Methods and apparatus for forwarding access requests in a content addressable computer system
First Claim
1. A method of processing an input/output (I/O) request in a computer system comprising a first content addressable storage (CAS) system and a second CAS system that each processes content units using content addresses, wherein the content address for each one of the content units is generated based, at least in part, on content of the one of the content units that is to be provided when the one of the content units is read from one of the CAS systems, the method comprising acts of:
- (a) receiving the I/O request at the first CAS system, the I/O request seeking access to at least one content unit;
(b) determining whether the I/O request is to be processed by the first CAS system or the second CAS system; and
(c) when it is determined in the act (b) that the I/O request is to be processed by the second CAS system, forwarding the I/O request to the second CAS system.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for receiving an input/output (I/O) request from a host computer that specifies an operation to be performed on a content addressable storage (CAS) system and determining which operation is specified by the request before receipt of the I/O request by a content addressable storage system. In another embodiment, an I/O request from a host computer is received by a first CAS which determines if the request is to be processed by another CAS system. When it is determined that the request is to be processed by another CAS system, the first CAS system may forward the request to the other CAS system. In another embodiment, an appliance receives an I/O request from a host computer to perform an operation that accesses a unit of content. The appliance may set up a communication session between the host and a CAS system so that the unit of content may be transmitted between the host and the CAS system without passing through the appliance.
-
Citations
108 Claims
-
1. A method of processing an input/output (I/O) request in a computer system comprising a first content addressable storage (CAS) system and a second CAS system that each processes content units using content addresses, wherein the content address for each one of the content units is generated based, at least in part, on content of the one of the content units that is to be provided when the one of the content units is read from one of the CAS systems, the method comprising acts of:
-
(a) receiving the I/O request at the first CAS system, the I/O request seeking access to at least one content unit; (b) determining whether the I/O request is to be processed by the first CAS system or the second CAS system; and (c) when it is determined in the act (b) that the I/O request is to be processed by the second CAS system, forwarding the I/O request to the second CAS system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. At least one computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on a computer system, perform a method of processing an input/output (I/O) request, wherein the computer system comprises a first content addressable storage (CAS) system and a second CAS system that each processes content units using content addresses, wherein the content address for each one of the content units is generated based, at least in part, on content of the one of the content units that is to be provided when the one of the content units is read from one of the CAS systems, and wherein the method comprises acts of:
-
(a) in response to receipt of the I/O request at the first CAS system, the I/O request seeking access to at least one content unit, determining whether the I/O request is to be processed by the first CAS system or the second CAS system; and (b) when it is determined in the act (a) that the I/O request is to be processed by the second CAS system, forwarding the I/O request to the second CAS system. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
-
-
73. A first content addressable storage (CAS) system for use in a computer system that comprises the first content addressable storage system and a second CAS system, each of which processes content units using content addresses, wherein the content address for each one of the content units is generated based, at least in part, on content of the one of the content units that is to be provided when the one of the content units is read from one of the CAS systems, and wherein the first content addressable storage system comprises:
-
at least one storage device; and
;a controller, coupled to the at least one storage device, that, in response to receipt of an I/O request seeking access to at least one content unit; determines whether the I/O request is to be processed by the first CAS system or the second CAS system; and when it determines that the I/O request is to be processed by the second CAS system, forwards the I/O request to the second CAS system. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
-
Specification