System and method for associating a network address with a storage device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- configuring a cluster from a plurality of servers each server of the plurality of servers managing one or more storage devices;
assigning an IP address to each storage device,connecting a storage device, having an assigned IP address to a first server of the plurality of servers, said first server managing said storage device;
connecting the remaining storage devices, having assigned IP addresses, to a second server, said second server managing the remaining storage devices;
storing a first table on each storage device, storing an association between the IP address and a logical name said logical name describing a set of network interface controllers that the IP address of the storage device should be advertised over, and the first table is stored in a predetermined location on the storage device that is accessible by other servers connected to the network, and wherein the logical name describing the set of network interface controllers is a group set by an administrator for assigning network interface controllers to a certain group of clients;
storing a second table on the first server, storing an association between the logical name and one or more network interface controllers;
advertising the IP address of the storage device over appropriate network interface controllers of the first server; and
configuring one or more clients, to address data access requests to a storage device using the IP address of the storage device, that relates to the logical name being accessed by said client.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for associating a network address with a volume, individual disk or collection of disks in a network storage system. Identifying information is stored on each volume or disk so that a file server can map a network address to a MAC address associated with a particular network interface controller of a file server. Input/output operations directed to the network address associated with a particular volume or disk is directed to the file server that is currently managing that volume or disk. In a system utilizing these address associated volumes, the name and address of data does not change as different file servers manage a particular volume or disk.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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configuring a cluster from a plurality of servers each server of the plurality of servers managing one or more storage devices; assigning an IP address to each storage device, connecting a storage device, having an assigned IP address to a first server of the plurality of servers, said first server managing said storage device; connecting the remaining storage devices, having assigned IP addresses, to a second server, said second server managing the remaining storage devices; storing a first table on each storage device, storing an association between the IP address and a logical name said logical name describing a set of network interface controllers that the IP address of the storage device should be advertised over, and the first table is stored in a predetermined location on the storage device that is accessible by other servers connected to the network, and wherein the logical name describing the set of network interface controllers is a group set by an administrator for assigning network interface controllers to a certain group of clients; storing a second table on the first server, storing an association between the logical name and one or more network interface controllers; advertising the IP address of the storage device over appropriate network interface controllers of the first server; and configuring one or more clients, to address data access requests to a storage device using the IP address of the storage device, that relates to the logical name being accessed by said client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system, comprising:
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a plurality of servers connected together to form a cluster; a plurality of storage devices, each storage device having an assigned IP address; a storage device connected to a first server of the plurality of servers, the storage device configured to store a first table, said first table storing an association between the IP address of the storage device and a logical name, said logical name describing a set of network interface controllers that the IP address of the storage device should be advertised over; a first server configured to store a second table, said second table storing an association between the logical name and one or more network interface controllers of the first server; and the first server further configured to advertise the IP address of the storage device over appropriate network interface controllers of the first server; and a client configured to request access to the storage device using the IP address of the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising computer executable instructions in a computer readable medium for managing a clustered storage system, the system comprising:
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means for configuring a cluster from a plurality of servers, and a plurality of storage devices, the storage devices containing data that is accessible to one or more clients; means for assigning an IP address to each storage device; means for connecting one or more storage devices, each being assigned an IP address, to a first server; means for connecting the remaining storage devices, each being assigned its own IP address, with a second server, said first and second servers each having access to the other servers storage devices; means for configuring said first server with two or more network interface controllers, each controller being assigned to a group having a logical name; means for configuring said second server with two or more network interface controllers, each controller being assigned to a group having a logical name; memory means for storing a first table on each storage device, said first table for storing an association between respective IP addresses of each storage device and logical name describing a set of network interface controllers that IP addresses of the storage device should be advertised over; memory means for storing a second table on the first server, said second table for string an association between each the logical name and one or more network interface controllers; means for advertising the IP address of one or more storage devices over one or more network interface controllers; and means for configuring one or more clients to address data access requests to storage devices, using the IP address of the storage devices.
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Specification