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Virtualization in a storage system

  • US 7,864,758 B1
  • Filed: 01/18/2002
  • Issued: 01/04/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for use in a switch in a storage network, comprising:

  • receiving a packet at an ingress port of an ingress linecard, said packet destined for a virtual target with a virtual target address, the packet associated with a request;

    adding a local header to the packet;

    retrieving a virtual target descriptor identifier, wherein the virtual target descriptor identifier identifies a virtual target descriptor, wherein the virtual target descriptor stores information about the virtual target;

    allocating an ingress task control block identified by an ingress task control block index, wherein the ingress task control block index stores information about the request;

    placing the ingress task control block index and the virtual target descriptor identifier into the local header;

    retrieving a flowID from the virtual target descriptor and placing the flowID into the local header, wherein the flowID identifies an egress linecard;

    forwarding the packet to the egress linecard through a fabric;

    receiving the packet at the egress linecard;

    using the virtual target descriptor identifier, retrieving a physical target descriptor identifier, wherein the physical target descriptor identifier identifies a physical target descriptor, wherein the physical target descriptor stores information about a physical target that is associated with the virtual target;

    allocating an egress task control block with an egress task control block index, wherein the egress task control block index stores information about the request;

    using information in the physical target descriptor to convert the virtual target address to a physical target address;

    removing the local header and forwarding the packet to an egress port on the egress linecard; and

    sending the packet from the egress port to a physical target device, using the egress task control block index as a source identifier.

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