Loosely coupled mass storage computer cluster

A distributed data delivery system comprising

• at least three processor systems for redundantly storing data, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system,
• interconnecting data channels providing a point-to-point two way channel interconnection from each one of said processor systems to each other one of said processor systems,
• a data storage controller at each processor system, said controller storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data stored at each of said processors,
• a switching circuit having n interruptible input ports, at least n+1 interrupting input ports, and at least n+1 output ports, said n interruptible input ports being connected to a respective primary processor system, each said primary processor system having an output connected to a respective interrupting input port, and
• each said processor system connected to two of said switching circuits and able to selectively interrupt one of the n interruptible input ports with the signal information available from a respective one of said processor systems, and
• said processor systems, in the event of a failure at one processor system, using a previously unused one of said processor systems, and causing said switching circuit to connect the interruptible input port of the failed processor system to a different processor system, and to replace the output of said failed processor system with the output of said different processor system.

A distributed data delivery system comprising

• at least three processor systems for redundantly storing data, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system,
• interconnecting data channels providing a point-to-point two way channel interconnection from each one of said processor systems to each other one of said processor systems,
• a data storage controller at each processor system, said controller storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data stored at each of said processors,
• (n+1) switched systems, each switched system having at least two control inputs, a first input, a second input, a third input, and a fourth input, and a first output and a second output, each switched system being connected at its second output to a processor system, an interrupting output of said associated processor system being connected to the second input of said connected switched system,
• said switched systems being interconnected in a ring structure so that each switched system further has an interruptible input signal connected to the first input, the second input of a first neighbor switched system connected to the third input, and the interruptible input from the other neighbor switched system on the ring connected to the fourth input,
• each said switched system having switching circuitry responsive to switch control signals at said control inputs for switching any of its inputs to at least its first output, and for connecting either of its first and fourth inputs to its second output, and
• said processor systems for providing said switch control input signals to said switched systems.

A distributed data delivery system comprising

• at least three processor systems for redundantly storing data, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system,
• interconnecting data channels providing a point-to-point two way channel interconnection from each one of said processor systems to each other one of said processor systems,
• a data storage controller at each processor system, said controller storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data is stored at each of said processors,
• (n+1) switched systems, each switched system having at least two control inputs, four signal inputs, and two signal outputs, each switched system being connected at one of its outputs to an associated processor system, and an interrupting output of said associated processor system being connected to an input of said connected switched system,
• said switched systems being interconnected in a ring structure so that each switched system is connected to a first and a second neighbor switched system,
• each said switched system having switching circuitry responsive to switch control signals at said control inputs for selectively switching its inputs to its outputs, and
• said processors providing said switch control input signals to said switched systems to enable said switched systems to effectively rotate signal switching functions one position around the ring so that a failed signal processor system can be bypassed and the signals on said n first outputs continue unimpaired.

A method for redundantly storing data in a distributed computer system having at least two processor systems, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system, comprising the steps of:

• interconnecting each one of said processor systems in a point-to-point two way channel interconnection with each other one of said processor systems;
• storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data stored at each of said processors;
• and
• reading data from said computer system, in the absence of a failure of any of said processor systems, from each of said processor systems over respective ones of said data channel interconnections, in a manner that establishes a load balance across said processor systems.

A distributed computer system having at least two processor systems for redundantly storing data, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system, comprising

• interconnecting channels providing a point-to-point two way channel interconnection from each one of said processor systems to each other one of said processor systems;
• a data storage controller at each processor system, said controller storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process whereby data is stored at each of said processor systems and some of a redundant representation of the data is stored at each of said processors;
• and
• said controllers reading data from said computer system, in the absence of a failure of any of said processor systems, from each of said processor systems over respective ones of said interconnecting channels, whereby said controllers establish a load balance across said processor systems.

A distributed data delivery system comprising

• at least three processor systems for redundantly storing data, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system,
• an interconnecting data communications network providing interconnection from each one of said processor systems to each other one of said processor systems,
• a data storage controller at each processor system, said controller storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data stored at each of said processors,
• a switching circuit having n interruptible input ports, at least n+1 interrupting input ports, and at least n+1 output ports, said n interruptible input ports being connected to a respective primary processor system, each said primary processor system having an output connected to a respective interrupting input port, and
• each said processor system connected to two of said switching circuits and able to selectively interrupt one of the n interruptible input ports with the signal information available from a respective one of said processor systems, and
• said processor systems, in the event of a failure at one processor system, using a previously unused one of said processor systems, and causing said switching circuit to connect the interruptible input port of the failed processor system to a different processor system, and to replace the output of said failed processor system with the output of said different processor system.

A distributed data delivery system comprising

• at least three processor systems for redundantly storing data, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system,
• an interconnecting data communications network providing interconnection from each one of said processor systems to each other one of said processor systems,
• a data storage controller at each processor system, said controller storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data is stored at each of said processors,
• (n+1) switched systems, each switched system having at least two control inputs, a first input, a second input, a third input, and a fourth input, and a first output and a second output, each switched system being connected at its second output to a processor system, an interrupting output of said associated processor system being connected to the second input of said connected switched system,
• said switched systems being interconnected in a ring structure so that each switched system further has an interruptible input signal connected to the first input, the second input of a first neighbor switched system connected to the third input, and the interruptible input from the other neighbor switched system on the ring connected to the fourth input,
• each said switched system having switching circuitry responsive to switch control signals at said control inputs for switching any of its inputs to at least its first output, and for connecting either of its first and fourth inputs to its second output, and
• said processor systems for providing said switch control input signals to said switched systems.

A distributed data delivery system comprising

• at least three processor systems for redundantly storing data, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system,
• an interconnecting data communications network providing interconnection from each one of said processor systems to each other one of said processor systems,
• a data storage controller at each processor system, said controller storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data stored at each of said processors,
• (n+1) switched systems, each switched system having at least two control inputs, four signal inputs, and two signal outputs, each switched system being connected at one of its outputs to an associated processor system, and an interrupting output of said associated processor system being connected to an input of said connected switched system,
• said switched systems being interconnected in a ring structure so that each switched system is connected to a first and a second neighbor switched system,
• each said switched system having switching circuitry responsive to switch control signals at said control inputs for selectively switching its inputs to its outputs, and
• said processors providing said switch control input signals to said switched systems to enable said switched systems to effectively rotate signal switching functions one position around the ring so that a failed signal processor system can be bypassed and the signals on said n first outputs continue unimpaired.

A method for redundantly storing data in a distributed computer system having at least two processor systems, each processor system comprising at least one central processing unit and at least one mass storage sub-system, comprising the steps of:

• interconnecting each one of said processor systems through a data communications network for communicating with each other one of said processor systems;
• storing data input at any one of said processor systems according to a distributed, redundant storage process with data stored at each of said processor systems and a portion of a redundant representation of the data stored at each of said processors;
• and
• reading data from said computer system, in the absence of a failure of any of said processor systems, from each of said processor systems over said data communications channel in a manner that establishes a load balance across said processor systems.