Network-attached storage system, device, and method supporting multiple storage device types
First Claim
1. A method for supporting storage devices having different storage device types by a network storage server in a network-attached storage system, the method comprising:
- maintaining a set of management rules for each of a plurality of dedicated storage devices that are in communication with the network storage server using a disk control protocol, the plurality of dedicated storage devices being of a plurality of storage device types, each dedicated storage device of a different storage device type having a different set of management rules; and
managing each dedicated storage device using the set of management rules for that dedicated storage device and storage device type wherein such managing includes sending disk control protocol messages to the dedicated storage devices at least some of the disk control protocol messages formatted differently for different dedicated storage devices according to the set of management rules for each dedicated storage device and storage device type.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network-attached system, device, and method supports storage devices having a plurality of storage device types, such as Fibre Channel storage devices, ATA storage devices, serial attached SCSI storage devices, serial ATA storage devices, and solid stage storage devices. Each storage device having a different storage device type is associated with a set of management rules. The management rules may includes rules for such things as identifying the dedicated storage device, configuring the dedicated storage device, sending disk protocol messages to the dedicated storage device, handling disk protocol message received from the dedicated storage device, and handling error and exception conditions.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for supporting storage devices having different storage device types by a network storage server in a network-attached storage system, the method comprising:
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maintaining a set of management rules for each of a plurality of dedicated storage devices that are in communication with the network storage server using a disk control protocol, the plurality of dedicated storage devices being of a plurality of storage device types, each dedicated storage device of a different storage device type having a different set of management rules; and managing each dedicated storage device using the set of management rules for that dedicated storage device and storage device type wherein such managing includes sending disk control protocol messages to the dedicated storage devices at least some of the disk control protocol messages formatted differently for different dedicated storage devices according to the set of management rules for each dedicated storage device and storage device type. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for supporting storage devices having different storage device types by a network storage server in a network-attached storage system, the method comprising:
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maintaining a set of management rules for each of a plurality of dedicated storage devices that are in communication with the network storage server using a disk control protocol, the plurality of dedicated storage devices being of a plurality of storage device types, each dedicated storage device of a different storage device type having a different set of management rules, each dedicated storage device of a different storage device type also having a maximum queue size; and managing each dedicated storage device using the set of management rules for that dedicated storage device and storage device type, wherein such managing includes determining a number of disk control protocol messages that can be queued to each dedicated storage device according to the set of management rules for each dedicated storage device and storage device type. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for supporting storage devices having different storage device types in a network-attached storage system, the apparatus comprising:
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a set of management rules for each of a plurality of dedicated storage devices, the plurality of dedicated storage devices being of a plurality of storage device types, each dedicated storage device of a different storage device type having a different set of management rules; and a disk controller adapted to manage each dedicated storage device using the set of management rules for that dedicated storage device and storage device type, wherein such managing includes sending disk control protocol messages to the dedicated storage devices, at least some of the disk control protocol messages formatted differently for different dedicated storage devices according to the set of management rules for each dedicated storage device and storage device type. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. Apparatus for supporting storage devices having different storage device types in a network-attached storage system, the apparatus comprising:
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a set of management rules for each of a plurality of dedicated storage devices, the plurality of dedicated storage devices being of a plurality of storage device types, each dedicated storage device of a different storage device type having a different set of management rules; and a disk controller adapted to manage each dedicated storage device using the set of management rules for that dedicated storage device and storage device type, wherein such managing includes determining a number of disk control protocol messages that can be queued to each dedicated storage device according to the set of management rules for each dedicated storage device and storage device type. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification