Network storage appliance with an integrated switch
First Claim
1. A network storage appliance, comprising:
- first and second I/O controllers, each having I/O ports, wherein said first and second I/O controllers are affixed on a first hot-pluggable field replaceable unit (FRU), wherein said first and second I/O controllers are configured to receive I/O requests from at least one host computer;
first and second microprocessors, coupled to said first and second I/O controllers, respectively, wherein said first and second microprocessors are affixed on hot-pluggable second and third FRUs, respectively, configured to initially control first and second sets of storage devices via said first and second I/O controllers, respectively, wherein said first and second microprocessors are configured to process said I/O requests received from said first and second I/O controllers, wherein if one of said microprocessors detects a failure of the other, the non-failed microprocessor controls both said first and second sets of storage devices; and
a switching device, affixed on said first FRU, said switching device comprising I/O ports coupled to said first and second I/O controller I/O ports and to I/O ports of said first and second sets of storage devices, said switching device configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said first and second I/O controller I/O ports and said first and second sets of storage device I/O ports.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network storage appliance including one or more integrated switching devices is disclosed. The appliance includes redundant storage controllers that transfer frames of data between storage devices and host computers. The integrated switching devices include a plurality of I/O ports and a data transfer path between each of the I/O ports for providing simultaneous data transfers between multiple pairs thereof. The switches enable the appliance to simultaneously transfer frames between its I/O ports and storage device I/O ports and/or host I/O ports, thereby providing increased data transfer bandwidth over arbitrated loop configurations. Additionally, the switches are intelligent and may be programmed to achieve improved fault isolation. The appliance may also include servers that include I/O ports coupled to the switches for simultaneously transferring data with the storage controllers and/or I/O ports of devices external to the appliance.
132 Citations
69 Claims
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1. A network storage appliance, comprising:
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first and second I/O controllers, each having I/O ports, wherein said first and second I/O controllers are affixed on a first hot-pluggable field replaceable unit (FRU), wherein said first and second I/O controllers are configured to receive I/O requests from at least one host computer; first and second microprocessors, coupled to said first and second I/O controllers, respectively, wherein said first and second microprocessors are affixed on hot-pluggable second and third FRUs, respectively, configured to initially control first and second sets of storage devices via said first and second I/O controllers, respectively, wherein said first and second microprocessors are configured to process said I/O requests received from said first and second I/O controllers, wherein if one of said microprocessors detects a failure of the other, the non-failed microprocessor controls both said first and second sets of storage devices; and a switching device, affixed on said first FRU, said switching device comprising I/O ports coupled to said first and second I/O controller I/O ports and to I/O ports of said first and second sets of storage devices, said switching device configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said first and second I/O controller I/O ports and said first and second sets of storage device I/O ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A network storage appliance, comprising:
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first and second I/O controllers, each having I/O ports, wherein said first and second I/O controllers are affixed on a first hot-pluggable field replaceable unit (FRU), wherein said first and second I/O controllers are configured to receive I/O requests from at least one host computer; first and second microprocessors, coupled to said first and second I/O controllers, respectively, wherein said first and second microprocessors are affixed on hot-pluggable second and third FRUs, respectively, wherein said first and second microprocessors are configured to receive from said first and second I/O controllers said I/O requests received from said at least one host computer, wherein said first and second microprocessors are configured to process said I/O requests received from said first and second I/O controllers, wherein if one of said microprocessors detects a failure of the other, the non-failed microprocessor processes said I/O requests; and a switching device, affixed on said first FRU, said switching device comprising I/O ports coupled to said first and second I/O controller I/O ports and to I/O ports of said at least one host computer, said switching device configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said first and second I/O controller I/O ports and said at least one host computer I/O ports. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A network storage appliance, comprising:
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at least two redundant active-active storage controllers, wherein each of said at least two redundant active-active storage controllers is a hot-pluggable field replaceable unit (FRU), each of said at least two hot-pluggable FRU storage controllers comprising; an I/O controller, having I/O ports; a microprocessor, coupled to said I/O controller, configured to control storage devices via said I/O controller; a switching device, coupled to said I/O controller, comprising I/O ports coupled to said I/O controller I/O ports and to I/O ports of said storage devices, configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said I/O controller I/O ports and said storage device I/O ports; a second I/O controller, coupled to said microprocessor, having I/O ports for receiving I/O requests from at least one host computer, wherein said microprocessor is configured to process said I/O requests received from said at least one host computer; and a second switching device, having I/O ports, coupled to said second I/O controller ports and to said at least one host computer I/O ports, wherein said switching device is configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said second I/O controller I/O ports and said at least one host computer I/O ports. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A network storage appliance, comprising:
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at least two redundant active-active storage controllers, wherein each of said at least two redundant active-active storage controllers is a hot-pluggable field replaceable unit (FRU), each of said at least two hot-pluggable FRU storage controllers comprising; an I/O controller, having I/O ports; a microprocessor, coupled to said I/O controller, configured to process I/O requests received from at least one host computer via said I/O controller; a switching device, comprising I/O ports coupled to said I/O controller I/O ports and to I/O ports of said at least one host computer, configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said I/O controller I/O ports and said at least one host computer I/O ports; a second I/O controller, coupled to said microprocessor, having I/O ports, wherein said microprocessor is configured to control storage devices via said second I/O controller; and a second switching device, having I/O ports, coupled to said second I/O controller ports and to I/O ports of said storage devices, wherein said switching device is configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said second I/O controller I/O ports and said storage device I/O ports. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A network storage appliance, comprising:
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a chassis, wherein the chassis is a field replaceable unit (FRU); first and second I/O controllers comprising respective first and second I/O ports wherein respective first and second storage controllers comprise said first and second I/O controllers, wherein said first and second I/O controllers are enclosed in said chassis FRU, wherein each of said first and second storage controllers is configured to control a plurality of storage devices; a server, enclosed in said chassis FRU, comprising a third I/O port; an I/O connector, affixed on said chassis FRU, for coupling to a fourth I/O port of a host computer, wherein said fourth I/O port is external to said chassis FRU and not comprised in the storage appliance, wherein the first and second I/O controllers are configured to receive I/O requests through said I/O connector from said host computer, wherein respective first and second microprocessors of the first and second storage controllers are configured to process said I/O requests received from said I/O controllers; and a switching device, enclosed in said chassis FRU, configured to simultaneously transfer frames between said first I/O port and one of said third and fourth I/O ports and between said second I/O port and the other of said third and fourth I/O ports. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification