Patent US6560683B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6560683B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fibre channel data storage system having improved rear-end I/O adapted hub
Assignee: EMC Corp
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Filing: 1999-12-29
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Granted: 2003-05-06
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Expires: 2019-12-29
Abstract
Abstract A data storage system wherein a host computer is coupled to a bank of disk drives through a system interface. The interface has a plurality of directors and a memory interconnected by a plurality of busses for controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives as such data passes through the memory. A portion of the directors have input/output interfaces coupled to disk drive bank through input/output adapters. The system interface includes a system printed circuit board, such printed circuit board having the directors and the memory plugged into one side thereof and having the input/output adapters plugged into an opposite side thereof. A disk backplane is provided. The disk backplane has having plugged therein: a pair of disk drive sections, each section having a plurality of disk drives in the bank of disk drives; and a pair of port by-pass card, each one of the port by-pass cards being coupled to a corresponding one of the pair of disk drive sections. Each one of the input/output adapters includes a fibre channel hub. The hub is configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of fibre channel loops between one of the directors and a selected one, or more, of the pair disk drive sections. A first one of such loops is between the director and one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto through a first one of the pair of port by-pass cards coupled thereto. A second one of such loops is between the director and the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto through a second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to A third one of such loops is between the director through the first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto then through the second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Linnell
- 👤 William R. Tuccio
- 👤 Christopher J. Mulvey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:59
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0602; G06F3/0614; G06F3/0617; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0655; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0683; G06F3/0689
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
332 words
A data storage system wherein a host computer is coupled to a bank of disk drives through a system interface, such interface having a plurality of directors and a memory interconnected by a plurality of busses for controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives as such data passes through the memory, a portion of the directors having input/output interfaces coupled to disk drive bank through input/output adapters, the system interface comprising: a system printed circuit board, such board, such printed circuit board having the directors and the memory plugged into one side thereof and having the input/output adapters plugged into an opposite side thereof; a disk backplane having plugged therein: a pair of disk drive sections, each section having a plurality of disk drives in the bank of disk drives; and a pair of port by-pass card, each one of the port by-pass cards being coupled to a corresponding one of the pair of disk drive sections; and wherein each one of the input/output adapters includes: a fibre channel hub, such hub being configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of fibre channel loops between one of the directors and a selected one, or more, of the pair disk drive sections, a first one of such loops being between the director through first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; a second one of such loops being between the director through a second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; and, a third one of such loops being between the director through the first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto then through the second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
332 words
A data storage system wherein a host computer is coupled to a bank of disk drives through a system interface, such interface having a plurality of directors and a memory interconnected by a plurality of busses for controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives as such data passes through the memory, a portion of the directors having input/output interfaces coupled to disk drive bank through input/output adapters, the system interface comprising: a system printed circuit board, such board, such printed circuit board having the directors and the memory plugged into one side thereof and having the input/output adapters plugged into an opposite side thereof; a disk backplane having plugged therein: a pair of disk drive sections, each section having a plurality of disk drives in the bank of disk drives; and a pair of port by-pass card, each one of the port by-pass cards being coupled to a corresponding one of the pair of disk drive sections; and wherein each one of the input/output adapters includes: a fibre channel hub, such hub being configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of fibre channel loops between one of the directors and a selected one, or more, of the pair disk drive sections, a first one of such loops being between the director through first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; a second one of such loops being between the director through a second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; and, a third one of such loops being between the director through the first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto then through the second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
354 words
A data storage system wherein a host computer is coupled to a bank of disk drives through a system interface, such interface having a plurality of directors and a memory interconnected by a plurality of busses for controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives as such data passes through the memory, a front-end portion of the directors being coupled to the host computer through front-end input/output adapters and a rear-end portion of the directors having input/output interfaces coupled to disk drive bank through rear-end input/output adapters, the system interface comprising: a system printed circuit board, such board, such printed circuit board having the directors and the memory plugged into one side thereof and having the input/output adapters plugged into an opposite side thereof; a disk backplane having plugged therein: a pair of disk drive sections, each section having a plurality of disk drives in the bank of disk drives; and a pair of port by-pass card, each one of the port by-pass cards being coupled to a corresponding one of the pair of disk drive sections; and wherein each one of the rear-end input/output adapters includes: a fibre channel hub, such hub being configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of fibre channel loops between one of the rear-end directors and a selected one, or more, of the pair disk drive sections, a first one of such loops being between the rear-end director through first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; a second one of such loops being between the director through a second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; and, a third one of such loops being between the director through the first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto then through the second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
354 words
A data storage system wherein a host computer is coupled to a bank of disk drives through a system interface, such interface having a plurality of directors and a memory interconnected by a plurality of busses for controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives as such data passes through the memory, a front-end portion of the directors being coupled to the host computer through front-end input/output adapters and a rear-end portion of the directors having input/output interfaces coupled to disk drive bank through rear-end input/output adapters, the system interface comprising: a system printed circuit board, such board, such printed circuit board having the directors and the memory plugged into one side thereof and having the input/output adapters plugged into an opposite side thereof; a disk backplane having plugged therein: a pair of disk drive sections, each section having a plurality of disk drives in the bank of disk drives; and a pair of port by-pass card, each one of the port by-pass cards being coupled to a corresponding one of the pair of disk drive sections; and wherein each one of the rear-end input/output adapters includes: a fibre channel hub, such hub being configured to provide a selected one of a plurality of fibre channel loops between one of the rear-end directors and a selected one, or more, of the pair disk drive sections, a first one of such loops being between the rear-end director through first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; a second one of such loops being between the director through a second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto; and, a third one of such loops being between the director through the first one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto then through the second one of the pair of port by-pass cards to the one of the pair of disk drive sections coupled thereto.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-05-05 | 2006-11-04 | 2007-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-05-05 | 2010-11-04 | 2011-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-05-05 | 2014-11-04 | 2015-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |