Storage system having storage engines with multi-initiator host adapter and fabric chaining

A storage system, comprising:

• a storage engine having a first compute node, a second compute node, a first fabric adapter, and a second fabric adapter, the first compute node having a first memory and the second compute node having a second memory;
• a first internal connection between the first compute node and the first fabric adapter;
• a second internal connection between the first compute node and the second fabric adapter;
• a third internal connection between the second compute node and the first fabric adapter;
• and
• a fourth internal connection between the second compute node and the second fabric adapter;
• wherein the first fabric adapter contains a first multi-initiating module configured to enable both the first compute node and the second compute node to directly initiate atomic memory access operations on the first memory through the first fabric adapter, and contains a first fabric chaining module configured to enable memory access operations received on a first external connection to be re-transmitted out a second external connection;
• and
• wherein the second fabric adapter contains a second multi-initiating module configured to enable both the second compute node and the first compute node to directly initiate atomic memory access operations on the second memory through the second fabric adapter, and contains a second fabric chaining module configured to enable memory access operations received on a third external connection to be re-transmitted out a fourth external connection.