Storage router and method for providing virtual local storage
First Claim
1. A storage router for providing virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices to Fibre Channel devices, comprising:
- a buffer providing memory work space for the storage router;
a Fibre Channel controller operable to connect to and interface with a Fibre Channel transport medium;
a SCSI controller operable to connect to and interface with a SCSI bus transport medium; and
a supervisor unit coupled to the Fibre Channel controller, the SCSI controller and the buffer, the supervisor unit operable;
to map between Fibre Channel devices and SCSI storage devices and implement access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices; and
to process data in the buffer to interface between the Fibre Channel controller and the SCSI controller to allow access from Fibre Channel initiator devices to SCSI storage devices using native low level, block protocol.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A storage router for providing virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices to Fibre Channel devices, comprising:
-
a buffer providing memory work space for the storage router;
a Fibre Channel controller operable to connect to and interface with a Fibre Channel transport medium;
a SCSI controller operable to connect to and interface with a SCSI bus transport medium; and
a supervisor unit coupled to the Fibre Channel controller, the SCSI controller and the buffer, the supervisor unit operable;
to map between Fibre Channel devices and SCSI storage devices and implement access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices; and
to process data in the buffer to interface between the Fibre Channel controller and the SCSI controller to allow access from Fibre Channel initiator devices to SCSI storage devices using native low level, block protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
a Fibre Channel (FC) protocol unit operable to connect to the Fibre Channel transport medium;
a first-in-first-out queue coupled to the Fibre Channel protocol unit; and
a direct memory access (DMA) interface coupled to the first-in-first-out queue and to the buffer.
-
-
7. The storage router of claim 2, wherein the SCSI controller comprises:
-
a SCSI protocol unit operable to connect to the SCSI bus transport medium;
an internal buffer coupled to the SCSI protocol unit; and
a direct memory access (DMA) interface coupled to the internal buffer and to the buffer of the storage router.
-
-
8. A storage network, comprising:
-
a Fibre Channel transport medium;
a SCSI bus transport medium;
a plurality of workstations connected to the Fibre Channel transport medium;
a plurality of SCSI storage devices connected to the SCSI bus transport medium; and
a storage router interfacing between the Fibre Channel transport medium and the SCSI bus transport medium, the storage router providing virtual local storage on the SCSI storage devices to the workstations and operable;
to map between the workstations and the SCSI storage devices;
to implement access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices; and
to allow access from the workstations to the SCSI storage devices using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and access controls. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
a buffer providing memory work space for the storage router;
a Fibre Channel controller operable to connect to and interface with a Fibre Channel transport medium, the Fibre Channel controller further operable to pull outgoing data from the buffer and to place incoming data into the buffer;
a SCSI controller operable to connect to and interface with a SCSI bus transport medium, the SCSI controller further operable to pull outgoing data from the buffer and to place incoming data into the buffer; and
a supervisor unit coupled to the Fibre Channel controller, the SCSI controller and the buffer, the supervisor unit operable;
to maintain a configuration for the SCSI storage devices that maps between Fibre Channel devices and SCSI storage devices and that implements the access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices; and
to process data in the buffer to interface between the Fibre Channel controller and the SCSI controller to allow access from workstations to SCSI storage devices in accordance with the configuration.
-
-
12. A method for providing 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;
mapping between Fibre Channel devices and the SCSI storage devices and that implementing 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. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification