Network enabled SCSI interface

• US 5,991,813 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Icon CMT Corp. (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Icon CMT Corp. (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zarrow, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TITCOMB, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/857,781
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 395/825, 395/800, 395/844, 395/200.66, 395/200.76, 395/200.8, 395/182.04, 395/826, 364/238-239, 709/103, 709/236, 709/246, 709/250, 714/6, 710/5, 710/6
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• 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: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A method of communication between a local computer and an SCSI device attached to a remote computer includes receiving a command relating to a file at the remote SCSI device. The local computer creates an SCSI command which is packetized at the local computer and transferred over a network to the remote computer. The remote computer unpacks the command and sends it to the host bus adaptor driver and host bus adaptor controller for the remote device. The remote device then executes the command. Remote SCSI communication is particularly useful in mirroring applications where a complete copy of data is stored at the local location and at the remote location.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with an SCSI device over a network, the method comprising:

setting an address at a first computer relating to a file on the SCSI device at a second computer;

receiving a command at the first computer;

reading an address associated with the command;

converting the command to an SCSI command;

determining whether the command relates to the address;

packetizing the SCSI command and transferring the SCSI command over the network to the second computer if the command relates to the address;

unpacketizing the SCSI command at the second computer; and

transferring the SCSI command at the second computer to the SCSI device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to receiving the command, the first computer and second computer establish communication.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein communication is established by a daemon on the first computer and a daemon on the second computer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the first computer includes a read daemon and a write daemon; and

the second computer includes a read daemon and a write daemon.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the command is a mirroring command;

the mirroring command is converted into a first SCSI command and a second SCSI command;

the first SCSI command is executed at the first computer; and

the second SCSI command is the SCSI command that is packetized and transferred over the network to the second computer.

6. One or more apparatus for performing the method of claim 1.

7. One or more computer readable memory storage devices containing instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising:

transferring the SCSI command to an SCSA interface at the first computer; and

determining the location of the file relating to the SCSI command.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein an SCSI command is transferred to the SCSA interface from a target driver.

10. A method of communicating with a first SCSI device at a first computer and a second SCSI device at a second computer over a network, the method comprising:

receiving a mirroring command at the first computer relating to a file on the first SCSI device and the second SCSI device;

converting the mirroring command to a first SCSI command and a second SCSI command at the first computer;

packetizing the second SCSI command at the first computer;

transferring the second SCSI command over the network from the first computer to the second computer;

unpacketizing the second SCSI command at the second computer;

transferring the first SCSI command at the first computer to the first SCSI device; and

transferring the second SCSI command at the second computer to the second SCSI device.