Shared network-available storage that permits concurrent data access
First Claim
1. A method for providing multiple media agents with shared access over a fibre channel small computer system interface (SCSI) interface to a storage device in a computer network, comprising:
- in response to inquiry messages on SCSI interfaces to the storage device in the computer network, providing a shared operational mode on the SCSI interfaces for a first media agent configured to perform a first data storage operation with the storage device and a second media agent configured to perform a second data storage operation with the storage device,wherein the storage device appears as a SCSI target device to the first media agent and the second media agent via an access media agent, located at a storage area network (SAN) server, that is configured to arbitrate access to the storage device by the first media agent and the second media agent configured to control the SAN sever to appear as a SCSI target to both the first media agent and the second media agent, andwherein the first media agent and the second media agent are configured to perform data storage operations associated with the storage device for one or more client devices; and
mapping, via the access media agent, data storage operations between the first media agent and the storage device and data storage operations between the second media agent and the storage device, via the controlled SAN server, to logically unique channel numbers for the first media agent and the second media agent, to perform data storage operations over their respective SCSI interfaces by concurrently sharing the storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for providing shared access to, e.g., a small computer system interface (SCSI) storage device in a computer network include providing an operational mode on SCSI interfaces with a first media agent and a second media agent such that, in response to inquiry messages on the SCSI interfaces, the SCSI storage device appears as a SCSI target device to the first media agent and the second media agent and mapping data operations between the first media agent and the SCSI storage device and the second media agent and the SCSI storage device to logically unique channel numbers for the first media agent and the second media agent to perform data storage operations over their respective SCSI interfaces by concurrently sharing the SCSI storage device.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for providing multiple media agents with shared access over a fibre channel small computer system interface (SCSI) interface to a storage device in a computer network, comprising:
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in response to inquiry messages on SCSI interfaces to the storage device in the computer network, providing a shared operational mode on the SCSI interfaces for a first media agent configured to perform a first data storage operation with the storage device and a second media agent configured to perform a second data storage operation with the storage device, wherein the storage device appears as a SCSI target device to the first media agent and the second media agent via an access media agent, located at a storage area network (SAN) server, that is configured to arbitrate access to the storage device by the first media agent and the second media agent configured to control the SAN sever to appear as a SCSI target to both the first media agent and the second media agent, and wherein the first media agent and the second media agent are configured to perform data storage operations associated with the storage device for one or more client devices; and mapping, via the access media agent, data storage operations between the first media agent and the storage device and data storage operations between the second media agent and the storage device, via the controlled SAN server, to logically unique channel numbers for the first media agent and the second media agent, to perform data storage operations over their respective SCSI interfaces by concurrently sharing the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, having code stored thereon, the code, when executed, causing a processor to provide multiple media agents with shared access over a small computer system interface (SCSI) interface to a storage device in a computer network, the method comprising:
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coupling a first media agent and a second media agent to an intermediate access media agent, located at a storage area network (SAN) server, over respective SCSI interfaces to cause the storage device to appear as a SCSI target device to the first media agent and the second media agent; wherein the first media agent and the second media agent are configured to access the storage device during data storage operations performed for one or more client devices associated with the first media agent or the second media agent, and wherein the intermediate access media agent is configured to control the access to the storage device by the first media agent and the second media agent during the data storage operations by controlling the SAN server to appear as a SCSI target to the first media agent and the second media agent; and concurrently sharing the storage device by permitting, by the intermediate access media agent, the data storage operations between the first media agent and the storage device and between the second media agent and the storage device, wherein the first media agent is associated with a first logically unique channel number, wherein the second media agent is associated with a second logically unique channel number, and wherein the first media agent and the second media agent perform the data storage operations over respective first and second SCSI interfaces, in part, based on the first and second logically unique channel numbers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer network system comprising multiple clients and a storage device, comprising:
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multiple media agents, each media agent associated with one or more of the multiple clients and configured to perform data deduplication and storage operations for a distinct subset of the multiple clients; and a storage area network (SAN) server having an access media agent that is coupled to the multiple media agents over dedicated data interfaces and is configured to control access by the multiple media agents to the storage device, wherein the multiple media agents are configured to perform read/write operations with the storage device using the dedicated data interfaces, and wherein the dedicated data interfaces are configurable to operate independent of each other and concurrently with each other, and wherein the SAN server is controlled by the access media agent to appear as a SCSI target to the multiple media agents. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification