Methods and systems for classifying storage systems using fixed static-IP addresses

• US 8,028,122 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Pomerantz, Itzhak, Mosek, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): Farrokh; Hashem
• Application Number:
  US11/969,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/154
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/062 Securing storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function

Abstract

A storage system for exchanging data with a host system, the storage system including a plurality of storage devices, each of the storage devices including: a non-volatile memory, wherein a fixed static-IP address resides in the non-volatile memory, the fixed static-IP address being common to two or more of the plurality of storage devices, and the fixed static-IP address providing enablement of a storage-device functionality of the storage device; a physical interface for operationally connecting the storage device with the host system; and a memory controller for: controlling the respective non-volatile memory; and exchanging data, using a communication protocol, via the respective fixed static-IP address. For at least one of the storage devices, the respective fixed static-IP address may be pre-loaded into the respective non-volatile memory during manufacture, or installed in the respective non-volatile memory after manufacture.

Claims

1. A storage system for exchanging data with a host system, the storage system including a plurality of storage devices, each of the storage devices comprising:

(a) a non-volatile memory, wherein a fixed static-IP address resides in said non-volatile memory, said fixed static-IP address being common to two or more of said plurality of storage devices, and said fixed static-IP address providing enablement of a storage-device functionality of the storage device;

(b) a physical interface for operationally connecting the storage device with a host system; and

(c) a memory controller for;

(i) controlling said non-volatile memory;

(ii) determining whether a request received from the host system uses the fixed static-IP address; and

(iii) fulfilling the request without activating the storage-device functionality when the request does not use the fixed static-IP address; and

(iv) fulfilling the request by activating the storage-device functionality when the request uses the fixed static-IP address, and exchanging data, using a communication protocol, via said fixed static-IP address.

2. The storage system of claim 1, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said non-volatile memory has at least one memory partition accessible only by a partition static-IP address.

3. The storage system of claim 1, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said physical interface is an interface selected from the group consisting of:

a USB connector, an MMC connector, an SD connector, and a hard-wired on-board connection.

4. The storage system of claim 1, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said fixed static-IP address is pre-loaded into said non-volatile memory during manufacture.

5. The storage system of claim 1, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said fixed static-IP address is installed in said non-volatile memory after manufacture.

6. The storage system of claim 1, wherein, for each of the storage devices, said storage-device functionality includes a functionality selected from the group consisting of:

accessing a partition, enabling a security feature, providing a search capability, activating a pre-loaded content preview to provide access to a complete associated content file, saving end-user statistics, enabling an enhancement feature, and performing a storage operation.

7. The storage system of claim 1, wherein, for each of the storage devices, said communication protocol is a TCP/IP protocol or functional equivalent thereof.

8. The storage system of claim 1, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said memory controller handles a request from the host system in a manner that depends on which fixed static-IP address of the storage device said request uses.

9. A method for configuring a plurality of storage devices for exchanging data with a host system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a non-volatile memory in each of a plurality of storage devices, wherein a fixed static-IP address resides in said non-volatile memory, said fixed static-IP address being common to two or more of the plurality of storage devices, and said fixed static-IP address providing enablement of a storage-device functionality of the storage device; and

(b) providing a respective memory controller for determining whether a request received from the host system uses the fixed static-IP address, fulfilling the request without activating the storage-device functionality when the request does not use the fixed static-IP address, and fulfilling the request by activating the storage-device functionality when the request uses the fixed static-IP address, and exchanging data, using a communication protocol, via said fixed static-IP address and a respective physical interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said non-volatile memory has at least one memory partition accessible only by a partition static-IP address.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said respective physical interface is an interface selected from the group consisting of:

a USB connector, an MMC connector, an SD connector, and a hard-wired on-board connection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said respective fixed static-IP address is pre-loaded into said non-volatile memory during manufacture.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said respective fixed static-IP address is installed in said non-volatile memory after manufacture.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein, for each of the storage devices, said storage-device functionality includes a functionality selected from the group consisting of:

accessing a partition, enabling a security feature, providing a search capability, activating a pre-loaded content preview to provide access to a complete associated content file, saving end-user statistics, enabling an enhancement feature, and performing a storage operation.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein, for each of the storage devices, said communication protocol is a TCP/IP protocol or functional equivalent thereof.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein, for at least one of the storage devices, said respective memory controller handles a request from the host system in a manner that depends on which fixed static-IP address of the storage device said request uses.