SCSI-based storage area network having a SCSI router that routes traffic between SCSI and IP networks

• US 7,165,258 B1
• Filed: 04/22/2002
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bakke, Mark A., De Groote, Stephen P., Kuik, Timothy J., Johnson, Craig A., Haapala, Clayton Stuart, Thompson, David Patrick, Muchow, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim; Krisna
• Application Number:
  US10/128,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 719/326, 719/327, 710/11, 710/62, 710/72, 710/305, 370/466, 370/467
• US Class Current: 719/326
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A system and method for accessing Storage Area Networks over an IP network. A SCSI request is generated and encapsulated in one or more IP packets. The encapsulated SCSI request is routed over an IP network and received by a storage router. The storage router extracts the SCSI request from the one or more IP packets and routes the extracted SCSI request through a virtual SCSI router to the storage area network.

Claims

1. A storage router, comprising:

a management module having a management interface, wherein the management interface receives commands and wherein the management module configures the storage router as a function of the received commands;

an IP network interface;

a SCSI network interface for connecting to a network running a SCSI protocol; and

a SCSI router, wherein the SCSI router receives encapsulated SCSI packets from the IP network interface, extracts the SCSI packet from the encapsulated SCSI packet and forwards the SCSI packet to the SCSI network interface,

wherein the SCSI router maps physical storage devices to iSCSI targets.

2. The storage router of claim 1, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a Fibre Channel interface.

3. The storage router of claim 1, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a parallel SCSI interface.

4. The storage router of claim 1, wherein the SCSI network interface includes an iSCSI interface.

5. The storage router of claim 1, wherein the management module includes a high availability interface.

6. The storage router of claim 1, wherein the management interface receives commands via the IP network interface.

7. A storage router, comprising:

a management module having a management interface, wherein the management interface receives commands and wherein the management module configures the storage router as a function of the received commands;

an IP network interface;

a SCSI network interface for connecting to a network running a SCSI protocol; and

a plurality of virtual SCSI routers, wherein each virtual SCSI router receives encapsulated SCSI packets from the IP network interface, extracts the SCSI packet from the encapsulated SCSI packet and forwards the SCSI packet to the SCSI network interface;

wherein each virtual SCSI router maps physical storage devices to iSCSI targets.

8. The storage router of claim 7, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a Fibre Channel interface.

9. The storage router of claim 7, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a parallel SCSI interface.

10. The storage router of claim 7, wherein the SCSI network interface includes an iSCSI interface.

11. The storage router of claim 7, wherein the management module includes a high availability interface.

12. The storage router of claim 7, wherein the management interface receives commands via the IP network interface.

13. A computer system, comprising:

an IP network;

a computer connected to the IP network;

a storage router, wherein the storage router includes;

a management module having a management interface, wherein the management interface receives commands and wherein the management module configures the storage router as a function of the received commands;

an IP network interface;

a SCSI network interface for connecting to a network running a SCSI protocol; and

a virtual SCSI router, wherein the virtual SCSI router receives encapsulated SCSI packets from the IP network interface, extracts the SCSI packet from the encapsulated SCSI packet and forwards the SCSI packet to the SCSI network interface;

wherein each virtual SCSI router maps physical storage devices to iSCSI targets.

14. The storage router of claim 13, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a Fibre Channel interface.

15. The storage router of claim 13, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a parallel SCSI interface.

16. The storage router of claim 13, wherein the SCSI network interface includes an iSCSI interface.

17. The storage router of claim 13, wherein the management module includes a high availability interface.

18. The storage router of claim 13, wherein the management interface receives commands via the IP network interface.

19. A method of accessing data stored on a storage network, comprising:

generating a SCSI request;

encapsulating the SCSI request in one or more IP packets;

routing the encapsulated SCSI request over an IP network;

receiving the encapsulated SCSI request;

extracting the SCSI request from the one or more IP packets; and

routing the SCSI request through a virtual SCSI router to the storage network, wherein routing includes mapping physical storage devices to iSCSI targets.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein receiving the encapsulated SCSI request includes verifying that the encapsulated SCSI request was received at a predefined IP network interface.

21. A storage router system having a plurality of storage routers, wherein each storage router comprises:

a management module having a management interface, wherein the management interface includes a high availability interface and wherein the management interface receives commands and wherein the management module configures the storage router as a function of the received commands;

an IP network interface;

a SCSI network interface for connecting to a network running a SCSI protocol; and

a SCSI router, wherein the SCSI router receives encapsulated SCSI packets from the IP network interface, extracts the SCSI packet from the encapsulated SCSI packet and forwards the SCSI packet to the SCSI network interface;

wherein the high availability interface of each storage router is communicatively connected to the high availability interface of each of the other storage routers; and

wherein the SCSI router maps physical storage devices to iSCSI targets.

22. The storage router system of claim 21, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a Fibre Channel interface.

23. The storage router system of claim 21, wherein the SCSI network interface includes a parallel SCSI interface.

24. The storage router system of claim 21, wherein the SCSI network interface includes an iSCSI interface.

25. The storage router system of claim 21, wherein the management module includes a high availability interface.

26. The storage router system of claim 21, wherein the management interface receives commands via the IP network interface.