Hardware I/O control block array for mirrored data transfers
First Claim
1. A hardware I/O control block memory array comprising:
- a first hardware I/O control block having a sister hardware I/O control block field; and
a second hardware I/O control block having a sister hardware I/O control block field wherein said sister hardware I/O control block field of said first hardware I/O control block includes a pointer to said second hardware I/O control block and said sister hardware I/O control block field of said second hardware I/O control block includes a pointer to said first hardware I/O control block, and said second hardware I/O control block includes information, other than said pointer to said first hardware I/O control block, copied from said first hardware I/O control block and further wherein said first and second hardware I/O control blocks are used for a mirrored data transaction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A single host adapter hardware I/O control block contains information used to specify a transfer of data from a host system to a first target device and in addition information that specifies whether the data is to be mirrored, and if so, optionally identifies a second target device on which the data is to be mirrored. After transferring the single hardware I/O control block to the host adapter integrated circuit, the host adapter integrated circuit determines whether the hardware I/O control block specifies a mirrored transaction. If a mirrored transaction is specified, the host adapter integrated circuit generates a second hardware I/O control block for the second target device using the information in the first hardware I/O control block. When the execution of both hardware I/O control blocks is complete, the host adapter integrated circuit provides a single completion notification to the host system.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A hardware I/O control block memory array comprising:
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a first hardware I/O control block having a sister hardware I/O control block field; and
a second hardware I/O control block having a sister hardware I/O control block field wherein said sister hardware I/O control block field of said first hardware I/O control block includes a pointer to said second hardware I/O control block and said sister hardware I/O control block field of said second hardware I/O control block includes a pointer to said first hardware I/O control block, and said second hardware I/O control block includes information, other than said pointer to said first hardware I/O control block, copied from said first hardware I/O control block and further wherein said first and second hardware I/O control blocks are used for a mirrored data transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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a host adapter;
a plurality of target devices coupled to said host adapter; and
a memory coupled to said host adapter, and said memory having stored therein a hardware I/O control block memory array comprising;
a first hardware I/O control block having a sister hardware I/O control block field; and
a second hardware I/O control block having a sister hardware I/O control block field wherein said sister hardware I/O control block field of said first hardware I/O control block includes a pointer to said second hardware I/O control block and said sister hardware I/O control block field of said second hardware I/O control block includes a pointer to said first hardware I/O control block, and said second hardware I/O control block includes information, other than said pointer to said first hardware I/O control block, copied from said first hardware I/O control block and further wherein said first and second hardware I/O control blocks are used for a mirrored data transaction using at least two target devices in said plurality of target devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification