US20020004883A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Network attached virtual data storage subsystem
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
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Filing: 1999-10-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-10-20
Abstract
Abstract This data storage subsystem creates multiple virtual storage devices on demand, which are available to any and all of the system's host data processors. The subsystem utilizes a plurality of tape devices and automated tape libraries with the tape devices connected to a plurality of data processors via a high-speed network. A set of software components, the Network Storage Manager (NSM) controls all system operations. Depending upon the requested storage performance, one or more tape devices are assigned to a virtual device. Data stripping across multiple tape devices allows the storage bandwidth of a virtual device to be changed on demand. The overall capacity and performance of the subsystem is scalable by adding or removing storage devices. The NSM system controller contains a plurality of software elements including: Resource Allocation, Resource Configuration, Resource Management, and Security Management modules. The use of a networked storage manager enables the storage devices to be managed as a pool and yet be attached directly to the network as individual resources. The NSM also provides the mechanism for the enterprise management to control tape device allocation and configuration as well as other functions, such as tape cartridge movement, data migration and data security.
Inventors
- 👤 Thai Nguyen
- 👤 Robert M. Raymond
- 👤 Michael L. Leonhardt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 11:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0602; G06F3/061; G06F3/0613; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0662; G06F3/0664; G06F3/0668; G06F3/067; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0683; G06F3/0686
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
1 . A system, comprising: a network; a plurality of data processors coupled to the network; a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network; and means, coupled to the network, for dynamically creating at least one virtual device from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
1 . A system, comprising: a network; a plurality of data processors coupled to the network; a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network; and means, coupled to the network, for dynamically creating at least one virtual device from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for creating at least one virtual device is responsive to a storage request from at least one of the plurality of data processors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the means for creating at least one virtual device establishes at least one data storage characteristic of (i) capacity, (ii) data rate, (iii) fault tolerance and (iv) security.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the storage request is initiated from any of manual operator commands, algorithms, rules, and application program requests.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storage devices comprises a plurality of tape drives and a plurality of tape media.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tape media are manipulated by at least one automated tape cartridge library system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the automated tape cartridge library system is operatively coupled to the means for dynamically creating at least one virtual device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the tape drives are coupled to the network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the tape drives are coupled to the network through a bridge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the bridge is operable to connect between dissimilar interfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the dissimilar interfaces are SCSI and a fiber channel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
12 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tape drives are configured to provide a redundant array of independent tapes (RAIT).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
13 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tape drives are configured to provide a plurality of redundant array of independent tape (RAIT) configurations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of RAIT configurations are dissimilar.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
15 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tape drives are configured to provide at least one redundant array of independent tape (RAIT) configuration and at least one single independent drive (SID) configuration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
16 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tape drives are manipulated by a plurality of automated tape cartridge library systems.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for creating at least one virtual device comprises means for resource allocation, resource configuration and resource management.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for resource configuration is dynamically assignable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
19 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a control network coupled to the plurality of data processors and the means for creating at least one virtual device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the network is a high speed data network and the control network operates at a low speed with respect to the high speed data network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the control network is an ethernet based network.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
22 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the high speed data network is a fiber channel network.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
23 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising means for reserving, assigning and managing at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
24 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for dynamically creating at least one virtual device from a least a portion of the plurality of storage devices comprises means for creating a plurality of virtual devices from the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
83 words
25 . The system of claim 19 wherein the means for dynamically creating at least one virtual device comprises: a network storage manager means for receiving a storage request from at least one of the plurality of data processors; and a control block means, operatively coupled between each of the plurality of data processors and the network, for redirecting data received from its respective data processor to one or more of the plurality of storage devices as directed by the network storage means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the control block means are integral with their respective data processor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
27 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the control block means are integral with a network interface card connected to their respective data processor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
28 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the control block means are integral with the network.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
82 words
29 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for dynamically creating at least one virtual device comprises: a network storage manager means for receiving a storage request from at least one of the plurality of data processors; and a control block means, operatively coupled between each of the plurality of storage devices and the network, for redirecting data received from the network to one or more of the plurality of storage devices as directed by the network storage means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the control block means are integral with their respective storage device.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
31 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the control block means are integral with a network interface card connected to their respective storage device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
32 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the control block means are integral with the network.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
74 words
33 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for dynamically creating at least one virtual device comprises: a network storage manager means for receiving a storage request from at least one of the plurality of data processors; and a control block means, operatively coupled to the network, for redirecting data received by the network to one or more of the plurality of storage devices as directed by the network storage means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the control block means is integral with the network.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the network comprises a network fabric switch, and the control block means is integral with the network fabric switch.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
36 . A system, comprising: a network; a plurality of storage devices connected to the network; and means for managing the plurality of storage devices as a pooled resource.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
36 . A system, comprising: a network; a plurality of storage devices connected to the network; and means for managing the plurality of storage devices as a pooled resource.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
59 words
37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the means for managing comprises: network system management means for managing the plurality of storage devices; and control block means for translating data receiving from at least one of a plurality of data processors to appropriate of the plurality of storage devices as directed by the network system management means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
51 words
38 . A system, comprising: a network; a plurality of data processors coupled to the network; a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network; and means, coupled to the network, for dynamically managing at least one virtual device composed from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
51 words
38 . A system, comprising: a network; a plurality of data processors coupled to the network; a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network; and means, coupled to the network, for dynamically managing at least one virtual device composed from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
39 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the means for dynamically managing comprises means for dynamically changing any of configuration and performance of the at least one virtual device.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
51 words
40 . In a system comprising a network, a plurality of data processors coupled to the network and a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network, a method comprising the step of: dynamically creating at least one virtual device from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
51 words
40 . In a system comprising a network, a plurality of data processors coupled to the network and a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network, a method comprising the step of: dynamically creating at least one virtual device from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
36 words
41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein the step of creating the at least one virtual device is in response to a storage request from at least one of the plurality of data processors.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
52 words
42 . In a system comprising a network, a plurality of data processors coupled to the network and a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network, a method comprising the step of: dynamically managing at least one virtual device composed from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
52 words
42 . In a system comprising a network, a plurality of data processors coupled to the network and a plurality of storage devices coupled to the network, a method comprising the step of: dynamically managing at least one virtual device composed from at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
67 words
43 . In a system comprising a network and a plurality of storage devices connected to the network, a method of managing the plurality of storage devices as a pooled resource, comprising the steps of: configuring at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices as a virtual device; and dynamically reconfiguring at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices as another virtual device.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
67 words
43 . In a system comprising a network and a plurality of storage devices connected to the network, a method of managing the plurality of storage devices as a pooled resource, comprising the steps of: configuring at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices as a virtual device; and dynamically reconfiguring at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices as another virtual device.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
20 words
44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the step of dynamically reconfiguring is responsive to a storage request.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
35 words
45 . The system of claim 44 , further comprising the steps of: receiving a storage request from a processor; and translating data receiving from the processor to appropriate of the plurality of storage devices.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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