SYSTEM FOR REGISTERING AND MANAGING A DISTRIBUTED NETWORK OF STORAGE DEVICES AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

• US 20140244724A1
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MXN Corporation
• Original Assignee: MXN Corporation
• Inventors: Patrick, George R., Lippman, Michael, Moore, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US14/011,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

A system for registering and managing a distributed network of storage devices and method of use thereof including, in general, providing a storage device with built-in proprietary operating system installed on a CPU and computer memory, plugging the storage device into a network of computers devices and other storage devices, powering the storage device via power over the network cable, communicating with a storage manager and to register with the storage manager, executing a storage device deployment plan based on existing storage devices and predefined distributed storage rules, providing a storage task of a set of storage services for a networked computer device, providing backup storage services for another storage device, communicating the storage status directly to a networked computer device, and, thus, functions as a storage system made up of many individual, identical or very similar storage devices that collectively provide storage services to multiple computing devices.

Claims

1. A distributed network storage system, said storage system comprising:

a server;

network communications; and

a storage device, wherein said storage device and said server communicate via network communications, and wherein said storage device comprises a custom operating system, and wherein said storage device comprises a custom storage policy provided by a storage engine on said server, and wherein said storage device provides plug and play storage services via said network communications.

2. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said storage device registers with said storage engine, and wherein said storage device is configured to implement said storage policy.

3. The storage system of claim 2, wherein said storage system further comprises a networking switch, wherein said networking switch utilizes link layer datagram protocol (LLDP) to register said storage device.

4. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said storage system further comprises a networking switch, wherein said networking switch enables power over ethernet (POE) to power said storage device.

5. The storage system of claim 3, wherein said storage engine communicates a query via said network communications to said storage device, and wherein said query is utilized to configure said custom storage policy of said storage engine.

6. The storage system of claim 5, wherein said storage device provides a response to said query via said network communications, and wherein said response is utilized to configure said custom storage policy of said storage engine.

7. The storage system of claim 6, wherein said storage engine requests the addition of a new storage device based on said storage policy, and wherein said new storage device comprises a revised storage policy provided by said storage engine, and wherein said storage device provides plug and play storage services via said network communications.

8. A method for adding storage to a network storage system, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

plugging a storage device into a communication cable in communication with a networking switch in network communication with a server, wherein said storage device is configured with a proprietary operating system, wherein said storage device is powered via a power over Ethernet via said networking switch;

registering said storage device with said server via a storage engine;

wherein said storage engine utilizes link layer datagram protocol (LLDP) communication between said storage device and said networking switch; and

wherein said storage engine communicates a storage policy to said storage device, and wherein said storage policy governs an operation of said storage device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said storage policy includes a storage task.

10. The method of claim 8, said method further comprising the step of:

monitoring said storage device and a computing device in network communication via said server, wherein said storage engine collects status requirements from said storage device and said computing device via a server in network communication therewith.

11. The method of claim 10, said method further comprising the steps of:

modifying said storage policy of said storage device based on said storage requirements of said storage device and said computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said storage device further comprising the steps of:

executing said storage policy.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said storage device further comprising the steps of:

providing storage services for said computing device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said storage device further comprising the steps of:

providing backup storage services for said computing device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

communicating a storage status to said computing device.

16. A method for managing a network storage system, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

providing a storage device in communication with a networking switch in network communication with a server and a computing device in network communication with said server;

querying said computing device to determine a system storage requirement;

querying said storage device to determine a system storage requirement;

generating a general rule of operation via a management engine on said server, wherein said management engine establishes a storage policy to govern an operation of said storage device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said storage policy includes a storage task.

18. The method of claim 16, said method further comprising the step of:

monitoring said storage device and a computing device in network communication with said server, wherein said management engine collects system status requirements from said storage device and said computing device via a server in network communication therewith.

19. The method of claim 18, said method further comprising the steps of:

modifying said storage policy of said storage device based on said system storage requirements of said storage device and said computing device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

communicating a storage status to said computing device.