GPU assist for storage systems

A method performed by a computer, the computer having a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU) and a special-purpose processor optimized for performing vector-based calculations, the method comprising:

• performing a set of data storage READ operations on the CPU, each data storage READ operation of the set of data storage operations being directed to one data storage device of a data storage system, the one data storage device having a plurality of ports;
• performing, on the special-purpose processor, sequence detection operations associated with the set of data storage READ operations, including sending a signal to the CPU indicating whether or not a particular data storage READ operation of the set of data storage READ operations is in-sequence with previous data storage READ operations of the set of data storage READ operations;
• and
• if the CPU does not receive a signal from the special-purpose processor indicating that the particular data storage READ operation is in-sequence with previous data storage READ operations, then sending the particular data storage READ operation to a port of the plurality of ports based only on load-balancing selection criteria;
• and
• if the CPU receives a signal from the special-purpose processor indicating that the particular data storage READ operation is in-sequence with previous data storage READ operations, then sending the particular data storage READ operation to a same port which processed the previous data storage READ operations.

An apparatus comprising:

• a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU);
• a special-purpose processor optimized for performing vector-based calculations;
• and
• memory, the memory storing a set of instructions, which, when performed by the CPU cause the CPU to:
• calculate a processing load value on the CPU as the CPU performs a set of data storage operations;
• compare the calculated processing load value to a threshold value;
• if the calculated processing load exceeds the threshold value, then cause the special-purpose processor to perform cryptographic operations related to a data storage operation of the set of data storage operations to the exclusion of the CPU;
• and
• otherwise, perform the cryptographic operations related to the data storage operation on the CPU to the exclusion of the special-purpose processor.

An apparatus comprising:

• a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU);
• a special-purpose processor optimized for performing vector-based calculations;
• and
• memory, the memory storing a set of instructions, which, when performed by the CPU cause the CPU to:
• cause the special-purpose processor to perform sequence detection operations associated with a set of data storage READ operations, each data storage READ operation of the set of data storage READ operations being directed to one data storage device of a data storage system, including sending a signal to the CPU indicating whether or not a particular data storage READ operation of the set of data storage READ operations is in-sequence with previous data storage READ operations of the set of data storage READ operations;
• and
• if the CPU receives a signal from the special-purpose processor indicating that the particular data storage READ operation is in-sequence with previous data storage READ operations, then send the particular data storage READ operation from the CPU to a same port of the plurality of ports which processed the previous data storage READ operations;
• and
• if the CPU does not receive a signal from the special-purpose processor indicating that the particular data storage READ operation is in-sequence with previous data storage READ operations, then send the particular data storage READ operation to a port of the plurality of ports based only on load-balancing selection criteria.