Storage system having storage units interconnected to form multiple loops to provide simultaneous access from multiple hosts
First Claim
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1. A multi-host information storage system architecture comprising:
- a first memory storage unit cluster having a plurality of memory storage units, each memory storage unit having a first data transfer port and a second data transfer port, the first data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the first memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a first loop and the second data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the first memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a second loop;
a second memory storage unit cluster having a plurality of memory storage units, each memory storage unit having a first data transfer port and a second data transfer port, the first data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the second memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a third loop and the second data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the second memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a fourth loop;
a first host having a first controller in communication with the first loop and a second controller in communication with the third loop; and
a second host having a first controller in communication with the second loop and a second controller in communication with the fourth loop.
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Abstract
The present invention is an apparatus and method for using the dual port feature of Fibre Channel to allow multiple computer hosts to simultaneously access a cluster of memory units that are Fibre Channel arbitrated. Typical multiple host access schemes require an expensive Fibre Channel switch and do not allow simultaneous accessing. The dual port feature of Fibre Channel devices provides for fault tolerance and redundancy, but can be used for the present invention.
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6 Claims
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1. A multi-host information storage system architecture comprising:
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a first memory storage unit cluster having a plurality of memory storage units, each memory storage unit having a first data transfer port and a second data transfer port, the first data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the first memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a first loop and the second data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the first memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a second loop; a second memory storage unit cluster having a plurality of memory storage units, each memory storage unit having a first data transfer port and a second data transfer port, the first data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the second memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a third loop and the second data transfer ports of all the memory storage units of the second memory storage unit cluster being interconnected to form a fourth loop; a first host having a first controller in communication with the first loop and a second controller in communication with the third loop; and a second host having a first controller in communication with the second loop and a second controller in communication with the fourth loop. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification