Connecting a storage subsystem and an electronic device with a control device that hides details of the storage subsystem
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorPaul A. Boerger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes an external interface port to connect to an external electronic device, where the external interface port is to communicate over a communications path with the external electronic device according to a serial communication protocol. The apparatus has a control device to hide details of the storage subsystem from the external electronic device. The control device is configured to perform at least one of (1) expanding a storage capacity of at least one logical storage volume of the storage subsystem, and (2) migrating a portion of data stored in the storage subsystem to a new physical storage device.
Claims13
An apparatus comprising:
- an external interface port to connect to an external electronic device, the external interface port to communicate over a communications path with the external electronic device according to a serial communication protocol;
- a storage interface port to connect to a storage subsystem having a plurality of logical storage volumes;
- and
- a control device to hide details of the storage subsystem from the external electronic device, the control device configured to:
- expand a storage capacity of at least one of the logical storage volumes,
- receive a request to migrate a RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) level of the storage subsystem from a first RAID level to a second, different RAID level,
- in response to receiving the request, wait for hot addition of at least one physical storage device to the storage subsystem;
- in response to detecting the hot addition of the at least one physical storage device, configure the hot-added at least one physical storage device, and
- after configuring the hot-added at least one physical storage device, migrate data stored in the storage subsystem that includes the hot-added at least one physical storage device from the first RAID level to the second RAID level.
A method of abstracting a storage subsystem to an electronic device, comprising:
- providing an abstraction controller separate from the electronic device, the abstraction controller having an external interface port for connection to the electronic device and a storage interface port for connection to a storage subsystem;
- communicating between the abstraction controller and the electronic device according to a serial communication protocol;
- and
- performing, by the abstraction controller:
- expanding a storage capacity of at least one logical storage volume in the storage subsystem;
- receiving a request to migrate a RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) level of the storage subsystem from a first RAID level to a second, different RAID level;
- in response to receiving the request, waiting for hot addition of at least one physical storage device to the storage subsystem;
- in response to detecting the hot addition of the at least one physical storage device, configuring the hot-added at least one physical storage device;
- and
- after configuring the hot-added at least one physical storage device, migrating data of the storage subsystem including the hot-added at least one physical storage device from the first RAID level to the second RAID level.
A system comprising:
- an electronic device having an interface port;
- a controller having an interface port to communicate with the electronic device according to a serial communications protocol;
- and
- a storage subsystem connected to the controller,
- wherein the controller is configured to hide details of the storage subsystem from the electronic device, the controller configured to:
- receive a request to perform RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) migration from a first RAID level to a second, different RAID level in the storage subsystem;
- in response to receiving the request, wait for hot addition of at least one physical storage device to the storage subsystem;
- in response to detecting the hot addition of the at least one physical storage device, configure the hot-added at least one physical storage device;
- and
- after configuring the hot-added at least one physical storage device, perform RAID migration of data in the storage subsystem including the hot-added at least one physical storage device from the first RAID level to the second RAID level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.