Adapted disk drives executing instructions for I/O command processing

• US 7,698,526 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServStor Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ludwig, Thomas, Babbitt, William, Hanan, Thomas, Frank, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hiep T
• Application Number:
  US11/243,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4616 LAN interconnection over a LAN backbone
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Communication protocols, systems, and methods that facilitate communication between disaggregated elements, and also to devices adapted to function as such disaggregated elements, particularly across peer-to-peer (masterless) and include one or more unique features such as packet atomicity, blind ACKs, NAT bridging, locking, multicast spanning and mirroring, and authentication.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at an interface of a storage device, an allocation request from a client device, the allocation request included within a first packet addressed to a first network address that corresponds to the interface;

allocating a partition of the storage device to the client device based at least in part on the allocation request;

associating a second network address with the partition;

receiving, from the client device, a command within a second packet addressed to the second network address;

authenticating the command; and

implementing actions with respect to the partition based at least in part on said receiving and authenticating of the command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the client device, a third packet including a name resolution request and an identifier that is different than the second network address, the identifier being associated with the partition; and

responding, to the client device, with the second network address based at least in part on said receiving of the third packet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifier is included in the first packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is a transfer command, the second packet includes a data portion, and said implementing actions comprises:

replacing contents of the partition with contents of the data portion independent of any other packets received at the interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said allocating the partition to the client device includes restricting access of the partition to the client device or a device authorized by the client device, the command is a release command, and said implementing actions comprises:

ceasing said restricting access of the partition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is a request lock command and said implementing actions comprises:

transferring contents of the partition; and

subsequent to said transferring contents, preventing access to the partition until a transfer command is received from the client device, a request command is received from the client device, or a time out occurs.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an allocation request from a client device via a network, the allocation request included within a first packet addressed to a first network address;

means for allocating a partition of a storage device to the client device based at least in part on the allocation request;

means for associating a second network address with the partition;

means for receiving, from the client device via the network, a command within a second packet addressed to the second network address;

means for authenticating the command; and

means for implementing actions with respect to the partition based at least in part on the authenticated command.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

means for receiving, from the client device via the network, a third packet including a name resolution request and an identifier that is different than the second network address, the identifier being associated with the partition; and

means for responding, to the client device, with the second network address based at least in part on the third packet.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said identifier is included in the first packet.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the command is a transfer command, the second packet is a transfer packet that includes a data portion, and said means for implementing actions comprises:

means for replacing contents of the partition with contents of the data portion independent of any other received transfer packets.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device including a storage medium; and

a circuit coupled to the device and configured to

receive, via a network, an allocation request from a client device, the allocation request included within a first packet addressed to a first network address that corresponds to the circuit;

allocate a discrete area of the storage medium to the client device based at least in part on the allocation request;

associate a second network address with the discrete area;

receive, from the client device, a command within a second packet addressed to the second network address;

authenticate the command; and

implement actions with respect to the discrete area based at least in part on the command.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuit is further configured to

receive, from the client device, a third packet including a name resolution request and an identifier associated with the discrete area;

and

respond, to the client device, with the second network address based at least in part on the name resolution request of the third packet.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the identifier is included in the first packet.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the command is a transfer command, the second packet is a transfer packet that includes a data portion, and the circuit is configured to implement actions by being configured to:

replace contents of the discrete area with contents of the data portion independent of any other received transfer packets.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuit is configured to allocate the discrete area to the client device by being configured to restrict access of the storage area to the client device or a device authorized by the client device, the command is a release command, and the circuit is configured to implement actions by being configured to cease said restriction of access of the discrete area.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the command is a request lock command and the circuit is configured to implement actions by being configured to:

transfer contents of the partition; and

subsequent to said transfer of contents, prevent access to the partition until a transfer command is received from the client device, a request command is received from the client device, or a time out occurs.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the storage device is a hard drive and the circuit is integrated with the hard drive.