Intransa, Inc.

Paul D McFall

Peter M Athanas

Henry J Green

Kevin J Paar

Tom B Brooks

A data storage system includes memory, a controller, and an Ethernet interface enabling sending and/or receiving Ethernet packets to or from a client system, according to a first protocol. The controller is coupled between the memory and the Ethernet interface and essentially carries out a translation function. Information packets from the client system are translated from a first protocol to a second protocol for use by the memory, and information from the memory is translated from the second protocol to the first protocol for use by the client system as Ethernet packets.

Method and apparatus for accessing memory using Ethernet packets

The present invention provides a controller system including a common controller, a first interface, a second interface, and an adapter. The first interface is used to receive and to send data according to a first protocol having a format useable by a computer system. The common controller is coupled between the first interface and the second interface to translate between the first protocol and the second protocol, the second protocol is used by a memory coupled to the common controller. The second interface is used to store and to retrieve data from the memory according to the second protocol. The adapter function can be coupled between the memory and the common controller. The memory forms a response to a request by the computer system, with the response including at least one of (A) storing information, (B) retrieving information, and (C) providing status information.

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Blacksburg, VA, United States of America

Paul D McFall