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US 8,713,127 B2Granted
Techniques for distributed storage aggregation
AssigneeNovell, Inc.
InventorHitesh Menghnani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques for distributed storage aggregation are presented. A storage aggregation server interacts over a network with a plurality of contributing servers to organize and partition excess storage on each of the contributing servers as a logical Random Array of Independent Disks (RAID). Network resource can process Input/Output (I/O) operations over the network against the RAID using an Internet Small Computers Systems Interface (iSCSI) protocol.
Claims11
A machine-implemented method that executes on a storage aggregation server, comprising:
- identifying, by the storage aggregation server, a plurality of contributing servers over a network connection, which is an Internet connection, each of the contributing servers have excess storage capacity that is collectively shared over the network connection as storage organized in blocks, the contributing servers identified, supplied, configured, and registered by a user via a configuration and management server interface;
- exchanging, by the storage aggregation server, configuration information with each of the contributing servers, each contributing server accesses the excess storage capacity, partitions the excess storage capacity, and communicates real-time events with the other contributing servers based on the configuration information, each contributing server implemented as a separate machine and dispersed over the network from the other contributing servers;
- logically creating, by the storage aggregation server, logical Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks (RAID) by aggregating the excess storage capacity over the Internet, the logical RAID is accessible via Input/Output (I/O) operations over the Internet using an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) protocol and appears to be a physical RAID;
- maintaining, by the storage aggregation server, the logical RAIDS in three pools, a first pool for dedicated contributing servers and a second pool for part-time contributing servers, and wherein the user assigns a role to a particular server that identifies that particular server's pool assignment;
- and
- using, by network resources over the network connection and via the iSCSI protocol, the excess storage capacity as if it were another physical RAID when in fact the excess storage capacity is dispersed over the network and managed by the storage aggregation server in cooperation with the contributing servers as the logical RAID, the excess storage capacity shared at the block level and not just the file level.
3 more elements
A machine-implemented method, comprising:
- registering a configured size of storage as blocked storage with a distributed storage aggregation server, the distributed storage aggregation server is located over a network and is remote and external from the blocked storage, the network is the Internet and the block storage associated with sharing storage over the Internet at the block level and not just a file level, and the block storage assigned to being shared on a dedicated or part time basis, and the block storage registered by a user via a configuration and management interface by the user assigning a role to the block storage by selecting from:
- the dedicated basis and the part time basis;
- partitioning the blocked storage into predefined sizes of shared partitions in response to interaction with the distributed storage aggregation server;
- presenting references to the shared partitions to the distributed storage aggregation server for subsequent use by network resources;
- organizing, by the distributed storage aggregation server, the shared partitions with other shared partitions from other contributing servers to form logical Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks (RAID) that the network resources access over the Internet using an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) protocol performing Input/Output (I/O) operations on;
- and
- using, by the network resources over the network and via the iSCSI protocol, the shared partitions as if it were another physical RAID when in fact the shared partitions are dispersed over the network and managed by the distributed storage aggregation server in cooperation with the other contributing servers.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.