Scalable storage system having multiple storage channels

A storage node configured to provide data storage in a scalable storage system, comprising:

• an input-port configured to receive inputs from a multi-channel interface of the scalable storage system;
• an output-port configured to transmit outputs to the multi-channel interface of the scalable storage system;
• a storage unit configured to utilize a solid-state storage device;
• and
• a data processor coupled with the input-port, the output-port, and the storage unit, wherein the data processor is configured to:
• receive the inputs via the input-port,
• in response to a determination that the inputs contain information relevant to the storage node, process the inputs by access of the storage unit, and
• in response to a determination that at least a segment in the inputs contains information relevant to another storage node that is coupled with the output-port of the storage node via a serial link, transmit the segment as the outputs to the another storage node via the output-port.

A method to manage data storage by a scalable storage system, comprising:

• receiving, by a multi-channel interface of the scalable storage system, a first request to access a first storage node and a second storage node in the scalable storage system;
• transmitting, by the multi-channel interface, the first request to the first storage node via a first serial link of a first storage channel, wherein the first storage channel includes the first storage node, the second storage node, and the first serial link;
• processing, by the first storage node, a first segment of the first request that contains information relevant to the first storage node;
• during the processing of the first segment of the first request, transmitting, by the first storage node, a second segment of the first request to the second storage node via the first serial link, wherein the second segment of the first request contains information relevant to the second storage node;
• and
• processing, by the second storage node, the second segment of the first request.