Apparatus, system, and method for providing a RAID storage system in a processor blade enclosure

An apparatus to provide communication between a client and a redundant array of independent disks (“RAID”) storage subsystem within a processor blade enclosure, the apparatus comprising:

• a data command module configured to communicate a data storage command from a client to at least first and second processor blades located in the processor blade enclosure;
• a data storage module configured to transmit data related to the data storage command to a first RAID controller blade, the first RAID controller blade configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure and to communicate with the at least first and second processor blades through a communication fabric in the processor blade enclosure;
• and
• a RAID module configured to store the data on a plurality of hard disk drives in a RAID configuration, the plurality of hard disk drives being in communication with the first RAID controller blade via a serial attached SCSI (“SAS”) expander and located in at least one disk enclosure blade configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure;
• wherein the RAID module is configured to share access to the at least one disk enclosure blade between the at first and second processor blades.

A system to provide a redundant array of inexpensive disks (“RAID”) storage subsystem within a processor blade enclosure, the system comprising:

• at least first and second processor blades in the processor blade enclosure;
• a client in communication with the at least one of the processor blades through a computer network;
• a first RAID controller blade configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure, the first RAID controller blade in communication with the at least first and second processor blades through a communication fabric in the processor blade enclosure;
• and
• at least two disk enclosure blades each comprising a plurality of hard disk drives, wherein the disk enclosure blades are configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure and the hard disk drives are in communication with the first RAID controller blade via an expander.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer usable program code programmed to provide communication between a client and a redundant away of independent disks (“RAID”) storage subsystem within a processor blade enclosure, the operations of the computer program product comprising:

• communicating a data storage command from a client to at least first and second processor blades located in the processor blade enclosure through a computer network;
• transmitting data related to the data storage command to a first RAID controller blade configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure and to communicate with the at least first and second processor blades through a communication fabric in the processor blade enclosure;
• storing the data as directed by the first RAID controller blade via a switch on a plurality of hard disk drives in a RAID configuration, wherein the plurality of hard disk drives is located in at least one disk enclosure blade configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure;
• sharing access to the at least one disk enclosure blade between the first and second processor blades via the first RAID controller blade.

A method for providing communication between a client and a redundant array of independent disks (“RAID”) storage subsystem within a processor blade enclosure, the method comprising:

• communicating a data storage command from a client to at least first and second processor blades located in the processor blade enclosure through a computer network;
• transmitting data related to the data storage command to a first RAID controller blade configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure and to communicate with the at least first and second processor blades through a communication fabric in the processor blade enclosure;
• and
• storing the data as directed by the first RAID controller blade via an expander on a plurality of hard disk drives in a RAID configuration, wherein the plurality of hard disk drives is located in at least first and second disk enclosure blades configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure.

A method for configuring a redundant away of inexpensive disks (“RAID”) storage subsystem within a processor blade enclosure, the method comprising:

• establishing communication between a first RAID controller blade configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure and at least first and second processor blades through a communication fabric in the processor blade enclosure;
• configuring a plurality of hard disk drives in at least two disk enclosure blades for a RAID level, wherein the disk enclosure blades are configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure;
• configuring the first RAID controller blade to simultaneously control the hard disk drives in the at least two disk enclosure blades via an expander;
• and
• sharing access to the at least two disk enclosure blades between the first and second processor blades via the first RAID controller blade.