Method and apparatus for a SCSI applications server which extracts SCSI commands and data from message and encapsulates SCSI responses to provide transparent operation

A method for extending SCSI device capabilities on a host computer comprising the steps of:

• presenting, through a network SCSI device driver, a SCSI device interface to said host computer and sending and receiving messages containing SCSI commands and data sent to and from said SCSI device interface;
• transmitting messages from said host computer to a second computer having at least one local SCSI device over a high speed network connection between said host computer and said second computer;
• executing a network SCSI applications server in said second computer for receiving and sending messages from said host computer and for extracting SCSI commands and data from said messages to transmit said SCSI commands and data to said second computer's local SCSI device and encapsulate the responses from said local SCSI device into messages to be sent to said host computer, whereby said network SCSI device driver treats said messages containing responses from said second computer's local SCSI device as though they had been sent from a SCSI device attached to said host computer.

An apparatus for extending SCSI device capabilities on a host computer comprising:

• a multi-threaded network SCSI device driver for presenting a SCSI device interface to said host computer and for sending and receiving messages containing SCSI commands and data sent to and from said SCSI device interface;
• a high speed network connection between the host computer and a second computer having at least one local SCSI device, for transmitting messages from said host computer to said second computer;
• a multi-threaded network SCSI applications server executing in the second computer for receiving and sending messages from said host computer and extracting SCSI commands and data from said messages to transmit said SCSI commands and data to said second computer's local SCSI device and encapsulate the responses from said local SCSI device into messages to be sent to said host computer, whereby said network SCSI device driver treats said messages containing responses from said second computer's local SCSI device as though they had been sent from a SCSI device attached to said host computer.

A method for extending SCSI device capabilities on a host computer comprising the steps of:

• presenting, through a multi-threaded network SCSI device driver, a SCSI device interface to said host computer and sending and receiving messages containing SCSI commands and data sent to and from said SCSI device interface;
• transmitting messages from said host computer to a second computer having at least one local SCSI device over a high speed network connection between said host computer and said second computer;
• executing a multi-threaded network SCSI applications server in said second computer for receiving and sending messages from said host computer and for extracting SCSI commands and data from said messages to transmit said SCSI commands and data to said second computer's local SCSI device and encapsulate the responses from said local SCSI device into messages to be sent to said host computer, whereby said network SCSI device driver treats said messages containing responses from said second computer's local SCSI device as though they had been sent from a SCSI device attached to said host computer.