EP0769744A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for sharing multiple storage arrays by multiple host computer systems
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1996-09-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A system is provided for storing data for a plurality of host computers (20) on a plurality of storage arrays so that data on each storage array can be accessed by any host computer. A plurality of adapter cards (22) are used. Each adapter has controller functions for a designated storage array. There is an adapter communication interface (23) (interconnect) between all of the adapters in the system. There is also a host application interface between an application program running in the host computer and an adapter. When a data request is made by an application program to a first adapter through a host application interface for data that is stored in a storage array not primarily controlled by the first adapter, the data request is communicated through the adapter communication interface to the adapter primarily controlling the storage array in which the requested data is stored.
Inventors
- 👤 Ian David Judd
- 👤 Nik Shaylor
- 👤 Alistair Leask Symon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:47
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2089; G06F11/2092; G06F13/00; G06F13/10; G06F13/12; G06F13/122; G06F11/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A system for storing data for a plurality of host computers on a plurality of arrays of storage devices, so that data on any storage device can be accessed by any host computer, comprising: a plurality of adapters, each adapter being associated with a host computer and each adapter having primary control of a designated array; and an adapter communication interconnect means between the adapters for peer to peer communication, wherein a data access request from a host computer to an associated adapter for an array not primarily controlled by the adapter is communicated through the adapter communication interface to the adapter having primary control of the array.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 1, further comprising an identifier stored in each adapter for indicating the storage devices primarily controlled by the adapter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising an identifier stored in each storage array for identifying an adapter having primary control of the storage array.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
19 words
A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each adapter resides in a host computer.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
55 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a plurality of secondary adapters, each secondary adapter being associated with a host computer and each secondary adapter having secondary control of a designated array, wherein a secondary adapter controls a designated array when an adapter primarily controlling the designated array is unavailable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 5, wherein an adapter having primary and an adapter having secondary control of a designated array reside in different host computers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein a first host computer has a first adapter primarily controlling a first array and a second adapter secondarily controlling a second array; and a second host computer has a third adapter for secondarily controlling the first array and a fourth adapter for primarily controlling the second array.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
47 words
A system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein a first adapter has primary control of a first array and secondary control of a second array; and a second adapter has primary control of the second array and secondary control of the first array.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second adapter are in the same host computer.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
31 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising: RAID controller functions included in the adapter for distributing data stored in an array according to a RAID scheme.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
16 words
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the adapter communication interface is an SSA interface.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for accessing data for a plurality of host computers from a plurality of storage arrays, comprising the steps of: a) associating at least one adapter with each host computer; b) associating an adapter as a primary controller for a storage array; c) associating a communication interconnect means between said adapters; d) sending a data access request to an adapter associated with the host; e) identifying whether requested data is stored in the storage array primarily controlled by said associated adapter; and f) sending a data access request, through the communication interconnect, for data not stored in an array primary controlled by said associated adapter to an adapter primarily controlling the storage array having the requested data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method according to claim 12, including the further steps of: g) associating an adapter as a secondary controller for a storage array; h) determining when an adapter primarily controlling the storage array is unavailable; and i) using an adapter having secondary control for a storage array as a controller for the storage array when the adapter having primary control of the storage array is unavailable.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
183 words
In a networked computer system comprising a plurality of host computers and a plurality of storage arrays, wherein each host computer has an adapter card therein, each adapter card primarily controlling a storage array and having a communication interconnect between all of the adapter cards in the system, a computer program product for use with the adapter cards, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for providing access for all of the host computers to data stored on the plurality of storage arrays, said computer program product having: computer readable program code means for an adapter card associated with a host computer receiving a data access request; computer readable program code means for identifying whether requested data is stored in the storage array primarily controlled by an adapter; and computer readable program code means for sending a data access request, through the communication interconnect, for data not stored in a storage array primary controlled by an adapter and to the adapter card primarily controlling the storage array having the requested data, through the communication interconnect.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 14 further comprising computer readable program code means for enabling a secondary adapter to take over control of an array for a primary adapter when the primary adapter fails.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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