Controller apparatus and method for improved data transfer

A controller for controlling the transfer of data from a first device to at least one second device within a computer system, the controller comprising:

• a host interface logic for interfacing the controller with a host computer via a first bus, wherein the host computer has a host memory interfaced therewith via a second bus;
• a first device interface logic for interfacing the controller with the first device via a first device bus, wherein the first device interface logic reads data from the first device via the first bus;
• a second device interface logic for interfacing the controller with the second device via a second device bus, wherein the second device interface logic writes data to the second device via the second bus;
• a first buffer connected between the first device interface logic and the host interface logic for controlling data transfer therebetween;
• a second buffer connected between the second device interface logic and the host interface logic for controlling data transfer between the second device interface logic and the host interface logic;
• a first multiplexing circuitry connected between the first buffer and the host interface logic and connected between the first buffer and the second buffer, wherein the first multiplexing circuitry controls the transfer of data from the second buffer to the first buffer without the data passing to the host interface logic and to at least one of the first bus, the host computer, the second bus and the host memory;
• and
• a second multiplexing circuitry connected between the second buffer and the host interface logic and connected between the second buffer and the first buffer, wherein the second multiplexing circuitry controls the transfer of data from the first buffer to the second buffer without the transferred data passing to the host interface logic and at least one of the first bus, the host computer, the second bus and the host memory.

A computer system, comprising:

• a host having a host bus;
• a host memory connected to the host via a host memory bus;
• at least one controller connected to the host via the host bus;
• and
• a plurality of data storage devices connected to the at least one controller,
• wherein the at least one controller includes
• a host interface logic for connecting the controller to the host via the host bus, wherein the host interface logic transfers data between the host and the controller,
• a first device interface logic for connecting the controller to a first data storage device, wherein the first device interface logic reads data from the first data storage device,
• a second device interface logic for connecting the controller to a second data storage device, wherein the second device interface logic writes data to the second data storage device,
• a first buffer circuitry connected between the host interface logic and the first device interface logic, and controlling the transfer of data therebetween,
• a second buffer circuitry connected between the host interface logic and the second device interface logic, and controlling the transfer of data therebetween, and
• a multiplexing circuitry connected between the host interface logic and the first device interface logic and connected between the host interface logic and the second device interface logic,
• wherein the first buffer circuitry, the second buffer circuitry and the multiplexing circuitry are configured to be able to control the transfer of data between the first buffer circuitry and the second buffer circuitry without the transferred data passing to the host interface logic and to at least one of the host bus, the host, the host memory bus and the host memory.

A method for controlling the transfer of data from a first data storage device to a second data storage device within a computer system, the system including a host having a host bus, a host memory connected to the host via a host memory bus, at least one controller connected to the host via the host bus, and a plurality of data storage devices connected to the at least one controller, the method comprising the steps of:

• reading data from a first data storage device to a first buffer portion of the controller;
• controllably transferring the data to a second buffer portion of the controller, wherein the data does not transfer to the host bus and at least one of the host, the host memory bus and the host memory;
• and
• writing the data from the second buffer portion of the controller to a second data storage device.