Method and system for enhancing a distributed storage system by decoupling computation and network tasks

A computer-implemented method for facilitating data access in a computer system,

• wherein the computer system comprises:
• a plurality of storage devices;
• a first component of a computing device, wherein the first component is configured to function both as a network interface card and as an access switch, by handling communications to and from a plurality of pod switches and by handling communications to and from the plurality of storage devices, which allows the computing device to communicate with the pod switches without a separate layer for the access switch, wherein the first component is coupled to a port on a respective storage device,
• wherein the respective storage device comprises:
• the port coupled to the first component;
• at least one microprocessor;
• a plurality of storage drives with non-volatile memory;
• and a plurality of PCIe lanes via which to access the plurality of storage drives, and
• wherein the port comprises an Ethernet port, wherein the at least one microprocessor and the PCIe lanes comprise a storage system on chip (SoC) component of the respective storage drive;
• and
• the computing device which includes the first component,
• wherein the method comprises:
• receiving, by the computing device, a request to write data to a non-volatile memory of the computer system;
• transmitting the data, by the computing device via the first component, to a selected storage device;
• writing the data to a non-volatile memory of a first storage drive of the selected storage device;
• managing, by the storage SoC component, the plurality of storage drives;
• and
• performing, by the storage SoC component, operations relating to a file system and a flash translation layer module.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method, wherein the computer comprises a storage device associated with a computer system,

• wherein the computer system comprises:
• a plurality of storage devices;
• a first component of a computing device, wherein the first component is configured to function both as a network interface card and as an access switch, by handling communications to and from a plurality of pod switches and by handling communications to and from the plurality of storage devices, which allows the computing device to communicate with the pod switches without a separate layer for the access switch, wherein the first component is coupled to a port on a respective storage device,
• wherein the respective storage device comprises:
• the port coupled to the first component;
• at least one microprocessor;
• a plurality of storage drives with non-volatile memory;
• and a plurality of PCIe lanes via which to access the plurality of storage drives, and
• wherein the port comprises an Ethernet port, wherein the at least one microprocessor and the PCIe lanes comprise a storage system on chip (SoC) component of the respective storage drive;
• and
• the computing device which includes the first component,
• wherein the method comprises:
• receiving, by the computing device, a request to write data to a non-volatile memory of the computer system;
• transmitting the data, by the computing device via the first component, to a selected storage device;
• writing the data to a non-volatile memory of a first storage drive of the selected storage device;
• managing, by the storage SoC component, the plurality of storage drives;
• and
• performing, by the storage SoC component, operations relating to a file system and a flash translation layer module.