Apparatus and methods for operating a computer storage system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer system comprising:
- a host domain including a host computer; and
a storage domain coupled to the host domain through one or more communication links, the storage domain comprising;
a plurality of primary storage devices for the host domain, at least one of the primary storage devices to provide storage for the host computer;
a secondary storage device to provide backup storage for the host computer; and
a network, separate from each of the one or more communication links that couple the storage domain to the host domain, that couples the plurality of primary storage devices to the secondary storage device to permit one of the primary storage devices to access the secondary storage device through the network without using any of the one or more communication links that couple the storage domain to the host domain so that communication between the plurality of primary storage devices and the secondary storage device can occur over the network simultaneously with communication between the host domain and the storage domain through the one or more communication links.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for a computer system including host computers and storage elements. The host computers may be configured into a host domain and the storage elements configured into a storage domain. The storage domain includes a plurality of primary storage devices and a secondary storage device. The secondary storage device may be coupled to a plurality of the primary storage devices through a network. In another embodiment, the secondary storage device may send and receive information from a heterogeneous set of host computers. In another embodiment, connections for transfer of data onto the secondary storage element are created automatically.
342 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer system comprising:
-
a host domain including a host computer; and a storage domain coupled to the host domain through one or more communication links, the storage domain comprising; a plurality of primary storage devices for the host domain, at least one of the primary storage devices to provide storage for the host computer; a secondary storage device to provide backup storage for the host computer; and a network, separate from each of the one or more communication links that couple the storage domain to the host domain, that couples the plurality of primary storage devices to the secondary storage device to permit one of the primary storage devices to access the secondary storage device through the network without using any of the one or more communication links that couple the storage domain to the host domain so that communication between the plurality of primary storage devices and the secondary storage device can occur over the network simultaneously with communication between the host domain and the storage domain through the one or more communication links. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A computer system comprising:
-
a heterogeneous plurality of host computers including at least a first host computer comprising a first platform and a second host computer comprising a second platform different from the first platform; a plurality of primary storage devices to receive and store data, each primary storage device being associated with at least one of the host computers; a secondary storage device coupled to at least some of the plurality of primary storage devices, the secondary storage device being configured to receive and store backup data from each of the first and second host computers; and a single backup controller capable of backing up data stored from both the first and second host computers on the plurality of primary storage devices to the secondary storage device, wherein the data stored from the first host computer on the plurality of primary storage devices has a first format established by the first platform and the data stored from the second host computer on the plurality of primary storage devices has a second format established by the second platform. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification