Storage subsystem
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorMakio Mizuno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage subsystem that directly interfaces with a network, provides connections for routers with a conventional multi-path function, and performs access load balancing among a plurality of input/output ports. Each channel controller is assigned with a channel controller network address, and a storage device is assigned with a storage device address (different from the network addresses of the channel controllers). Upon receiving a packet addressed to the storage device address from an external network device, a pseudo storage load routing function responds by notifying the external network device that the packet has been transmitted to the storage device with the storage device address, while performing input/output processing indicated by the packet for the storage device with the storage device address.
Claims19
A storage subsystem for performing input/output (I/O) processing for a storage device by receiving packets through communication with an external network device, comprising:
- at least one channel controller connected to a network via an input/output port and assigned with a channel controller address as a network address;
- a storage access controller for controlling said storage device;
- and
- a coupled unit for coupling said channel controller and said storage access controller;
- wherein said storage device being assigned, as a network address, a storage device address different from the channel controller address.
A storage subsystem for performing input/output (I/O) processing for at least one storage device by receiving storage load requests from at least one external network device, comprising:
- at least one channel controller connected between an external network and the storage device and assigned with a channel controller network address for balancing the storage load requests from the external network device,
- wherein the storage device is assigned with a storage device network address different from the channel controller network address.
A method for performing input/output (I/O) processing for at least one storage device, comprising:
- assigning a storage device network address for each said storage device;
- receiving storage load requests addressed to said storage device from at least one external network device;
- connecting at least one channel controller between an external network and the storage device and assigned each said channel controller a channel controller network address different from the storage device network address;
- and
- balancing the storage load requests from the external network device to available portions of the storage device with said channel controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.