Method and apparatus for accessing memory using Ethernet packets

A disk drive for use with an Ethernet network comprising:

• an Ethernet interface to receive and to send Ethernet packets according to a first protocol, said first protocol being a format useable by a client system in the Ethernet network;
• a memory to store and to retrieve data according to a second protocol, wherein the memory is an IDE hard drive;
• a first controller, coupled to said Ethernet interface, to translate between said first protocol and a controller protocol, said first controller including:
• a PHY controller to translate between said first protocol and a PHY protocol;
• a MAC controller to translate between said PHY protocol and a MAC protocol;
• and
• a translation controller to translate between said MAC protocol and said controller protocol;
• wherein said PHY controller is coupled between said Ethernet interface and said MAC controller and said PHY controller communicates with said Ethernet interface according to said first protocol;
• wherein said MAC controller is coupled between said PHY controller and said translation controller, wherein said MAC controller and said PHY controller communicate with each other according to said PHY protocol;
• wherein said translation controller and said MAC controller communicate with each other according to said MAC protocol;
• a second controller, coupled between said first controller and said memory, wherein the second controller is an IDE controller;
• wherein said first controller and said second controller communicate with each other according to said controller protocol, and said second controller translates between said controller protocol and said second protocol;
• wherein said translation controller is coupled between said MAC controller and said second controller;
• wherein said translation controller and said second controller conmiunicate with each other according to said second protocol;
• and
• a housing in which said Ethernet interface, said memory, said first controller, and said second controller are disposed;
• wherein said disk drive is configured to directly attach to said Ethernet network without association with a host computer;
• and wherein in response to a request by said client system, said memory forms a response including at least one of (a) storing information, (b) retrieving information, and (c) providing status information.

A disk drive for use with an Ethernet network, comprising:

• an interface for receiving and sending Ethernet packets according to a first protocol, said first protocol being a format useable by a client system in the Ethernet network;
• a memory to store and to retrieve data communicated to and from said memory according to a second protocol;
• means coupled between said Ethernet interface and said memory for translating between said first protocol and said second protocol;
• and
• a housing, in which said means for interface-receiving and interface-sending, said memory, and said means for translating are disposed;
• wherein said disk drive is configured to attach directly to an Ethernet network without association with a host computer, and said memory forms a response to a request from said client system, said response including at least one of (a) storing information, (b) retrieving information, and (c) providing memory status information.

A method for storing data in an Ethernet network to allow access by client systems in the Ethernet network, comprising:

• attaching directly a disk drive to the Ethernet network without associating the disk drive to a host computer in the Ethernet network, the disk drive including:
• an Ethernet interface to receive and to send Ethernet packets according to a first protocol, said first protocol being a format useable by client systems;
• a memory to store and to retrieve data according to a second protocol;
• a controller system coupled between said Ethernet interface and said memory, said controller system translating information between said first protocol and said second protocol;
• and
• a housing in which said Ethernet interface, said memory, and said controller system are disposed;
• and
• receiving and sending Ethernet packets through the Ethernet interface;
• and
• wherein said memory forms a response to a request from a client system, said response including at least one of (a) storing information, (b) retrieving information, and (c) providing memory status information.