Storage router and method for providing virtual local storage
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A storage router for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices to a device, comprising:
- a buffer providing memory work space for the storage router;
a first Fibre Channel controller operable to connect to and interface with a first Fibre Channel transport medium;
a second Fibre Channel controller operable to connect to and interface with a second Fibre Channel transport medium; and
a supervisor unit coupled to the first and second Fibre Channel controllers and the buffer, the supervisor unit operable;
to maintain a configuration for remote storage devices connected to the second Fibre Channel transport medium that maps between the device and the remote storage devices and that implements access controls for storage space on the remote storage devices; and
to process data in the buffer to interface between the first Fibre Channel controller and the second Fibre Channel controller to allow access from Fibre Channel initiator devices to the remote storage devices using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the configuration.
1 Assignment
Litigations
6 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A storage router and storage network provide virtual local storage on remote storage devices to Fiber Channel devices. A plurality of Fiber Channel devices, such as workstations, are connected to a Fiber Channel transport medium, and a plurality of storage devices are connected to a second Fiber Channel transport medium. The storage router interfaces between the Fiber Channel transport media. The storage router maps between the workstations and the storage devices and implements access controls for storage space on the storage devices. The storage router then allows access from the workstations to the storage devices using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and the access controls.
203 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A storage router for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices to a device, comprising:
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a buffer providing memory work space for the storage router; a first Fibre Channel controller operable to connect to and interface with a first Fibre Channel transport medium; a second Fibre Channel controller operable to connect to and interface with a second Fibre Channel transport medium; and a supervisor unit coupled to the first and second Fibre Channel controllers and the buffer, the supervisor unit operable; to maintain a configuration for remote storage devices connected to the second Fibre Channel transport medium that maps between the device and the remote storage devices and that implements access controls for storage space on the remote storage devices; and to process data in the buffer to interface between the first Fibre Channel controller and the second Fibre Channel controller to allow access from Fibre Channel initiator devices to the remote storage devices using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A storage network, comprising:
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a first Fibre Channel transport medium; a second Fibre Channel transport medium; a plurality of workstations connected to the first Fibre Channel transport medium; a plurality of storage devices connected to the second Fibre Channel transport medium; and a storage router interfacing between the first Fibre Channel transport medium and the second Fibre Channel transport medium, the storage router providing virtual local storage on the storage devices to the workstations and operable; to map between the workstations and the storage devices; to implement access controls for storage space on the storage devices; and to allow access from the workstations to the storage devices using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and access controls. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices to Fibre Channel devices, comprising:
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interfacing with a first Fibre Channel transport medium; interfacing with a second Fibre Channel transport medium; maintaining a configuration for remote storage devices connected to the second Fibre Channel transport medium that maps between Fibre Channel devices and the remote storage devices and that implements access controls for storage space on the remote storage devices; and allowing access from Fibre Channel initiator devices to the remote storage devices using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the configuration. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for providing virtual local storage on a remote storage device to a device operating according to a Fibre Channel protocol, comprising:
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a first controller operable to connect to and interface with a first transport medium, wherein the first transport medium is operable according to the Fibre Channel protocol; a second controller operable to connect to and interface with a second transport medium, wherein the second transport medium is operable according to the Fibre Channel protocol; and a supervisor unit coupled to the first controller and the second controller, the supervisor unit operable to control access from the device connected to the first transport medium to the remote storage device connected to the second transport medium using native low level, block protocols according to a map between the device and the remote storage device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices, comprising:
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a first controller operable to connect to and interface with a first transport medium operable according to a Fibre Channel protocol; a second controller operable to connect to and interface with a second transport medium operable according to the Fibre Channel protocol; at least one device connected to the first transport medium; at least one storage device connected to the second transport medium; and an access control device coupled to the first controller and the second controller, the access control device operable to; map between the at least one device and a storage space on the at least one storage device; and control access from the at least one device to the at least one storage device using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the map. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices, comprising:
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mapping between a device connected to a first transport medium and a storage device connected to a second transport medium, wherein the first transport medium and the second transport medium operate according to a Fibre Channel protocol; implementing access controls for storage space on the storage device; and allowing access from the device connected to the first transport medium to the storage device using native low level, block protocols. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for providing virtual local storage, comprising:
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a host device; a storage device remote from the host device, wherein the storage device has a storage space; a first controller; a second controller a first transport medium operable according to a Fibre Channel protocol, wherein the first transport medium connects the host device to the first controller; a second transport medium operable according to the Fibre Channel protocol, wherein the second transport medium connects the second controller to the storage device; a supervisor unit coupled to the first controller and the second controller, the supervisor unit operable to; maintain a configuration that maps between the host device and at least a portion of the storage space on the storage device; and implement access controls according to the configuration for the storage space on the storage device using native low level, block protocol. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification