US5931918A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Parallel I/O network file server architecture
Assignee: NetApp Inc
•
Filing: 1997-07-30
•
Granted: 1999-08-03
•
Expires: 2017-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A file server architecture is disclosed, comprising as separate processors, a network controller unit, a file controller unit and a storage processor unit. These units incorporate their own processors, and operate in parallel with a local Unix host processor. All networks are connected to the network controller unit, which performs all protocol processing up through the NFS layer. The virtual file system is implemented in the file control unit, and the storage processor provides high-speed multiplexed access to an array of mass storage devices. The file controller unit control file information caching through its own local cache buffer, and controls disk data caching through a large system memory which is accessible on a bus by any of the processors.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward John Row
- 👤 Laurence B. Boucher
- 👤 William M. Pitts
- 👤 Stephen E. Blightman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 05:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F16/00; G06F16/10; G06F16/18; G06F16/1858; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/133; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A network file server for use with a data network and a mass storage device, said network file server including a first unit comprising: means for decoding file system requests from said network; means for performing procedures for satisfying said file system requests, including accessing said mass storage device if required; and means for encoding any file system reply messages for return transmission on said network, said first unit lacking means in said first unit for executing any programs which make calls to any general purpose operating system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
A network file server for use with a data network and a mass storage device, said network file server including a first unit comprising: means for decoding file system requests from said network; means for performing procedures for satisfying said file system requests, including accessing said mass storage device if required; and means for encoding any file system reply messages for return transmission on said network, said first unit lacking means in said first unit for executing any programs which make calls to any general purpose operating system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A network file server according to claim 1, further including a second unit comprising means for executing programs which make calls to a general purpose operating system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A network file server according to claim 1, wherein said file system requests from said network comprise NFS requests.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
A network file server for use with a data network and a mass storage device, said network file server including a first unit comprising: means for decoding file system requests from said network; means for performing procedures for satisfying said file system requests, including accessing said mass storage device if required; and means for encoding any file system reply messages for return transmission on said network, said first unit lacking means to execute any user-provided application programs on said first unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A network file server for use with a data network and a mass storage device, said network file server including a first unit comprising: means for decoding file system requests from said network; means for performing procedures for satisfying said file system requests, including accessing said mass storage device if required; and means for encoding any file system reply messages for return transmission on said network, said first unit lacking means to execute any user-provided application programs on said first unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A network file server according to claim 4, further including a second unit running a user-provided application program.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A network file server according to claim 4, wherein said file system requests from said network comprise NFS requests.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
159 words
A network file server for use with a data network and a mass storage device, said network file server comprising: a network control module, including a network interface coupled to receive file system requests from said network; a file system control module, including a mass storage device interface coupled to said mass storage device; and a communication path coupled directly between said network control module and said file system control module, said communication path carrying file retrieval requests prepared by said network control module in response to received file system requests to retrieve specified retrieval data from said mass storage device, said file system control module retrieving said specified retrieval data from said mass storage device in response to said file retrieval requests and returning said specified retrieval data to said network control module, and said network control module preparing reply messages containing said specified retrieval data from said file system control module for return transmission on said network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
159 words
A network file server for use with a data network and a mass storage device, said network file server comprising: a network control module, including a network interface coupled to receive file system requests from said network; a file system control module, including a mass storage device interface coupled to said mass storage device; and a communication path coupled directly between said network control module and said file system control module, said communication path carrying file retrieval requests prepared by said network control module in response to received file system requests to retrieve specified retrieval data from said mass storage device, said file system control module retrieving said specified retrieval data from said mass storage device in response to said file retrieval requests and returning said specified retrieval data to said network control module, and said network control module preparing reply messages containing said specified retrieval data from said file system control module for return transmission on said network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A network file server according to claim 7, wherein said file system control module returns said specified retrieval data directly to said network control module.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
75 words
A network file server according to claim 7, wherein said network control module further prepares file storage requests in response to received file system requests to store specified storage data on said mass storage device, said network control module communicating said file storage requests to said file system control module, and wherein said file system control module further stores said specified storage data on said mass storage device in response to said file storage requests.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A network file server according to claim 9, wherein said file storage requests are communicated to said file system control module via said communication path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A network file server according to claim 7, wherein said received file system requests to retrieve specified retrieval data comprise NFS requests.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for processing requests from a data network, for use by a network file server including a network control module coupled to receive file system requests from said network and a file system control module coupled to said mass storage device, comprising the steps of: said network control module preparing file retrieval requests in response to received file system requests to retrieve specified retrieval data from said mass storage device; said network control module communicating said file retrieval requests directly to said file system control module; said file system control module retrieving said specified retrieval data from said mass storage device in response to said file retrieval requests and returning said specified retrieval data to said network control module; and said network control module preparing reply messages containing said specified retrieval data from said file system control module for return transmission on said network.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for processing requests from a data network, for use by a network file server including a network control module coupled to receive file system requests from said network and a file system control module coupled to said mass storage device, comprising the steps of: said network control module preparing file retrieval requests in response to received file system requests to retrieve specified retrieval data from said mass storage device; said network control module communicating said file retrieval requests directly to said file system control module; said file system control module retrieving said specified retrieval data from said mass storage device in response to said file retrieval requests and returning said specified retrieval data to said network control module; and said network control module preparing reply messages containing said specified retrieval data from said file system control module for return transmission on said network.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said file system control module returns said specified retrieval data directly to said network control module.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
74 words
A method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: said network control module preparing file storage requests in response to received file system requests to store specified storage data on said mass storage device said network control module communicating said file storage requests to said file system control module; and said file system control module storing said specified storage data on said mass storage device in response to said file storage requests.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said file storage requests are communicated directly to said file system control module.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said received file system requests to retrieve specified retrieval data comprise NFS requests.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4075691A
Cited
US4156907A
Cited
US4399503A
Cited
US4377843A
Cited
US4333144A
Cited
US4488231A
Cited
US4456457A
Cited
US4685125A
Cited
US4527232A
Cited
US4550368A
Cited
US4710868A
Cited
US4719569A
Cited
US4825354A
Cited
US4803621A
Cited
US4780821A
Cited
US4819159A
Cited
US4783730A
Cited
US4766534A
Cited
JPS63200244A
Cited
US4887204A
Cited
US4897781A
Cited
WO1989003086A1
Cited
EP0321723A2
Cited
US4914583A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-02 | 2003-02-01 | 2003-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-02 | 2007-02-01 | 2007-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-02 | 2011-02-01 | 2011-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |