Method and apparatus for providing an integrated virtual disk subsystem
AssigneeNVIDIA Corporation
InventorsRobert A. Alfieri, Radoslav Danilak
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Abstract
A novel network architecture that integrates the functions of an internet protocol (IP) router into a network processing unit (NPU) that resides in a host computer's chipset such that the host computer's resources are perceived as separate network appliances. In one embodiment, functions previously performed by a complex disk controller are now integrated into a storage processing unit (SPU) that can also be deployed on the same chipset, where the SPU serves as an overall file and disk management processor.
Claims91
Method for providing an integrated virtual disk subsystem, said method comprising:
- a) providing a network processor unit;
- b) providing at least one host, wherein said at least one host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a host operating system;
- and
- c) accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said host operating system via said network processor unit.
An integrated virtual disk subsystem, said subsystem comprising:
- at least one host, wherein said at least one host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a host operating system;
- and
- a network processor unit for accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said host operating system.
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions or control bits, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor or control bits accepted by a hardware device, cause the processor or the hardware device to perform the steps comprising of:
- a) providing a network processor unit;
- b) providing at least one host, wherein said at least one host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a host operating system;
- and
- c) accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said host operating system via said network processor unit.
Method for providing an integrated virtual disk subsystem, said method comprising:
- a) providing a network processor unit (NPU);
- b) providing at least one host, wherein said at least one host comprises a main memory, and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a host operating system;
- c) providing a storage resource having at least one physical storage device;
- and
- d) accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said host operating system via said network processor unit.
An integrated virtual disk subsystem, said subsystem comprising:
- at least one host, wherein said at least one host comprises a main memory, and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a host operating system;
- a storage resource having at least one physical storage device;
- and
- a network processor unit (NPU) for accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said host operating system.
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions or control bits, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor or control bits accepted by a hardware device, cause the processor or the hardware device to perform the steps comprising of:
- a) providing a network processor unit (NPU);
- b) providing at least one host, wherein said at least one host comprises a main memory, and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a host operating system;
- c) providing a storage resource having at least one physical storage device;
- and
- d) accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said host operating system via said network processor unit.
Method for providing an integrated virtual disk subsystem, said method comprising:
- a) providing a network processor unit;
- b) providing a first host, wherein said first host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a first host operating system;
- c) providing a second host, loaded with a second host operating system and a user application;
- and
- d) accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said first host operating system via said network processor unit by said user application.
An integrated virtual disk subsystem, said subsystem comprising:
- a first host, wherein said first host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a first host operating system;
- a second host loaded with a second host operating system and a user application;
- and
- a network processor unit for accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said first host operating system by said user application.
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions or control bits, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor or control bits accepted by a hardware device, cause the processor or the hardware device to perform the steps comprising of:
- a) providing a network processor unit;
- b) providing a first host, wherein said first host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a first host operating system;
- c) providing a second host, loaded with a second host operating system and a user application;
- and
- d) accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said first host operating system via said network processor unit by said user application.
An integrated virtual disk subsystem for interacting with at least one host, wherein said at least one host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a host operating system, said subsystem comprising:
- a storage processing unit (SPU);
- and
- a network processor unit for accessing said at least one physical storage device as a plurality of logical disk drives independent of said host operating system via said storage processing unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.