Interfaces for an open systems server providing tape drive emulation

• US 6,496,791 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Digital Information Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miller, Jeffrey, Boussina, Touraj, Yates, Neville, Harano, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Hugh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMSON, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/111,691
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 703/24, 703/21, 703/25, 709/213, 709/214, 709/215, 709/216, 709/226, 711/203, 711/209, 711/6, 711/111, 711/112, 710/100, 710/63, 710/300, 710/313
• US Class Current: 703/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox

Abstract

An improved interface between a host computer and a tape drive emulation system includes software interfaces for communicating control, configuration, and policy data and a hardware interface for providing redundancy and fan-out between the main controller and host channels.

Claims

1. A tape drive emulation interface, redundantly connecting a plurality of host channels to a main processor and a backup processor, each processor having a systembus of a tape drive emulation system, said interface comprising:

a chassis having a plurality of slots, with each slot having at least first and second connectors;

a plurality of dual systembus base boards, each coupled to one of said slots;

a plurality of channel interfaces disposed on each dual systembus base board, each channel interface for intefacing a host channel to input/output buffers of the main processor;

a first bus expander, coupled to the first connector of said slots, for multiplexing said plurality of dual systembus base boards to a first bus expander port;

a second bus expander, coupled to the second connector of said slots, for multiplexing said plurality of dual systembus base boards to a second bus expander port;

a first set of signal lines coupling said first bus expander port to said main processor systembus; and

a second set of signal lines coupling said second bus expander port to said backup processor systembus.

2. The tape drive emulation interface of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of host channels couples to a host comprising a library management system and a plurality of applications.

3. The tape drive emulation interface of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of channel interfaces comprises:

an embedded controller;

a data formatter; and

a memory coupled to the embedded controller and data formatter by an internal bus.

4. The tape drive emulation interface of claim 3 wherein the data formatter is configured to compress data received from a host channel.

5. The tape drive emulation interface of claim 3 wherein the data formatter is configured to compress data received from a host channel and decompress data sent to the host channel.

6. The tape drive emulation interface of claim 5 wherein four channel interfaces are disposed on each of the plurality of dual systembus base boards.

7. The tape drive emulation interface of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of dual systembus base boards comprises:

a first bridge circuit coupled between the first connector and the plurality of channel interfaces; and

a second bridge circuit coupled between the second connector and the plurality of channel interfaces.

8. The tape drive emulation interface of claim 1 wherein the first set of signal lines comprises a first expander cable, and the second set of signal lines comprises a second expander cable.