Method and apparatus using attached hardware subsystem to communicate between attached hosts
First Claim
1. A method for sending a message comprising:
- transferring a message origination command through a channel from a first attached host to a hardware subsystem which comprises a part of a storage area network and that is bidirectionally coupled to a mass data storage unit, the message origination command having at least one second attached host as an intended recipient;
buffering at least a message payload portion of the message origination command in the hardware subsystem and generating an unsolicited interrupt from the hardware subsystem to the at least one second attached host; and
in response to the generated unsolicited interrupt, transferring a message retrieval command through a channel from the at least one second attached host to the hardware subsystem for retrieving at least the message payload portion buffered at the hardware subsystem,where information regarding disk volumes of the mass data storage unit are dynamically changed by sending the message origination command from the first host as an input/output command.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for sending a message from one host (16) to at least one other host, both of which are attached to a hardware subsystem (12) that is bidirectionally coupled to a mass data storage unit (14) includes (a) transferring a Send Message command through a channel (18) from a first attached host to the hardware subsystem, the Send Message command having at least one second attached host as an intended recipient; (b) buffering (20) at least a message payload portion of the Send Message command at the hardware subsystem and generating an unsolicited interrupt in the at least one second attached host; and (c) in response to the unsolicited interrupt, transferring a Request Message command through a channel from the at least one second attached host to the hardware subsystem for obtaining at least the message payload portion buffered at the hardware subsystem. The Send Message command may be a point-to-point message having a single other attached host as an intended recipient, or it may be a point-to-multipoint message having a plurality of other attached hosts as intended recipients. The hardware subsystem need have no knowledge of the message contents sent between hosts.
27 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for sending a message comprising:
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transferring a message origination command through a channel from a first attached host to a hardware subsystem which comprises a part of a storage area network and that is bidirectionally coupled to a mass data storage unit, the message origination command having at least one second attached host as an intended recipient; buffering at least a message payload portion of the message origination command in the hardware subsystem and generating an unsolicited interrupt from the hardware subsystem to the at least one second attached host; and in response to the generated unsolicited interrupt, transferring a message retrieval command through a channel from the at least one second attached host to the hardware subsystem for retrieving at least the message payload portion buffered at the hardware subsystem, where information regarding disk volumes of the mass data storage unit are dynamically changed by sending the message origination command from the first host as an input/output command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12)
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9. A method for sending a message comprising:
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transferring a message origination command through a channel from a first attached host to the hardware subsystem which comprises a part of a storage area network and that is bidirectionally coupled to a mass data storage unit, the message origination command specifying ones of the plurality of other hosts as an intended recipients; buffering at least a message payload portion of the message origination command at the hardware subsystem and generating an unsolicited interrupt from the hardware subsystem in each of the specified ones of the plurality of other hosts; and in response to the generated unsolicited interrupt, transferring a message retrieval command from each of the specified ones of the plurality of other hosts for retrieving at least the message payload portion buffered at the hardware subsystem, where information regarding disk volumes of the mass data storage unit are dynamically changed by sending the message origination command from the first host as an input/output command. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification