Dell Products Inc.

John B Yeaman

Joel H Stave

Richard A Lagueux, Jr

Robert M Higgins

Brian E Stevens

James M Collins

A storage server architecture supporting virtual devices and virtual circuits for storing data is provided. The storage server includes a plurality of communication interfaces. A first set of communication interfaces in the plurality is adapted for connection to all kinds of users of data. A second set of communication interfaces in the plurality is adapted for connection to respective devices in a pool of storage devices. Data processing resources in the server are coupled to the plurality of communication interfaces for transferring data among the interfaces. The data processing resources comprise a plurality of driver modules and configurable logic linking driver modules into data paths. Each configured data path acts as a virtual circuit that includes a set of driver modules selected from the plurality of driver modules. A data storage transaction which is received at a communication interface is mapped to one of the configured data paths. A display and a user input device are included with data processing structures to manage images displayed on the display. The images include a first image arranged to prompt a user to input configuration data concerning host systems coupled to one of the plurality of communication interfaces, a second image arranged to prompt a user to input data concerning storage resources coupled to one of the plurality of communication interfaces, and a third image arrange to prompt a user to input data concerning logical addresses used by the host systems to access the storage resources accessible using the server.

Growing community of inventors

Bedford, NH, United States of America

John B Yeaman