Data storage system with PCI-E extended reach capability

• US 8,005,999 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Julian, Simba M., Felton, Mickey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai; Henry W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oberly; Eric T
• Application Number:
  US11/862,512
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 710/16
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0026 PCI express
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0028 Serial attached SCSI [SAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0032 Serial ATA [SATA]

Abstract

A type one protocol device transmitter performs a detection function to detect attached type one protocol receivers. The detection function operates such that receivers having type two termination are not detected as type one protocol receivers. A type two protocol device receiver has type two termination. Logic is coupled between the type two protocol device receiver and the type one protocol device transmitter so that the type one protocol device transmitter detection function detects the type two protocol device receiver as a type one protocol receiver. The type one protocol device can be a PCI-E device, and the type two protocol device can be a SAS/SATA device.

Claims

1. A data storage system comprising:

a plurality of processor blades;

a plurality of I/O boards, each I/O board having connectors into which peripheral devices can be connected;

a midplane;

each I/O board comprising a type two protocol device having a type two protocol device physical layer receiver having type two physical layer termination;

each processor blade comprising a type one protocol switch for connecting a type one protocol interconnect across the midplane to another processor blade or to an I/O board,

each type one protocol switch comprising a type one protocol device physical layer transmitter that performs a physical layer detection function to detect attached type one protocol physical layer receivers, said detection function operating such that in response to a signal sent from the physical layer detection function, physical layer receivers having type one physical layer termination cause the type one protocol interconnect to charge and physical layer receivers having type two physical layer termination appear as an open circuit to said physical layer detection function;

receive detect logic coupled between the type two protocol device physical layer receiver and the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter, the receive detect logic functional to cause the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter physical layer detection function to recognize the type two protocol device physical layer receiver as a type one protocol physical layer receiver by causing the type one protocol interconnect to charge and indicate a valid type one physical layer receiver; and

a buffered type one protocol interconnect coupled between the type two protocol device physical layer receiver and connectors.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the type one protocol interconnect is a PCI-E interconnect.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the type two protocol device is a SAS device or a SATA device.

4. An I/O board for use in a data storage system comprising:

a type two protocol device having a type two protocol device physical layer receiver having type two physical layer termination;

connectors into which peripheral devices can be connected;

receive detect logic for receiving type one protocol interconnect signals from a type one protocol device physical layer transmitter via a type one protocol interconnect across a midplane;

the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter performing a physical layer detection function to detect attached type one protocol physical layer receivers, said physical layer detection function operating such that in response to a signal sent from the physical layer detection function, physical layer receivers having type one physical layer termination cause the type one protocol interconnect to charge and physical layer receivers having type two physical layer termination appear as an open circuit to said physical layer detection function;

the receive detect logic functional to cause the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter to recognize the type two protocol device physical layer receiver as a type one protocol physical layer receiver by causing the type one protocol interconnect to charge and indicate a valid type one physical layer receiver; and

a buffered type one protocol interconnect coupled between the type two protocol device physical layer receiver and connectors.

5. The I/O board of claim 4 wherein the type one protocol interconnect is a PCI-E interconnect.

6. The I/O board of claim 5 wherein the type two protocol device is a SAS device or a SATA device.

7. A method for use in a data storage system comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of processor blades, each processor blade having a type one protocol switch for connecting a type one protocol interconnect across a midplane to another processor blade or to an I/O board, each type one protocol switch comprising a type one protocol device physical layer transmitter that performs a physical layer detection function to detect attached type one protocol physical layer receivers, said physical layer detection function operating such that in response to a signal sent from the physical layer detection function, physical layer receivers having type one physical layer termination cause the type one protocol interconnect to charge and physical layer receivers having type two physical layer termination appear as an open circuit to said physical layer detection function;

providing a plurality of I/O boards, each I/O board having connectors into which peripheral devices can be connected, each I/O board comprising a type two protocol device having a type two protocol device physical layer receiver having type two physical layer termination;

providing a midplane;

coupling receive detect logic between the type two protocol device physical layer receiver and the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter, the logic causing the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter physical layer detection function to recognize the type two protocol device physical layer receiver as a type one protocol physical layer receiver by causing the the type one protocol interconnect to charge and indicate a valid type one physical layer receiver; and

coupling a type one protocol interconnect between the switch and the receive detect logic; and

coupling a buffered type one protocol interconnect between the type two protocol device physical layer receiver and connectors.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the type one protocol interconnect is a PCI-E interconnect.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the type two protocol device is a SAS device or a SATA device.

10. A method for use with an I/O board in a data storage system comprising:

providing a type two protocol device having a type two protocol device physical layer receiver having type two physical layer termination;

providing connectors into which peripheral devices can be connected;

receiving by receive detect logic type one protocol interconnect signals from a type one protocol device physical layer transmitter via a type one protocol interconnect across a midplane;

the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter performing a physical layer detection function to detect attached type one protocol physical layer receivers, said detection function operating such that in response to a signal sent from the physical layer detection function, physical layer receivers having type one physical layer termination cause the type one protocol interconnect to charge and physical layer receivers having type two physical layer termination appear as an open circuit to said physical layer detection function;

causing by the receive detect logic the type one protocol device physical layer transmitter to recognize the type two protocol device physical layer receiver as a type one protocol physical layer receiver by causing the type one protocol interconnect to charge and indicate a valid type one physical layer receiver; and

coupling a buffered type one protocol interconnect coupled between the type two protocol device physical layer receiver and connectors.

11. The method claim 10 wherein the type one protocol interconnect is a PCI-E interconnect.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the type two protocol device is a SAS device or a SATA device.