Providing redundancy for a device within a network
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a network interface configured to communicatively couple the apparatus to a network;
a first element coupled to the network interface to access the network, the first element associated with a first internet protocol (IP) address and configured to receive a packet, from a peer via the network interface, addressed to the first IP address and having a first command; and
a second element coupled to the network interface to access the network, the second element associated with the first IP address to allow more than one element to be addressed with the first IP address, and also associated with a second IP address, which is distinct from the first IP address, wherein the second element is configured to receive a second command, which is duplicative of the first command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A storage device has partitions that are separately addressed by distinct IP addresses. This allows direct access of the partitions, on a peer-to-peer basis, by any other device that can communicate using IP. Preferred storage devices support spanning between or among partitions of the same device, as well as between or among different storage devices. Both multicast and proxy spanning are contemplated. Combinations of the inventive storage devices with each other, and with prior art storage devices are contemplated, in all manner of mirroring and other arrangements. In still other aspects of the invention, a given storage device can include one or more types of media, including any combination of rotating and non-rotating media, magnetic and optical, and so forth.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a network interface configured to communicatively couple the apparatus to a network; a first element coupled to the network interface to access the network, the first element associated with a first internet protocol (IP) address and configured to receive a packet, from a peer via the network interface, addressed to the first IP address and having a first command; and a second element coupled to the network interface to access the network, the second element associated with the first IP address to allow more than one element to be addressed with the first IP address, and also associated with a second IP address, which is distinct from the first IP address, wherein the second element is configured to receive a second command, which is duplicative of the first command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a network interface, a packet having a first internet protocol (IP) address and a first command; providing the packet to a first element associated with the first IP address; and
providing a second command, which is duplicative of the first command, to a second element associated with the first IP address to allow more than one element to be addressed with the first IP address, and also associated with a second IP address, which is distinct from the first IP address. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A storage apparatus comprising:
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a network interface configured to communicatively couple the storage apparatus to a network; one or more storage media; and one or more storage elements coupled to the network interface and the one or more storage media and configured to assign a plurality of unique network addresses to a respective plurality of partitions of the one or more storage media, and to assign at least one partition of the plurality of partitions an additional network address to allow more than one partition to be addressed with the additional network address. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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assigning a plurality of unique network addresses to a respective plurality of partitions, the plurality of partitions being of first and second storage media; assigning an additional network address to at least one partition of the plurality of partitions; receiving, at a network interface, a packet addressed to the additional network address; providing a first command to the at least one partition based at least in part on the packet; and providing a second command, duplicative of the first command, to another partition of the plurality of partitions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification