Network storage appliance with integrated server and redundant storage controllers
First Claim
1. A method for performing a data replication operation, comprising:
- receiving, by a server enclosed in a network storage appliance chassis, a command to backup data stored on a storage device controlled by a pair of hot-pluggable redundant active-active failover storage controllers also enclosed in the chassis, the network storage appliance chassis comprising a first, a second, and a third hot-pluggable blade, each of the first and second hot-pluggable blades comprising one of the pair of storage controllers, the third hot-pluggable blade comprising the server and first and second I/O interface controllers, each of the first and second I/O interface controllers comprising a local bus interface to one of the first and second hot-pluggable blades and an I/O link interface configured to receive I/O requests from the server;
in response to receiving the command to backup data, generating a plurality of requests, by the server, to the storage controllers to read the data from the storage device, wherein the local bus interface of each of the first and second I/O interface controllers are configured to forward the I/O requests from the I/O link interface to the storage controllers of the first and second blades on the local buses; and
generating a plurality of requests, by the server, to write the data received from the storage controllers to a backup device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network storage appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a chassis enclosing a backplane, and a server enclosed in the chassis and coupled to the backplane. The appliance also includes storage controllers enclosed in the chassis, each coupled to the backplane, which control transfer of data between the server and storage devices coupled to the storage controllers. The storage controllers also control transfer of data between the storage devices and computers networked to the appliance and external to the appliance. The storage controllers and the server comprise a plurality of hot-replaceable blades. Any one of the plurality of blades may be replaced during operation of the appliance without loss of access to the storage devices by the computers. In one embodiment, the server executes storage application software, such as backup software for backing up data on the storage devices, such as to a tape device networked to the server.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for performing a data replication operation, comprising:
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receiving, by a server enclosed in a network storage appliance chassis, a command to backup data stored on a storage device controlled by a pair of hot-pluggable redundant active-active failover storage controllers also enclosed in the chassis, the network storage appliance chassis comprising a first, a second, and a third hot-pluggable blade, each of the first and second hot-pluggable blades comprising one of the pair of storage controllers, the third hot-pluggable blade comprising the server and first and second I/O interface controllers, each of the first and second I/O interface controllers comprising a local bus interface to one of the first and second hot-pluggable blades and an I/O link interface configured to receive I/O requests from the server; in response to receiving the command to backup data, generating a plurality of requests, by the server, to the storage controllers to read the data from the storage device, wherein the local bus interface of each of the first and second I/O interface controllers are configured to forward the I/O requests from the I/O link interface to the storage controllers of the first and second blades on the local buses; and generating a plurality of requests, by the server, to write the data received from the storage controllers to a backup device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for performing a data replication operation, comprising:
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a server, enclosed in a network storage appliance chassis, wherein the server receives a command to backup data stored on a storage device, the network storage appliance chassis comprising a first, a second, and a third hot-pluggable blade, the third hot-pluggable blade comprising the server and first and second I/O interface controllers, each of the first and second I/O interface controllers comprising a local bus interface to one of the first and second hot-pluggable blades and an I/O link interface, the I/O link interface configured to receive I/O requests from the server; and a pair of hot-pluggable redundant active-active failover storage controllers, the first and second hot-pluggable blades each comprising one of the pair of storage controllers, wherein the storage controllers control the storage device, wherein the local bus interface of each of the first and second I/O interface controllers are configured to forward the I/O requests to the storage controllers of the first and second blades on the local buses; wherein in response to receiving the command to backup data, the server generates a plurality of requests to the storage controllers to read the data from the storage device and the server generates a plurality of requests to write the data received from the storage controllers to a backup device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification