Avago Technologies General IP (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Lsi Corporation

Netapp, Inc.

Reid A Kaufmann

Charles D Henry

Jeffrey D Weide

Jason A Unrein

Luiz Varchavtchik

Charles D Binford

William Patrick Delaney

Joseph Moore

Joseph Russell Blount

Randolph Wesley Sterns

James A Seely

Kalyn P Kovac

Mitch Blackburn

Jeffrey C Weide

A method includes: storing a first data extent on a physical medium, wherein the physical medium is divided into a plurality of storage blocks, wherein each of the storage blocks has a size that is different than a size of the first data extent, further wherein the first data extent is stored to a first block of the plurality of storage blocks; generating a descriptor for the first data extent, wherein the descriptor indicates that the first data extent starts within the first block of the plurality of blocks and indicates an offset from the beginning of the first block at which the first data extent starts; and storing the descriptor within the first block.

Systems, methods, and computer readable media providing arbitrary sizing of data extents

A system and method are provided for backing up and recovering data that allows the data to be modified and backed up even while recovery is still in progress. In some embodiments, the method includes performing a data recovery procedure on a computing system. The data recovery procedure includes identifying a set of data objects stored on a recovery system; retrieving the set of data objects; and storing data of the retrieved set of data objects to at least one storage device. Data objects may be prioritized so that data that is in demand is retrieved first. Data that is modified during the data recovery procedure is tracked and backed up to an object-storage system during the data recovery procedure. In some embodiments, backing up the modified data is part of an incremental backup procedure that excludes data objects that contains only unmodified data.

Prioritized data recovery from an object storage service and concurrent data backup

Methods and structure for devices that implement multiple versions of the Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) protocol. One exemplary embodiment comprises a SAS device that includes at least one physical link (PHY) that supports a specified generation of SAS protocols, and at least one PHY that supports a different generation of SAS protocols and that does not support the specified generation of SAS protocols. The SAs device also includes an Input/Output (I/O) processor able to select a PHY to service a SAS connection, based on the generation of SAS protocols supported by the PHY.

Devices with asymmetric SAS generation support

Methods and structure for detecting that arbitration is delaying discovery. One embodiment is a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) expander. The SAS expander includes multiple SAS ports, a port monitor, and a controller. The port monitor is able to track physical link events during arbitration for at least one of the ports while discovery is in progress at the expander, and to detect based on the physical link events that arbitration is delaying discovery. The controller is able to prioritize discovery requests at the expander responsive to detecting that arbitration is delaying discovery.

Arbitration monitoring for serial attached small computer system interface systems during discovery

Methods and structure for lane-based multiplexing of physical links are provided. In one embodiment, a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) device is provided. The SAS device comprises a physical link and a controller. The controller is able to time division multiplex the physical link into multiple lanes, and to manage a first connection along one or more of the lanes of the physical link. The controller is further able to detect a request for a second connection, to determine a link rate for the second connection, to select a number of additional lanes at the physical link based on the link rate for the second connection, and to manage the second connection along the additional lanes while the first connection is being managed.

Lane-based multiplexing for physical links in serial attached small computer system interface architectures

A method for managing a request for an outbound connection is provided. The method includes the step of receiving the request for the outbound connection. The request includes a specified connection speed. The method also includes the step of comparing the request for the outbound connection to a plurality of outbound connection options. A further step of the method includes selecting an outbound connection from the plurality of outbound connection options. The selected outbound connection has a connection speed at least equal to the specified connection speed. The selected outbound connection also has the lowest connection speed of the outbound connection options having a connection speed at least equal to the specified connection speed.

Connection rate management in wide ports

The disclosure is directed to a system and method for managing connections across a plurality of phys including at least one phy having a first link rate and at least one phy having a second link rate. At least one connection request including a selected link rate is received from an initiator. An arbitration in progress (AIP) delay is provided when at least one phy having the selected link rate or higher is not available. During the AIP delay, a link manager continues to check for a phy having the selected link rate or higher. The link manager completes the connection request if a phy having the selected link rate or higher becomes available before the AIP delay ends.

Link rate availability based arbitration

Systems and methods presented herein provide for the management of link rates for connecting targets devices (e.g., storage devices) to initiators (e.g., host systems). In one embodiment, an expander includes a plurality of PHYs including a PHY having a first link rate and a PHY having a second link rate that is different than the first link rate. The expander also includes a link manager communicatively coupled to the PHYs and operable to process a connection request from an initiator for the first link rate, extract a timer from the connection request, and determine whether the first link rate is available. The link manager is also operable to start the timer when the link manager determines that the first link rate is unavailable and issue a response to the initiator to inform the initiator that the timer has started and that connection at the first link rate is delayed.

Managing arbitration in mixed link rate wide ports

Systems and methods presented herein provide for managing connections in a SAS domain comprising at least first and second expanders. The first expander detects a failure of the initiator and indicates a change in the SAS domain to the second expander. The second expander detects an increase in arbitration wait time for a connection between the initiator and the target device, determines a race condition exists in the second expander, denies the connection between the initiator and the target device, directs the target device to wait for another connection, performs a discovery of the domain based on the discovery request from the first expander, and prevents a subsequent connection by the target device to the initiator after discovery completes.

Arbitration suspension in a SAS domain

A system and method for servers to belong to a cascaded cluster of nodes (or servers) is disclosed. Servers share storage in common without the need of an external element such as a switch and or external storage device. SAS technology is used with direct attached drives in each node, and connections between each node, to emulate a SAN environment through a cascaded SAS topology. SAS HBAs each containing an SAS expander, connect elements internal to each server with elements external to each. This cascaded DAS clustering enables bi-directional traffic from each server in the cluster to all other servers and their attached drives.

Server direct attached storage shared through physical SAS expanders

A data storage system includes a first server including: a first plurality of storage disks configured to store data, and a first host bus adapter including a first processor configured to provide a first virtual expander and a first logic component; and a second server including: a second plurality of storage disks configured to store data, and a second host bus adapter including a second processor configured to provide a second virtual expander and a second logic component, wherein the first host bus adapter of the first server is coupled to the second host bus adapter of the second server via a SAS connection, and wherein each of the first plurality of storage disks and the second plurality of storage disks are accessible by each of the first server and the second server.

Server direct attached storage shared through virtual SAS expanders

The invention provides a data storage topology that includes a master logging node where the event logs for all of the nodes may be stored on a consolidated basis. The master logging node is configured with a sufficient amount of reserved or additional data storage to accommodate the event logging requirement for the entire data storage topology. The other expanders in the topology may remain at a baseline model. The master logging medium may be an inexpensive persistent storage, such as a flash chip or USB key. The master logging expander may pull the event logs and other information from the remote expanders or, alternatively, the remote expanders may push their event logs and other information to the master logging node. In particular embodiments, the pull or push configuration may be implemented through preexisting SAS protocols.

Growing community of inventors

Andover, KS, United States of America

Reid A Kaufmann