signal transmission with a group of physical storage devices (PSDs);

wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to define at least one logical media unit (LMU) consisting of sections of said group of PSDs;

wherein the IO requests are parsed to determine what operation is to be performed and on which section of the LMU the operation is to be performed.

52. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein when the operation comprises internally-emulated, asynchronous device sub-operations, then the SVC executes the associated sub-operations including transferring any associated data to/from the host entity and then, when there is a failed operation, the SVC responds to the host entity with a status report indicating the failed operation.

53. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 52, wherein the operation further comprises a synchronous device sub-operation.

54. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said point-to-point serial-signal interconnect is a Serial ATA IO device-side interconnect.

55. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs).

56. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises SATA PSDs.

57. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises PATA PSDs and a serial-to-parallel converter is provided between said device-side IO device interconnect controller and said PATA PSDs.

58. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51 further comprising a detachable canister attached to said storage virtualization controller for containing one of said group of the PSDs therein.

59. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein one of said group of the PSDs is detached from said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

60. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein a new PSD is attached to said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

61. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to provide a mapping that allows at least one section of the at least one LMU to be accessible to the host entity.

62. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said storage virtualization controller comprises a plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports each for coupling to a host-side IO device interconnect, and said storage virtualization controller is configured to present redundantly the LMU on at least two of said plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports.

63. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said group of PSDs include a first set of PSDs and a second set of PSDs, said first set of PSD and said external storage virtualization controller are in the same enclosure, said first set of PSDs and said second set of PSDs are not received in a same enclosure, and said external storage virtualization controller further comprises at least one multiple-device device-side expansion port for coupling to said second set of said PSDs.

64. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in a same IO device interconnect controller.

65. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in different IO device interconnect controllers.

66. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting point-to-point connectivity in target mode.

67. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting private loop connectivity in target mode.

68. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting public loop connectivity in target mode.

69. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is parallel SCSI operating in target mode.

70. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is ethernet supporting the iSCSI protocol operating in target mode.

71. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) operating in target mode.

72. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial ATA operating in target mode.

73. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51, wherein said external SVC issues a device-side IO request to said IO device interconnect controller, and said IO device interconnect controller re-formats said device-side IO request and accompanying IO data into at least one data packet for transmission to said group of PSDs through said device-side IO device interconnect port.

74. The external storage virtualization controller of claim 51 further comprising an enclosure management services mechanism for managing and monitoring devices belonging to a storage virtualization computer system.

75. A method for performing storage virtualization in a computer system with an external storage virtualization controller (SVC) of the computer system, comprising:

receiving IO requests from a host entity of the computer system with the storage virtualization controller;

parsing the IO requests with the storage virtualization controller to decide at least one IO operation to perform in response to said IO requests; and

performing at least one IO operation with the storage virtualization controller to access a group of physical storage devices (PSDs) of the computer system in point-to-point serial-signal transmission;

wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to define at least one logical media unit (LMU) consisting of sections of said group of PSDs;

wherein the IO requests are parsed to determine what operation is to be performed and on which section of the LMU the operation is to be performed.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein when the operation comprises internally-emulated, asynchronous device sub-operations, then the SVC executes the associated sub-operations including transferring any associated data to/from the host entity and then, when there is a failed operation, the SVC responds to the host entity with a status report indicating the failed operation.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein the operation further comprises a synchronous device sub-operation.

78. The method of claim 75, wherein said point-to-point serial-signal interconnect is a Serial ATA IO device-side interconnect.

79. The method of claim 75, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs).

80. The method of claim 75, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises SATA PSDs.

81. The method of claim 75, wherein said group of the PSDs comprises PATA PSDs and a serial-to-parallel converter is provided between said device-side IO device interconnect controller and said PATA PSDs.

82. The method of claim 75 further comprising a detachable canister attached to said storage virtualization controller for containing one of said group of the PSDs therein.

83. The method of claim 75, wherein one of said group of the PSDs is detached from said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

84. The method of claim 75, wherein a new PSD is attached to said storage virtualization controller when said storage virtualization controller is on-line.

85. The method of claim 75, wherein said external storage virtualization controller is configured to provide a mapping that allows at least one section of the at least one LMU to be accessible to the host entity.

86. The method of claim 75, wherein said storage virtualization controller comprises a plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports each for coupling to a host-side IO device interconnect, and said storage virtualization controller is configured to present redundantly the LMU on at least two of said plurality of host-side IO device interconnect ports.

87. The method of claim 75, wherein said group of PSDs include a first set of PSDs and a second set of PSDs, said first set of PSD and said external storage virtualization controller are in the same enclosure, said first set of PSDs and said second set of PSDs are not received in a same enclosure, and said external storage virtualization controller further comprises at least one multiple-device device-side expansion port for coupling to said second set of said PSDs.

88. The method of claim 75, wherein said storage virtualization controller comprises:

a central processing circuitry for performing IO operations in response to said IO requests of said host entity;

at least one IO device interconnect controller coupled to said central processing circuitry;

at least one host-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to said host entity; and

at least one device-side IO device interconnect port provided in a said at least one IO device interconnect controller for coupling to a said at least one physical storage device.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in a same IO device interconnect controller.

90. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one host-side IO device interconnect port and said at least one device-side IO device interconnect port are provided in different IO device interconnect controllers.

91. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting point-to-point connectivity in target mode.

92. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting private loop connectivity in target mode.

93. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Fibre Channel supporting public loop connectivity in target mode.

94. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is parallel SCSI operating in target mode.

95. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is ethernet supporting the iSCSI protocol operating in target mode.

96. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) operating in target mode.

97. The method of claim 88, wherein said at least one said host-side IO device interconnect port is Serial ATA operating in target mode.

98. The method of claim 88, wherein said external SVC issues a device-side IO request to said IO device interconnect controller, and said IO device interconnect controller re-formats said device-side IO request and accompanying IO data into at least one data packet for transmission to said group of PSDs through said device-side IO device interconnect port.

99. The method of claim 88 further comprising an enclosure management services mechanism for managing and monitoring devices belonging to the storage virtualization computer system.