EP0751464A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Storage system
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1996-05-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A multi-host storage system uses the dual port feature of a Fibre Channel to allow multiple computer hosts (312, 314) to simultaneously access a cluster of memory units (301, 315) that are Fibre Channel arbitrated. Typical multiple host access schemes require an expensive Fibre Channel switch and do not allow simultaneous accessing. The dual port feature of Fibre Channel devices provides for fault tolerance and redundancy.
Inventors
- 👤 Manu Thapar
- 👤 Shenze Chen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 10:23
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2089; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/40; G06F13/4004; G06F13/4022; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/163; G06F15/167; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0673
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A multi-host information storage system architecture comprising: a first memory storage unit cluster (301) including a plurality of memory storage units (302, 304, 306, 308), each memory storage unit including a first data transfer port and a second data transfer port, the first data transfer ports of all the memory storage units being interconnected to form a first loop (la) and the second data transfer ports of all the memory storage units being interconnected to form a second loop (1b); a second memory storage unit cluster (315) including a plurality of memory storage units (316, 318, 320, 322), each memory storage unit including a first data transfer port and a second data transfer port, the first data transfer ports of all the memory storage units being interconnected to form a third loop (2a) and the second data transfer ports of all the memory storage units being interconnected to form a fourth loop (2b); a first host (312) including a first controller (310) in communication with the first loop (la) and a second controller (326) in communication with the third loop (2a); and a second host (314) including a first controller (324) in communication with the second loop (1b) and a second controller (328) in communication with the fourth loop (2b).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
An architecture as in claim 1, wherein: the first data transfer port of each of the memory storage units in the first memory storage unit cluster (301) including an input and an output; the input of the first data port of one of the memory storage units is in communication with an output of the first controller of the first host (312); the output of the first data port of another one of the memory storage units is in communication with an input of the first controller of the first host (312); and the remaining inputs and outputs of the first data ports are interconnected to define the first loop (1a).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An architecture as in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the loops is a Fibre Channel arbitrated loop.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An architecture as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the transfer ports are interconnected optically.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An architecture as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the transfer ports are interconnected electrically.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
An architecture as in any preceding claim, wherein the memory storage units are disk drives.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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