High speed fault tolerant mass storage network information server
First Claim
1. An information server system with a scalable, modular, fault tolerant, multi loop, hot swappable architecture, comprising:
- a central processing unit including a digital processor, storage device and user interface;
a storage array controller subsystem connected to the central processing unit for controlling at least one storage device array, each said storage device array including a plurality of disk storage devices and a corresponding number of bypass interface cards, all of which communicate with one another and the information server; and
a communications interface subsystem connected to the central processing unit for communicating with other subsystems of the information server and for controlling said storage device array controller subsystem.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The information server system incorporates a high speed, microcomputer based server running industry standard operating system software enhanced to include functionality directed to operation of a new disk array controller, which controls the physically independent or integral disk storage device array, and communications interface. The disk array controller subsystem controls and communicates with the disk storage device array with a Fiber Channel protocol. The disk storage device array incorporates a plurality of disk storage devices with a corresponding number of bypass interface cards configured to facilitate the on-line addition, removal and replacement of disk storage devices. In addition to incorporating the above described buses and Fiber Channel capability, the disk array further incorporates a physically independent Fiber Channel compatible optical bus for high speed, communication between disk storage device array subsystem components, including the internal disk storage devices, independent from the information server. A wide array of user reconfigurable options are available as well as a scalable expansion capability.
135 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An information server system with a scalable, modular, fault tolerant, multi loop, hot swappable architecture, comprising:
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a central processing unit including a digital processor, storage device and user interface;
a storage array controller subsystem connected to the central processing unit for controlling at least one storage device array, each said storage device array including a plurality of disk storage devices and a corresponding number of bypass interface cards, all of which communicate with one another and the information server; and
a communications interface subsystem connected to the central processing unit for communicating with other subsystems of the information server and for controlling said storage device array controller subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. The method of operation for an information server comprising:
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establishing high speed communication with a fault tolerant, hot swappable storage device array;
sensing the status of each storage device of said array from information provided by a hot swap interface card associated with each storage device;
analyzing information regarding the status of the storage device in a computer to assess operating characteristics of the storage device and overall operation of the information server;
deriving signals for control of the storage devices to maintain system operation;
communicating control signals to a service device controller for control of individual storage devices; and
transmitting the control signals over a high speed interface to individual hot swap interface cards to thereby control the operation of individual storage devices. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification