Method and apparatus for interfacing two remotely disposed devices coupled via a transmission medium
First Claim
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1. A computer system comprising:
- a central processing unit (CPU);
a first storage system that is coupled to the CPU so that the CPU can store information in the first storage system;
a second storage system;
a communication link coupling, via the first storage system, the second storage system to the CPU so that the CPU can store information in the second storage system, the communication link comprising a data communication line operable within a public communication network; and
means for establishing communication between the first and second storage systems over the communication link in accordance with a communication protocol having fewer transactions per operation than the ESCON protocol.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for interfacing two ESCON compatible devices over a communication channel that is not dedicated solely to ESCON communication, such as a public communication network or links, for example, a T1 or T3 line. The devices may include a master storage device and a mirroring storage device disposed at remote locations. In one embodiment, the devices communicate using the ESCON protocol. In other embodiments, the devices communicate using modified versions of the ESCON protocol that have a reduced number of handshakes to improve performance.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A computer system comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU); a first storage system that is coupled to the CPU so that the CPU can store information in the first storage system; a second storage system;
a communication link coupling, via the first storage system, the second storage system to the CPU so that the CPU can store information in the second storage system, the communication link comprising a data communication line operable within a public communication network; andmeans for establishing communication between the first and second storage systems over the communication link in accordance with a communication protocol having fewer transactions per operation than the ESCON protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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14. A computer system comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU); a first storage system that is coupled to the CPU so that the CPU can store information in the first storage system; means for establishing communication between the CPU and the first storage system in accordance with the ESCON protocol; a second storage system; a communication link coupling the first and second storage systems; and means for establishing communication between the first and second storage systems over the communication link in accordance with a communication protocol having fewer transactions per operation than the ESCON protocol. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In a computer system including a central processing unit (CPU) and a first storage system that is coupled to the CPU so that the CPU can store data in the first storage system, a method of protecting against a loss of at least some of the data stored in the first storage system, the method comprising the steps of:
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(A) disposing a second storage system at a location remote from a location of the first storage system; (B) coupling the second storage system to the first storage system with a data communication line operable within a public communication network; (C) communicating the at least some of the data stored in the first storage system over the data line from the first storage system to the second storage system using a protocol having fewer transactions per operation than the ESCON protocol; and (D) storing the at least some of the data communicated over the data line in the second storage system so that the second storage system mirrors the at least some of the data stored in the first storage system. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification