Netapp, Inc.

Network Appliance, Inc.

James R Grier

Arthur F Lent

Vijayan Rajan

Scott A Schoenthal

John Meneghini

Jeffrey S Kimmel

Abhijeet Prakash Gole

Jose Mathew

Rebecca S Beaman

Chaitanya Nulkar

Jeffrey A Kemp

David W Mitchell

A system and method provides a remote direct memory access over a transport medium that does not natively support remote direct memory access operations. An emulated VI module of a storage operating system emulates RDMA operations over such a medium, e.g., conventional Ethernet, thereby enabling storage. Storage appliances in a cluster configuration utilize the non-RDMA compatible transport medium as a cluster interconnect.

System and method for providing remote direct memory access over a transport medium that does not natively support remote direct memory access operations

A system and method proxies data access commands acrossed a cluster interconnect between storage appliances and a cluster using a file-level protocol. Each storage appliance activates two ports per data access, a local port for data access requests directed to clients of the storage appliance and a proxy port for data access requests directed to the partner storage appliance. Clients utilizing multi-pathing software may send data access requests to either the local port of the storage appliance or the proxy port of the storage appliance. The system and method improves high availability, especially during a loss of connectivity due to non-storage appliance hardware failure.

System and method for proxying data access commands in a storage system cluster

A first storage server head and a second storage server head are operated and are configured redundantly to provide a host with access to a plurality of mass storage devices. A diagnostic process is executed in the first storage server head to assess operational status of the second storage server head while the second storage server head is in a mode for providing the host with access to the plurality of mass storage devices.

Method and apparatus for testing a storage system head in a clustered failover configuration

A computer storage system executes a host operating system on the computer. A plurality of storage operating system simulators are executed by the host operating system, each storage operating system simulator simulating an operating system of a storage system. Input/output operations are performed between the simulators through an interprocess data pathway, the interprocess data pathway connecting storage operating system simulators.

System and method for simulating a software protocol stack using an emulated protocol over an emulated network

The system and method verifies a configuration of a storage system through versions, configurations and components failure of the various storage system components and generates a report identifying errors and/or warnings of the current configuration. A graphical representation of the storage system, including switches, clients and the like may be generated showing misconfiguration errors.

Technique for verifying a configuration of a storage environment

A system and method for simulating a software protocol stack over an emulated network using an emulated protocol. A storage operating system simulator, executing on a host computer, includes an interconnect communication stack that utilizes an emulated protocol over an emulated network to communicate with another storage operating system simulator configured in a cluster configuration.

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Groton, MA, United States of America

James R Grier