Virtual device architecture having memory for storing lists of driver modules

A storage server comprising:

• a plurality of communication interfaces;
• data processing resources coupled with the plurality of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the data processing resources including a plurality of driver modules, and configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of driver modules;
• and
• wherein the configurable logic includes memory storing lists of the respective sets of driver modules, and a user interface accepting data for the lists;
• wherein the plurality of driver modules comprise instances of driver classes constructed in response to the configurable logic.

A storage server comprising:

• a plurality of communication interfaces;
• data processing resources coupled with the plurality of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the data processing resources including a plurality of driver modules, and configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of driver modules;
• and
• wherein the configurable logic includes memory storing lists of the respective sets of driver modules, and a user interface accepting data for the lists;
• the plurality of driver modules including one or more hardware driver modules to manage respective communication interfaces, and one or more internal driver modules to perform data path tasks independently of the plurality of communication interfaces.

A storage server comprising:

• a plurality of communication interfaces;
• data processing resources coupled with the plurality of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the data processing resources including a plurality of driver modules, and configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of driver modules;
• and
• wherein the configurable logic includes memory storing lists of the respective sets of driver modules, and a user interface accepting data for the lists;
• wherein the plurality of driver modules includes a protocol server for a protocol supported on a communication interface in the plurality of communication interfaces, the protocol server recognizing target identifiers in a session according to the protocol and linking the session to a data path in response to the target identifier.

A storage server comprising:

• a plurality of communication interfaces;
• data processing resources coupled with the plurality of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the data processing resources including a plurality of driver modules, and configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of driver modules;
• and
• wherein the configurable logic includes memory storing lists of the respective sets of driver modules, and a user interface accepting data for the lists;
• wherein driver modules in the plurality of driver modules include logic for communication of data according to an internal message format, and include logic associated with the protocol server to translate data packets according to the protocol into an internal message format.

A storage server comprising:

• a first plurality of communication interfaces coupled to respective host systems which execute data channel transactions;
• a second plurality of communication interfaces coupled to respective data storage devices;
• data processing resources coupled with the first and second pluralities of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the data processing resources including
• a plurality of hardware driver modules to manage respective communication interfaces in the first and second plurality of communication interfaces,
• a plurality of internal driver modules to perform data path tasks, independent of the first plurality of communication interfaces,
• configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of hardware driver modules and the plurality of internal driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of one or more hardware driver modules and one or more internal driver modules, wherein the configurable logic includes a driver coupled to non-volatile memory to store tables identifying the respective sets of hardware driver modules and internal driver modules, and a user interface accepting data for the tables, and
• a protocol server module coupled with the data paths, for a protocol supported on a communication interface in the first plurality of communication interfaces, the protocol server recognizing target identifiers in a session according to the protocol and linking the session to a data path response to the target identifier.

A storage server comprising:

• a plurality of communication interfaces;
• data processing resources coupled with the plurality of communication interfaces which transfer data among the plurality of communication interfaces, the data processing resources including
• a plurality of hardware driver modules to manage respective communication interfaces in the plurality of communication interfaces,
• a plurality of internal driver modules to perform data path tasks, independently of the plurality of communication interfaces,
• configurable logic linking driver modules in the plurality of hardware driver modules and the plurality of internal driver modules into data paths, the data paths including respective sets of one or more hardware driver modules and one or more internal driver modules, and
• a protocol server module coupled with the data paths, for a protocol supported on a communication interface in the plurality of communication interfaces, the protocol server recognizing target identifiers in a session according to the protocol and linking the session to a data path in response to the target identifier.