Data storage system

• US 6,516,370 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Quinn, John, Wrobel, Andrew, Mulvihill, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US09/474,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 710/126, 710/128, 710/129, 710/106, 710/131, 710/38, 711/111, 711/112, 711/114
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0655 Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A system for coupling data between a host computer and a bank of disk drives. The system includes a plurality of directors for controlling the flow of the data between host computer and the bank of disk drives. Each one of the directors has a primary port and a secondary port. The system includes a first I/O section coupled to a first one of a pair of disk drive sections in the bank of disk drives and a second I/O section coupled to a second one of the pair of disk drive sections in the bank of disk drives. A backplane is provided for electrically interconnecting: the primary port of a first one of a pair of the directors to the first I/O section through a first differential data bus; the secondary port of the first one of the pair of directors to the second I/O section through a first single ended data bus; the primary port of a second one of the pair of directors to the second I/O section through a second differential data bus; and, the secondary port of the second one of the pair of directors to the first I/O section through a second single ended data bus. Each one of the first and second I/O sections includes a single ended/differential data bus converter. The converter of the first I/O section is coupled between the second single ended data bus and the first differential data bus and the converter of the second I/O section is coupled between the first single ended data bus and the second differential data bus. Each one of the directors in the pair thereof includes a processor for, during a normal operating mode, coupling data between such processor and a corresponding one of the pair of disk drive sections through a corresponding one of the first and second differential buses. In the event of a fault in the first one of the pair of directors, data is coupled between the second one of the pair of directors and the first one of the pair of disk drive sections through the second single ended data bus to a first one of the pair of single ended/differential data bus converters to the first differential data bus and the first one of the disk drive sections through the first differential data bus.

Claims

1. A system for coupling data between a host computer and a bank of disk drives, such system comprising:

a plurality of directors for controlling the flow of the data between host computer and the bank of disk drives, each one of the directors having a primary port and a secondary port;

a first I/O section coupled to a first one of a pair of disk drive sections in the bank of disk drives and a second I/O section coupled to a second one of the pair of disk drive sections in the bank of disk drives;

a backplane for electrically interconnecting;

the primary port of a first one of a pair of the directors to the first I/O section through a first differential data bus;

the secondary port of the first one of the pair of directors to the second I/O section through a first single ended data bus;

the primary port of a second one of the pair of directors to the second I/O section through a second differential data bus; and

,

the secondary port of the second one of the pair of directors to the first I/O section through a second single ended data bus; and

wherein each one of the first and second I/O sections includes a single ended/differential data bus converter, the converter of the first I/O section being coupled between the second single-ended data bus and the first differential data bus and the converter of the second I/O section being coupled between the first single ended data bus and the second differential data bus.

2. The system recited in claim 1 wherein each one of the directors in the pair thereof includes a processor for, during a normal operating mode, coupling data between such processor and a corresponding one of the pair of disk drive sections through a corresponding one of the first and second differential buses and, in the event of a fault in the first one of the pair of directors coupling data between the second one of the pair of directors and the first one of the pair of disk drive sections through the second single-ended data buses to a first one of the pair of single ended/differential data bus converters to the first differential data bus and the first one of the disk drive sections through the first differential data buses.

3. A system interface or coupling data between a host computer and a bank of disk drives, such interface comprising:

(A) a backplane;

(B) a plurality of directors connected to one side of the backplane;

(C) an I/O interface connected to an opposite side of the backplane;

(D) such directors being adapted to control the flow of the data between host computer and the bank of disk drives, each one of the directors having;

a primary port and a secondary port connected to the front side of the backplane;

(E) such I/O interface having a first section coupled to the first one of the pair of disk drive sections and a second section coupled to the second one of the pair of disk drive sections;

(F) wherein the backplane electrically interconnects;

(a) the primary port of a first one of a pair of the directors to the first section of the I/O interface through a first differential SCSI data bus;

(b) the secondary port of the first one of the pair of directors to the second section of the I/O interface through a first single ended SCSI data bus;

(c) the primary port of a second one of the pair of directors to the second section of the I/O interface through a second differential SCSI data bus; and

,

(d) the secondary port of the second one of the pair of directors to the first section of the I/O interface through a second single ended SCSI data bus; and

,

(G) wherein each one of the first and second sections of the I/O interface includes a single ended/differential SCSI data bus converter, the converter of the first section of the I/O interface being coupled between the second single ended SCSI data bus and the first differential SCSI data bus and the converter of the second section of the I/O interface being coupled between the first single ended SCSI data bus and the second differential SCSI data bus.

4. A data storage system, comprising:

(A) a host computer;

(B) a bank of disk drives comprising a plurality of disk drive sections;

(C) a system interface for coupling data between the host computer and the bank of disk drives, such interface comprising;

(a) a backplane;

(b) a plurality of directors connected to front side connectors of the backplane;

(c) an I/O interface connected to rear side connectors of the backplane;

(D) wherein such directors are adapted to control the flow of the data between host computer and the bank of disk drives, each one of the directors having;

a primary port and a secondary port connected to the front side connectors of the backplane;

(E) wherein such I/O interface has a first section and a second section, the first section of the I/O interface being coupled to the first one of the pair of disk drive sections and the second section of the I/O interface being coupled to the second one of the pair of disk drive sections;

(F) wherein the backplane electrically interconnects;

(a) the primary port of a first one of a pair of the directors to the first section of the I/O interface through a first differential SCSI data bus;

(b) the secondary port of the first one of the pair of directors to the second section of the I/O interface through a first single ended SCSI data bus;

(c) the primary port of a second one of the pair of directors to the second section of the I/O interface through a second differential SCSI data bus; and

,

(d) the secondary port of the second one of the pair of directors to the first section of the I/O interface through a second single ended SCSI data bus; and

,

(G) wherein each one of the first and second sections of the I/O interface includes a single ended/differential SCSI data bus converter, the converter of the first section of the I/O interface being coupled between the second single ended SCSI data bus and the first differential SCSI data bus and the converter of the second section of the I/O interface being coupled between the first single ended SCSI data bus and the second differential SCSI data bus.