Switching system for managing storage in digital networks
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of allocating resources associated with a storage system, the method comprising:
- providing, a switch element comprisinga first configurable set of processor elements to process storage resource connection requests,a second configurable set of processor elements capable of communications with the first configurable set of processor elements to receive, from the configurable set of processor elements, storage resource connection requests representative of client requests and to route the requests to external storage devices, anda configurable switching fabric interconnected between the first and second sets of processor elements for receiving at least a first storage resource connection request from one of the first set of processor elements, determining a determined one of the second set of processors for processing the storage resource connection request, automatically configuring the storage resource connection request in accordance with the protocol utilized by the determined one of the second set of processors, and forwarding the request for storage resource connection to the determined one of the second set of processors for routing to external storage devices based on the content load of the request;
specifying, with the switching element, a first specified set of network connections from the storage system to one or more networks;
specifying, with the switching element, a specified first set of storage resources within the storage system, each of the first set of specified storage resources being referenced by a physical address; and
associating, with the switching element, the specified first set of network connections and the specified first set of storage resources to define a first secure virtual storage domain (SVSD), the associating including;
configuring, with the switching element, a network layer to forward requests from the specified first set of network connections only to the specified first set of storage resources based on the request processing load of each of the specified first set of storage resources; and
configuring the specified first set of storage resources to accept requests only from the specified first set of specified network connections;
assigning a network address to each of the specified first set of storage resources; and
mapping, with the switching element, from each of the network addresses to each of the physical addresses so that each of the storage resources can be referenced by the network address.
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Abstract
Disclosed are improved methods, devices and systems for storage management in digital networks.
80 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of allocating resources associated with a storage system, the method comprising:
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providing, a switch element comprising a first configurable set of processor elements to process storage resource connection requests, a second configurable set of processor elements capable of communications with the first configurable set of processor elements to receive, from the configurable set of processor elements, storage resource connection requests representative of client requests and to route the requests to external storage devices, and a configurable switching fabric interconnected between the first and second sets of processor elements for receiving at least a first storage resource connection request from one of the first set of processor elements, determining a determined one of the second set of processors for processing the storage resource connection request, automatically configuring the storage resource connection request in accordance with the protocol utilized by the determined one of the second set of processors, and forwarding the request for storage resource connection to the determined one of the second set of processors for routing to external storage devices based on the content load of the request; specifying, with the switching element, a first specified set of network connections from the storage system to one or more networks; specifying, with the switching element, a specified first set of storage resources within the storage system, each of the first set of specified storage resources being referenced by a physical address; and associating, with the switching element, the specified first set of network connections and the specified first set of storage resources to define a first secure virtual storage domain (SVSD), the associating including; configuring, with the switching element, a network layer to forward requests from the specified first set of network connections only to the specified first set of storage resources based on the request processing load of each of the specified first set of storage resources; and configuring the specified first set of storage resources to accept requests only from the specified first set of specified network connections; assigning a network address to each of the specified first set of storage resources; and mapping, with the switching element, from each of the network addresses to each of the physical addresses so that each of the storage resources can be referenced by the network address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In a network comprising at least first and second physical file system servers and a switch element operable to (1) communicate with the servers and (2) provide clients access to data stored on the servers, a method of defining secure virtual storage domains (SVSDs), the method comprising:
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providing, within the switch element, a first configurable set of processor elements to process storage resource connection requests, a second configurable set of processor elements capable of communications with the first configurable set of processor elements to receive, from the first configurable set of processor elements, storage resource connection requests representative of client requests, and to route the requests to external storage devices, and a configurable switching fabric interconnected between the first and second sets of processor elements, for receiving at least a first storage resource connection request from one of the first set of processor elements, determining a determined one of the second set of processors for processing the storage resource connection request, automatically configuring the storage resource connection request in accordance with a protocol utilized by the determined one of the second set of processors, and forwarding the request for storage resource connection to the determined one of the second set of processors for routing to external storage devices based on the content load of the request; specifying, in the switch element, a specified first set of network connections from at least one server to one or more networks accessible by one or more clients; specifying a specified first set of storage resources within at least one server, each of the first set of storage resources being referenced by a physical address; and associating, in the switch element, the specified first set of network connections and the specified first set of storage resources to define a first secure virtual storage domain (SVSD), the associating including; mapping from each of the physical addresses to a corresponding network address so that each of the specified first set of storage resources can be referenced by the corresponding network address; configuring a network layer to forward requests from the specified first set of network connections only to the specified first set of storage resources based on the request processing load of each of the specified first set of storage resources; and configuring the specified first set of storage resources to accept requests only from the specified first set of network connections; so that access to the storage servers is configured to restrict clients using the first SVSD to only the specified first set of network connections and specified first set of storage resources, which have been allocated to the first SVSD, and prevent use of network connections and storage resources other than those allocated to the first SVSD. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system of allocating resources associated with a storage system, the system comprising:
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a switching element, comprising; a first configurable set of processor elements to process storage resource connection requests, a second configurable set of processor elements capable of communications with the first configurable set of processor elements to receive, from the first configurable set of processor elements, storage resource connection requests representative of client requests and to route the requests to external storage devices, and a configurable switching fabric interconnected between the first and second sets of processor elements for receiving at least a first storage resource connection request from one of the first set of processor elements, determining a determined one of the second set of processors for processing the storage resource connection request, automatically configuring the storage resource connection request in accordance with the protocol utilized by the determined one of the second set of processors, and forwarding the request for storage resource connection to the determined one of the second set of processors for routing to external storage devices based on the content load of the request;
a first networking unit for specifying a specified first set of network connections from the storage system to one or more networks;a first resource unit for specifying a specified first set of storage resources within the storage system, each of the specified first set of storage resources being referenced by a physical address; and an association unit for associating the specified first set of network connections and the specified first set of storage resources to define a first secure virtual storage domain (SVSD), the associating including; a second networking unit, within the switching element, for configuring a network layer to forward requests from the specified first set of network connections only to the specified first set of storage resources based on the request processing load of each of the specified first set of storage resources; a second resource unit for configuring the specified first set of storage resources to accept requests only from the specified first set of specified network connections; an address unit for assigning a network address to each of the specified first set of storage resources; and a mapping unit for mapping from each of the network addresses to each of the physical addresses so that each of the storage resources can be referenced by the network address, so that the storage system is configured to restrict client users of the first SVSD to only the specified first set of network connections and the specified first set of storage resources which have been allocated to the first SVSD, and prevent use of network connections and storage resources other than those allocated to the first SVSD, wherein, access to the first SVSD is specified by IP subnet.
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Specification