Storage area network (SAN) fibre channel arbitrated loop (FCAL) multi-system multi-resource storage enclosure and method for performing enclosure maintenance concurrent with device operations
First Claim
1. A storage area network (SAN), fibre channel arbitrated loop (FCAL) multiple system, multiple resource storage enclosure comprising:
- a plurality of storage resources;
a plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) coupled to the storage area network;
a pair of enclosure services node cards, each said enclosure services node cards including fibre channel (FC) connections for said plurality of storage resources;
each said enclosure services node card including a respective global bus connection and a FC connection to each of said plurality of IOAs; and
each said enclosure services node card including a plurality of port bypass circuits (PBCs) coupled to said plurality of storage resources and said plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) with FCAL connections;
each said enclosure services node card including a controller chip for controlling said plurality of port bypass circuits (PBCs); and
each said enclosure services node card being used concurrently by the multiple systems to manage said plurality of storage resources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A storage area network (SAN) fibre channel arbitrated loop (FCAL) multiple system, multiple resource, storage enclosure and a method are provided for performing enclosure maintenance concurrent with device operations. The storage enclosure includes a plurality of storage resources or storage devices, a plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) coupled to the storage area network and a pair of enclosure services node cards. Each enclosure services node card includes loop connections for the plurality of storage resources. Each enclosure services node card includes a respective global bus connection and a loop connection to each of the plurality of IOAs. Each enclosure services node card is used concurrently by the multiple systems to manage the plurality of storage resources. In the method for performing enclosure maintenance concurrent with device operations, identical maintenance procedures are implemented for the enclosure services node cards and the storage devices. The enclosure services node cards are removable cards and contain active components including port bypass circuits (PBCs). Fibre channel (FC) connections for the plurality of storage resources provide redundant paths to each storage resource and allows access to data on the storage resources to continue when one of the pair of enclosure services node cards fails or is being maintained. Out of band communications to the enclosure services node cards are provided with the global buses, such as I2C buses, rather than FC loop. Multiple IOAs can concurrently use the same enclosure services node card without contention or collision.
16 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A storage area network (SAN), fibre channel arbitrated loop (FCAL) multiple system, multiple resource storage enclosure comprising:
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a plurality of storage resources;
a plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) coupled to the storage area network;
a pair of enclosure services node cards, each said enclosure services node cards including fibre channel (FC) connections for said plurality of storage resources;
each said enclosure services node card including a respective global bus connection and a FC connection to each of said plurality of IOAs; and
each said enclosure services node card including a plurality of port bypass circuits (PBCs) coupled to said plurality of storage resources and said plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) with FCAL connections;
each said enclosure services node card including a controller chip for controlling said plurality of port bypass circuits (PBCs); and
each said enclosure services node card being used concurrently by the multiple systems to manage said plurality of storage resources.
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2. A storage area network (SAN), fibre channel arbitrated loop (FCAL) multiple system, multiple resource storage enclosure comprising:
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a plurality of storage resources;
a plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) coupled to the storage area network;
a pair of enclosure services node cards, each said enclosure services node cards including fibre channel (FC) connections for said plurality of storage resources;
each said enclosure services node card including a respective global bus connection and a FC connection to each of said plurality of IOAs;
each said enclosure services node card being used concurrently by the multiple systems to manage said plurality of storage resources; and
each said enclosure services node card including a plurality of port bypass circuits (PBCs) coupled to said plurality of storage resources and said plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) with FCAL connections;
said port bypass circuits (PBCs) control whether each of said plurality of storage resources and said plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) are on a FC loop.- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A storage area network (SAN), fibre channel arbitrated loop (FCAL) multiple system, multiple resource storage enclosure comprising:
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a plurality of storage resources;
a plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) coupled to the storage area network;
a pair of enclosure services node cards, each said enclosure services node cards including fibre channel (FC) connections for said plurality of storage resources;
each said enclosure services node card including a respective global bus connection and a FC connection to each of said plurality of IOAs;
each said enclosure services node card being used concurrently by the multiple systems to manage said plurality of storage resources; and
a plurality of port bypass circuits (PBCs) coupled to said plurality of storage resources and said plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) with FCAL connections; and
each said enclosure services node card including an enclosure services chip, said enclosure services chip providing control to said port bypass circuits (PBCs). - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method for performing storage enclosure maintenance concurrent with device operations, said storage enclosure including a plurality of storage devices and a plurality of IO adapters (IOAs) coupled to multiple systems via a storage area network, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a pair of removable enclosure services node cards in the storage enclosure, each said removable enclosure services node card including an address;
providing redundant paths to each storage device with each said enclosure services node cards including loop connections for said plurality of storage devices;
providing each said removable enclosure services node card with a respective global bus connection and a loop connection to each of said plurality of IOAs;
providing active components including port bypass circuits (PBCs) on said removable enclosure services node cards and said port bypass circuits (PBCs) controlling whether each of said plurality of storage resources and said plurality of IOAs are on a FC loop; and
implementing identical maintenance procedures for said removable enclosure services node cards and said storage devices. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification