Single command payload transfers block of security functions to a storage device

• US 8,656,188 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Goodwill, William Preston, Schwartzkopf, Thomas John, Thibadeau, Robert H., Nestor, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parthasarathy, Pramila
• Application Number:
  US12/779,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/805 using a security table for the storage sub-system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0611 in relation to response time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device

Abstract

A storage device has a storage medium and a processor. The processor is disposed within the storage device and is adapted to receive multiple commands as a command block over an interface. The processor is adapted to extract each of the multiple commands from the single block for execution on the storage device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor within a data storage device adapted to receive multiple commands as a command block over an interface, the processor adapted to;

extract each of the multiple commands from the command block for execution on the data storage device, the command block comprising a header having information about the command block and a single payload comprising the plurality of commands;

identify an open security session based on information contained with a command extracted from the command block; and

associate the command extracted from the command block to the open security session.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a data storage medium comprising a plurality of security partitions.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising wherein at least one of the multiple commands extracted from the command block is intended for execution on a security session associated with one of the plurality of security partitions.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein a security session comprises:

a secured transaction between the data storage medium of the storage device and a device external to the storage device.

5. The device of claim 2 further comprising the storage medium comprises:

multiple storage cards having one or more security partitions on at least one of the multiple storage cards.

6. The device of claim 2 further comprising:

a session manager within the storage device adapted to;

host a plurality of security sessions to correspond with the plurality of security partitions;

associate each of the multiple commands with selected security sessions of the plurality of security sessions; and

execute multiple, simultaneous security transactions on the selected security partitions.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the session manager is adapted to route information associated with the at least one of the multiple commands to the associated security session.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the session manager is adapted to control an order of execution of the multiple commands.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the session manager is adapted to implement a fairness algorithm for balancing processing time among a plurality of security sessions so that each of the single commands is assured adequate processor time.

10. The storage device of claim 6 further comprising a set of commands to which the storage device responds, the set of commands stored in a security partition of the storage medium and accessible to the session manager for execution of the multiple commands extracted from the command block.

11. The device of claim 2 wherein the processor is further adapted to host a plurality of security sessions to correspond with the plurality of security partitions.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further adapted to:

open a new security session when an open security session cannot be identified; and

queue the command extracted from the command block to the new security session.

13. A system comprising:

a processor configured to transmit a command block to a data storage device;

the command block comprises a header having information about the command block and a single payload comprising multiple commands;

the data storage device coupled to the processor via an interface, the data storage device configured to;

extract a command of the multiple commands from the single payload of the command block;

identify an open security session based on information contained with the command extracted from the command block; and

associate the command extracted from the command block to the open security session.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a host application, a dynamic link library, a class driver, a port driver with a filter, and a miniport driver.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising wherein at least one of the multiple commands within the command block is intended for execution on a security session of the data storage device and is associated with one of a plurality of security partitions on the data storage device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein a security session comprises a secured transaction between the data storage device and the processor.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the data storage device is further adapted to:

create a new security session when an open security session cannot be identified from the command extracted from the command block; and

associate the command extracted from the command block with the new security session.