Indexing device and method for data storage system

• US 7,831,741 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2008
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Promise Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Promise Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Yu Ming, Lin, Wu Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz; Tariq
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vidwan; Jasjit S
• Application Number:
  US12/060,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 709/216, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/238, 710/3, 710/4, 710/5, 711/100, 711/101
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system

Abstract

The invention discloses an indexing device for a data storage system which comprises a plurality of data storage devices. The indexing device generates an I/O descriptor index number according to a target data storage device, where the I/O descriptor index number corresponds to a device ID number and a queued command tag number. After receiving from the target data storage device an information packet containing the queued command tag number and a second connection request data frame including the device ID number, the indexing device can calculate the I/O descriptor index number according to the device ID number and the queued command tag number.

Claims

1. An indexing device for a data storage system which comprises a plurality of data storage devices, the indexing device comprising:

a memory module;

an I/O processing module, according to a target data storage device, for generating an I/O descriptor and an I/O descriptor index number corresponding to the I/O descriptor, wherein the I/O descriptor index number is corresponding to a device ID number and a queued command tag number of the target data storage device, the I/O processing module storing the I/O descriptor in the memory module, wherein the target data storage device is capable of buffering N queued I/O commands, where N is a positive integer, and the queued command tag number is an integer between 0 and N−

1; and

a controller module for generating an I/O command by retrieving the I/O descriptor from the memory module and transmitting the I/O command to the target data storage device;

wherein after receiving from the target data storage device an information packet with the queued command tag number and a second connection request data frame with the device ID number, the controller module calculates the I/O descriptor index number by multiplying the device ID number by N and adding the queued command tag number.

2. The indexing device of claim 1, wherein the controller module sends a first connection request data frame with the device ID number to the target data storage device, so as to establish a first connection between the controller module and the target data storage device, and then transmits the I/0 command to the target data storage device via the first connection.

3. The indexing device of claim 1, wherein the target data storage device transmits the second connection request data frame to the controller module, so as to establish a second connection between the controller module and the target data storage device, and transmits an I/O response corresponding to the I/O command to the controller module via the second connection.

4. The indexing device of claim 1, wherein the data storage system is a SAS data storage system.

5. The indexing device of claim 1, wherein the data storage devices are connected to the controller module by at least one SAS expander.

6. The indexing device of claim 1, wherein each of the data storage devices is either a SAS data storage device or a SATA data storage device.

7. The indexing device of claim 1, wherein the target data storage device is a SATA data storage device.

8. The indexing device of claim 1, wherein the target data storage device has a native command queuing function.

9. An indexing method for a data storage system, which comprises a plurality of data storage devices, the indexing method comprising steps of:

(a) according to a target data storage device, generating an I/O descriptor and an I/O descriptor index number corresponding to the I/O descriptor, wherein the I/O descriptor index number is corresponding to a device ID number and a queued command tag number of the target data storage device, wherein the target data storage device is capable of buffering N queued I/O commands, where N is a positive integer, and the queued command tag number is an integer between 0 and N−

1;

(b) storing the I/O descriptor;

(c) retrieving the I/O descriptor to generate an I/O command;

(d) transmitting the I/O command to the target data storage device;

(e) receiving, from the target data storage device, an information packet with the queued command tag number and a second connection request data frame with the device ID number; and

(f) calculating the I/O descriptor index number by multiplying the device ID number by N and adding the queued command tag number.

10. The indexing method of claim 9, wherein step (d) comprises steps of:

transmitting a first connection request data frame with the device ID number to the target data storage device, so as to establish a first connection; and

transmitting the I/0 command to the target data storage device via the first connection.

11. The indexing method of claim 9, wherein the second connection request data frame is used for establishing a second connection, and an I/O response corresponding to the I/O command is received from the target storage device via the second connection.

12. The indexing method of claim 9, wherein the data storage system is a SAS data storage system.

13. The indexing method of claim 9, wherein each of the data storage devices is either a SAS data storage device or a SATA data storage device.

14. The indexing method of claim 9, wherein the target data storage device is a SATA data storage device.

15. The indexing method of claim 9, wherein the target data storage device has a native command queuing function.