File array storage architecture having file system distributed across a data processing platform

A method for configuring storage devices from a console of a data processing system having a distributed storage architecture executing on a host computer coupled to an adapter, the method comprising the steps of:

• entering parameters through a graphical user interface of the console, the parameters specifying a size of a file system and an organization of the storage devices;
• translating the parameters into operations instructing an input/output (I/O) subsystem to transform the storage devices from a present organization to the specified organization;
• transforming each file stored on the present organization of storage devices to a file stored on the specified organization of storage devices during execution of the distributed storage architecture system;
• and
• wherein the organization of the storage devices includes one of a mirror set, a stripe set and a redundant array of independent disks.

A distributed storage architecture executing on a host computer coupled to an adapter and having a console, comprising:

• a graphical user interface associated with the console for entering parameters, the parameters specifying a size of a file system and an organization of the storage devices coupled to channels of the adapter;
• a translator that translates the parameters into operations instructing an input/output (I/O) subsystem executing on the adapter to transform the storage devices from a present organization to the specified organization;
• means for transforming each file stored on the present organization of storage devices to a file stored on the specified organization of storage devices during execution of II the distributed storage architecture system;
• and
• a server file system that services an I/O request by instructing the I/O subsystem to interact with the storage devices to one of retrieve and store data specified by the I/O request.

A distributed storage architecture executing on a host computer coupled to an adapter and having a console, comprising:

• a graphical user interface associated with the console for entering parameters, the parameters specifying a size of a file system and an organization of the storage devices coupled to channels of the adapter;
• a translator that translates the parameters into operations instructing an input/output (I/O) subsystem executing on the adapter to transform the storage devices from a present organization to the specified organization;
• means for transforming each file stored on the present organization of storage devices to a file stored on the specified organization of storage devices during execution of the distributed storage architecture system;
• and
• wherein the storage devices comprise disks and wherein the I/O subsystem comprises a channel manager for implementing protocols over a channel of the adapter that enable communication between the disks and the adapter.

A computer-readable medium including program instructions executing on a computer for configuring storage devices from a console of a data processing system having a distributed storage architecture executing on a host computer coupled to an adapter, the program instructions performing the steps of:

• receiving parameters through a graphical user interface of the console, the parameters specifying a size of a file system and an organization of the storage devices;
• translating the parameters into operations instructing an input/output (I/O) subsystem to transform the storage devices from a present organization to the specified organization;
• transforming each file stored on the present organization of storage devices to a file stored on the specified organization of storage devices during execution of the distributed storage architecture system;
• and
• wherein the organization of the storage devices includes one of a mirror set, a stripe set and a redundant array of independent disks.

A computer-readable medium including program instructions executing on a computer for configuring storage devices from a console of a data processing system having a distributed storage architecture executing on a host computer coupled to an adapter, the program instructions performing the steps of:

• receiving parameters through a graphical user interface of the console, the parameters specifying a size of a file system and an organization of the storage devices;
• translating the parameters into operations instructing an input/output (I/O) subsystem to transform the storage devices from a present organization to the specified organization;
• transforming each file stored on the present organization of storage devices to a file stored on the specified organization of storage devices during execution of the distributed storage architecture system;
• and
• receiving a transaction request at the file system;
• and if the transaction request is a read request, directing the read request to the present organization of the storage devices.