System and method for remote mirroring of digital data from a primary network server to a remote network server
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A system for remote mirroring of digital data from a primary network server to a remote network server, each network server having its own nonvolatile server store, said system comprising a primary data transfer unit and a remote data transfer unit, wherein:
- said primary data transfer unit comprises;
a primary server interface which is digitally connectable to the primary network server, said primary server interface having sufficient bandwidth and signal compatibility to receive mirrored digital data from the primary network server, the mirrored data being a substantially concurrent copy of original data which is destined for storage in the nonvolatile server store of the primary network server; and
a primary link interface digitally connected to said primary server interface and capable of receiving the mirrored data from said primary server interface, said primary link interface connectable to a communication link and capable of sending the mirrored data across the link to said remote data transfer unit, said primary link interface further comprising;
a nonvolatile data buffer for temporarily storing the mirrored data; and
spoof packet generator capable of generating a pre-acknowledgement for transmission to the primary network server by said primary link interface after the mirrored data has been stored on said nonvolatile data buffer and before an acknowledgement arrives indicating that the mirrored data has been stored by the remote network server;
and said remote data transfer unit comprises;
a remote link interface connectable to the communication link for receiving the mirrored data sent across the link by said primary data transfer unit; and
a remote server interface which is digitally connected to said remote link and capable of receiving the mirrored data from said remote link, said remote server interface being digitally connectable to the remote network server and having sufficient bandwidth and signal compatibility to send the mirrored data to the remote network server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for remote mirroring of digital data from a primary network server to a remote network server includes a primary data transfer unit and a remote data transfer unit which are connectable with one another by a conventional communication link. The primary data transfer unit sends mirrored data from the primary network server over the link to the remote data transfer unit which is located a safe distance away. Each data transfer unit includes a server interface and a link interface. The server interface is viewed by the network operating system as another disk drive controller. The link interface includes four interconnected parallel processors which perform read and write processes in parallel. The link interface also includes a channel service unit which may be tailored to commercial communications links such as T1, E1, or analog telephone lines connected by modems.
224 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A system for remote mirroring of digital data from a primary network server to a remote network server, each network server having its own nonvolatile server store, said system comprising a primary data transfer unit and a remote data transfer unit, wherein:
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said primary data transfer unit comprises; a primary server interface which is digitally connectable to the primary network server, said primary server interface having sufficient bandwidth and signal compatibility to receive mirrored digital data from the primary network server, the mirrored data being a substantially concurrent copy of original data which is destined for storage in the nonvolatile server store of the primary network server; and a primary link interface digitally connected to said primary server interface and capable of receiving the mirrored data from said primary server interface, said primary link interface connectable to a communication link and capable of sending the mirrored data across the link to said remote data transfer unit, said primary link interface further comprising; a nonvolatile data buffer for temporarily storing the mirrored data; and spoof packet generator capable of generating a pre-acknowledgement for transmission to the primary network server by said primary link interface after the mirrored data has been stored on said nonvolatile data buffer and before an acknowledgement arrives indicating that the mirrored data has been stored by the remote network server; and said remote data transfer unit comprises; a remote link interface connectable to the communication link for receiving the mirrored data sent across the link by said primary data transfer unit; and a remote server interface which is digitally connected to said remote link and capable of receiving the mirrored data from said remote link, said remote server interface being digitally connectable to the remote network server and having sufficient bandwidth and signal compatibility to send the mirrored data to the remote network server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27)
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25. A method for remote mirroring of digital data, said method comprising the steps of:
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copying the data from a primary network server to a nonvolatile data buffer in a data transfer unit which is digitally connected to the primary network server, the primary network server including an operating system which is capable of accessing a nonvolatile server store, the data copied to the data transfer unit being a substantially concurrent copy of data which is being stored by the operating system in the nonvolatile server store of the primary network server; copying the data from the data transfer unit to an input end of a communication link which has an output end physically separated from its input end; generating and sending a spoof packet to the operating system of the primary network server; and copying the data from the output end of the communication link to a nonvolatile server store on a remote network server. - View Dependent Claims (26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification