Network storage appliance with integrated redundant servers and storage controllers

• US 7,437,604 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2007
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dot Hill Systems Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Dot Hill Systems Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Davies, Ian Robert, Pecone, Victor Key, Kalwitz, George Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHELL, JOSEPH O
• Application Number:
  US11/673,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 612 Days
• Field of Search: 714/9, 714/10, 714/13, 714/11
• US Class Current: 714/5.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2051 in regular structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device

Abstract

A network storage appliance includes a chassis, enclosing a storage controller and first and second servers. The storage controller has first and second I/O ports for coupling to first and second I/O links. The storage controller controls a plurality of physical disk drives and presents the plurality of physical disk drives as one or more logical disk drives on the first and second I/O links. The servers each have an I/O port for coupling to a respective one of the first and second I/O links. Each of the servers transmits packets to the storage controller over the respective I/O link. The packets include block-level protocol disk commands each identifying one of the logical disk drives, such as SCSI block level protocol commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives as a SCSI logical unit. The I/O links may be FibreChannel, Ethernet, or Infiniband links, for example.

Claims

1. A network storage appliance, comprising:

a chassis, enclosing a storage controller and first and second servers;

said storage controller, having first and second I/O ports for coupling to first and second I/O links, said storage controller configured to control a plurality of physical disk drives and to present said plurality of physical disk drives as one or more logical disk drives on said first and second I/O links;

said first and second servers, each having an I/O port for coupling to a respective one of said first and second I/O links, each of said servers configured to transmit packets to said storage controller over said respective I/O link, said packets including block-level protocol disk commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives;

a backplane, enclosed in said chassis, having a local bus;

a first blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising said first server, a first portion of said storage controller, and said first I/O link coupling said first server to said first portion of said storage controller;

a second blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising said second server, a second portion of said storage controller, and said second I/O link coupling said second server to said second portion of said storage controller;

a third blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising a third portion of said storage controller;

wherein said third portion of said storage controller transfers data to said first and second portions of said storage controller via said local bus, wherein said data is provided by said physical disk drives to said storage controller; and

wherein said first and second portions of said storage controller transfer said data received from said third portion of said storage controller to said respective first and second servers via said respective first and second I/O links.

2. The network storage appliance of claim 1, wherein said block-level protocol disk commands comprise SCSI block level protocol commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives as a SCSI logical unit.

3. The network storage appliance of claim 2, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise a FibreChannel link, wherein said packets comprise FibreChannel packets.

4. The network storage appliance of claim 2, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise an Ethernet link, wherein said packets comprise Ethernet packets.

5. The network storage appliance of claim 2, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise an Infiniband link, wherein said packets comprise Infiniband packets.

6. The network storage appliance of claim 1, wherein said first and second servers are redundant active-active servers.

7. The network storage appliance of claim 1, wherein said storage controller comprises a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) controller.

8. The network storage appliance of claim 1, wherein said first and second servers are configured to execute a storage software application.

9. The network storage appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector, affixed on the storage appliance, for enabling devices external to said chassis to access said storage controller, wherein said devices external to said chassis comprise computers configured to transmit packets to said storage controller over an I/O link, said packets including block-level protocol disk commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives.

10. A network storage appliance, comprising:

a chassis, enclosing first and second storage controllers and first and second servers;

said first and second storage controllers, each having first and second I/O ports for coupling to first and second I/O links, each of said storage controllers configured to control a plurality of physical disk drives and to present said plurality of physical disk drives as one or more logical disk drives on said first and second I/O links;

said first and second servers, each having first and second I/O ports, said first server I/O ports for coupling to said respective first I/O link coupled to said first and second storage controllers, and said second server I/O ports for coupling to said respective second I/O link coupled to said first and second storage controllers, each of said servers configured to transmit to said storage controllers over said respective I/O links block-level disk commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives;

a backplane, enclosed in said chassis, having a local bus;

a first blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising said first server, a first portion of said first storage controller and a first portion of said second storage controller;

a second blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising said second server, a second portion of said first storage controller and a second portion of said second storage controller;

a third blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising a third portion of said first storage controller, wherein said first, second, and third portions of said first storage controller transfer data between said logical disk drives and said first and second servers via said local bus; and

a fourth blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising a third portion of said second storage controller, wherein said first, second, and third portions of said second storage controller transfer data between said logical disk drives and said first and second servers via said local bus.

11. The network storage appliance of claim 10, wherein said block-level protocol disk commands comprise SCSI block level protocol commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives as a SCSI logical unit.

12. The network storage appliance of claim 11, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise a FibreChannel link, wherein said packets comprise FibreChannel packets.

13. The network storage appliance of claim 11, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise an Ethernet link, wherein said packets comprise Ethernet packets.

14. The network storage appliance of claim 11, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise an Infiniband link, wherein said packets comprise Infiniband packets.

15. A network storage appliance, comprising:

a chassis;

a backplane, enclosed in said chassis, having a local bus;

a first blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising a server, a first portion of a storage controller, and an I/O link coupling said server and said first portion of said storage controller; and

a second blade, enclosed in said chassis and coupled to said backplane, comprising a second portion of said storage controller, said second portion of said storage controller configured to control a plurality of logical storage units;

wherein said server is configured to transmit packets to said first portion of said storage controller over said I/O link, said packets including block-level protocol disk commands each identifying one of said logical storage units, wherein said first portion of said storage controller is configured to forward said block-level protocol disk commands to said second portion of said storage controller via said local bus.

16. The network storage appliance of claim 15, wherein said block-level protocol disk commands comprise SCSI block level protocol commands each identifying one of said logical storage units as a SCSI logical unit.

17. The network storage appliance of claim 16, wherein said I/O link comprises a FibreChannel link, wherein said packets comprise FibreChannel packets.

18. The network storage appliance of claim 16, wherein said I/O link comprises an Ethernet link, wherein said packets comprise Ethernet packets.

19. The network storage appliance of claim 16, wherein said I/O link comprises an Infiniband link, wherein said packets comprise Infiniband packets.

20. A network storage appliance, comprising:

a chassis, enclosing a storage controller and first and second servers;

said storage controller, having first and second I/O ports for coupling to first and second I/O links, said storage controller configured to control a plurality of physical disk drives and to present said plurality of physical disk drives as one or more logical disk drives on said first and second I/O links;

said first and second servers, each having an I/O port for coupling to a respective one of said first and second I/O links, each of said servers configured to transmit packets to said storage controller over said respective I/O link, said packets including block-level protocol disk commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives; and

a connector, affixed on the storage appliance, for enabling devices external to said chassis to access said storage controller, wherein said devices external to said chassis comprise computers configured to transmit packets to said storage controller over an I/O link, said packets including block-level protocol disk commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives.

21. The network storage appliance of claim 20, wherein said block-level protocol disk commands comprise SCSI block level protocol commands each identifying one of said logical disk drives as a SCSI logical unit.

22. The network storage appliance of claim 21, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise a FibreChannel link, wherein said packets comprise FibreChannel packets.

23. The network storage appliance of claim 21, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise an Ethernet link, wherein said packets comprise Ethernet packets.

24. The network storage appliance of claim 21, wherein said first and second I/O links each comprise an Infiniband link, wherein said packets comprise Infiniband packets.

25. The network storage appliance of claim 20, wherein said first and second servers are redundant active-active servers.

26. The network storage appliance of claim 20, wherein said storage controller comprises a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) controller.

27. The network storage appliance of claim 22, wherein said first and second servers are configured to execute a storage software application.