Storage router and method for providing virtual local storage

• US 6,421,753 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crossroads Systems (Texas) Incorporated (Crossroads Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Crossroads Systems (Texas) Incorporated (Crossroads Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoese, Geoffrey B., Russell, Jeffry T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US09/354,682
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 710/129, 710/1-5, 710/8-13, 710/36-38, 710/100-101, 710/105, 710/126-131, 714/42, 711/112, 711/113, 711/100
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1668 Details of memory controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4059 where the synchronisation uses buffers, e.g. for speed matching between buses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/631 Small computer system interface [SCSI] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/645 Fibre channel identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• 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 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A storage router (56) and storage network (50) provide virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) to Fiber Channel devices. A plurality of Fiber Channel devices, such as workstations, (58), are connected to a Fiber Channel transport medium (52), and a plurality of SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) are connected to a SCSI bus transport medium (54). The storage router (56) interfaces between the Fiber Channel transport medium (52) and the SCSI bus transport medium (54). The storage router (56) maps between the workstations (58) and the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) and implements access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64). The storage router (56) then allows access from the workstations (58) to the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and the access controls.

Claims

1. A data storage gateway capable of interfacing with and providing connectivity and mapping between a Fiber Channel and SCSI channel interface, the data storage gateway comprising:

a virtual storage;

a storage router in communication with and providing mapping to the virtual storage such that a fiber channel device remote from the virtual storage can communicate data to and from the virtual storage; and

wherein the storage router is capable of configuring a SCSI device to contain at least a portion of the virtual storage.

2. The data storage gateway according to claim 1, further including a memory work space for the storage router using a buffer.

3. The data storage gateway according to claim 2 wherein a Fibre Channel transport medium connects to the storage router and interfaces with a Fibre Channel controller and wherein a SCSI bus transport medium connects to the storage router and interfaces with a SCSI controller.

4. A method for providing, through a storage router, virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices to Fibre Channel devices, comprising:

interfacing with a Fibre Channel transport medium;

interfacing with a SCSI bus transport medium;

maintaining a configuration for SCSI storage devices connected to the SCSI bus transport medium that maps between Fibre Channel devices and the SCSI storage devices and that implements access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices; and

allowing access from Fibre Channel initiator devices to SCSI storage devices using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the configuration.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of providing memory work space for the storage router using a buffer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the Fibre Channel transport medium connects to and interfaces with a Fibre Channel controller and wherein said SCSI bus transport medium connects to and interfaces with a SCSI controller.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the maintaining step and the allowing step are performed by a supervisor unit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the supervisor unit is coupled to the Fibre Channel controller, the SCSI controller, and the buffer.