Dual access pathways to serially-connected mass data storage units
First Claim
1. In a mass data storage system, an improvement comprising:
- a first data storage unit to which data storage operations are communicated, the first data storage unit including at least one data storage device which stores data, the first data storage unit including first and second interfaces to communicate the data storage operations to each data storage device of the first data storage unit;
a second data storage unit to which data storage operations are communicated, the second data storage unit including at least one data storage device which stores data, the second data storage unit including first and second interfaces to communicate the data storage operations to each data storage device of the second data storage unit;
a first filer which manages data storage operations of the first data storage unit, the first filer including first and second adapters for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the first and second data storage units;
a second filer which manages data storage operations of the second data storage unit, the second filer including first and second adapters for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the first and second data storage units;
a first main primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the first filer to the first interface of the first data storage unit;
a first redundant primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the first filer to the second interface of the first data storage unit;
a second main secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the second filer to one of the first or second interfaces of the first data storage unit;
a second redundant secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the second filer to the one of the first or second interfaces of the first data storage unit other than the one interface to which the second main secondary communication pathway connector of the second filer is connected;
a second main primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the second filer to the first interface of the second data storage unit;
a second redundant primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the second filer to the second interface of the second data storage unit;
a first main secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the first filer to one of the first or second interfaces of the second data storage unit; and
a first redundant secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the first filer to the one of the first or second interfaces of the second data storage unit other than the one interface to which the first main secondary communication pathway connector from the first filer is connected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A group of data storage units are serially connected in a sequential data communication path to communicate read and write operations to first and second interfaces of each data storage unit in the group. A data management computer device (“filer”) manages read and write operations of the data storage units of the group through an adapter of the filer. Main and redundant primary communication pathway connectors extend from the filer to the interfaces of the data storage unit, thereby establishing redundancy through multiple pathways to communicate the read and write operations to the data storage units of the group. Main and redundant secondary communication pathway connectors extend from partner filers to the groups of data storage units associated with each partner filer, thereby further enhancing redundancy.
31 Citations
40 Claims
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1. In a mass data storage system, an improvement comprising:
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a first data storage unit to which data storage operations are communicated, the first data storage unit including at least one data storage device which stores data, the first data storage unit including first and second interfaces to communicate the data storage operations to each data storage device of the first data storage unit; a second data storage unit to which data storage operations are communicated, the second data storage unit including at least one data storage device which stores data, the second data storage unit including first and second interfaces to communicate the data storage operations to each data storage device of the second data storage unit; a first filer which manages data storage operations of the first data storage unit, the first filer including first and second adapters for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the first and second data storage units; a second filer which manages data storage operations of the second data storage unit, the second filer including first and second adapters for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the first and second data storage units; a first main primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the first filer to the first interface of the first data storage unit; a first redundant primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the first filer to the second interface of the first data storage unit; a second main secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the second filer to one of the first or second interfaces of the first data storage unit; a second redundant secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the second filer to the one of the first or second interfaces of the first data storage unit other than the one interface to which the second main secondary communication pathway connector of the second filer is connected; a second main primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the second filer to the first interface of the second data storage unit; a second redundant primary communication pathway connector extending from the first adapter of the second filer to the second interface of the second data storage unit; a first main secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the first filer to one of the first or second interfaces of the second data storage unit; and a first redundant secondary communication pathway connector extending from the second adapter of the first filer to the one of the first or second interfaces of the second data storage unit other than the one interface to which the first main secondary communication pathway connector from the first filer is connected. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 38, 39, 40)
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2. In a mass data storage system, an improvement comprising:
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a group of data storage units which are serially connected in a sequential data communication path in which data storage operations are communicated, each data storage unit including at least one data storage device which stores data, each data storage unit including first and second interfaces to communicate the data storage operations to each data storage device of the group; a first filer which manages data storage operations of the data storage units in the group, the first filer including an adapter for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the data storage units in the group; a second filer which also manages data storage operations of data storage units in the group, the second filer including an adapter for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the data storage units in the group; a main primary communication pathway connector extending from the adapter of the first filer to the first interface of one data storage unit in the group; a redundant primary communication pathway connector extending from the adapter of the first filer to one of the first or second interfaces of a data storage unit in the group other than the interface to which the main primary communication pathway connector is connected; a main secondary communication pathway connector extending from the adapter of the second filer to the second interface of one data storage unit in the group; and a redundant secondary communication pathway connector extending from the adapter of the second filer to one of the first or second interfaces of a data storage unit in the group other than the second interface to which the main secondary communication pathway connector is connected. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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17. In a mass data storage system, an improvement comprising:
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a group of data storage units which are serially connected in a sequential data communication path in which data storage operations are communicated, each data storage unit including at least one data storage device which stores data, each data storage unit including first and second interfaces to communicate the data storage operations to each data storage device of the group; a first filer which is operative to manage data storage operations of the data storage units in the group, the first filer including an adapter for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the data storage units in the group; a second filer which is also operative to manage data storage operations of the data storage units in the group, the second filer including an adapter for operatively communicating the data storage operations to the interfaces of the data storage units in the group; a main primary communication pathway connector extending from the adapter of the first filer to the first interface of one data storage unit in the group; a redundant primary communication pathway connector extending from the adapter of the first filer to one of the first or second interfaces of a data storage unit in the group other than the interface to which the main primary communication pathway connector is connected; a main secondary communication pathway connector extending from the adapter of the second filer to the second interface of one data storage unit in the group; and
wherein;the first and second filers are connected to communicate commands to establish one of the first and second filers to manage data storage operations of the data storage units in the group; the first filer communicates signals with each data storage unit in the group over the main and redundant primary communication pathway connectors to determine the integrity of the sequential data communication path to each data storage unit of the group through the main and redundant primary communication pathway connectors; and the first filer commands the second filer to assume management of data storage operations of the data storage units in the group upon determining that the sequential data communication path to each data storage unit of the group through neither of the main and redundant primary communication pathway connectors exists. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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27. A method for enhancing redundancy in communication between at least one data storage unit in a group and a first filer and a second filer in a mass storage system, comprising:
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creating a first serial communication pathway from the first filer with each data storage unit in the group; creating a second serial communication pathway from the first filer with each data storage unit in the group, the second serial communication pathway having at least a portion which is different from the first serial communication pathway; communicating data storage operations over the first serial communication pathway between the first filer and all of the data storage units in the group; detecting a failure in communicating the data storage operations over the first serial communication pathway between the first filer and any data storage unit in the group, and thereafter communicating data storage operations over the second communication pathway between the first filer and the data storage units in the group; creating a third serial communication pathway from the second filer with each data storage unit in the group, the third serial communication pathway having at least a portion which is different from the first and second serial communication pathways; detecting a failure in communicating the data storage operations over the second serial communication pathway between the first filer and any data storage unit in the group, and thereafter communicating data storage operations over the third serial communication pathway between the second filer and the data storage units in the group. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification