The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 15, 2008
Ross E. Zwisler, Lafayette, CO (US);
Andrew J. Spry, Wichita, KS (US);
Gerald J. Fredin, Wichita, KS (US);
Kenneth J. Gibson, Lafayette, CO (US);
Ross E. Zwisler, Lafayette, CO (US);
Andrew J. Spry, Wichita, KS (US);
Gerald J. Fredin, Wichita, KS (US);
Kenneth J. Gibson, Lafayette, CO (US);
Netapp, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a method for providing multi-pathing via Small Computer System Interface Input/Output (SCSI I/O) referral between an initiator and a storage cluster which are communicatively coupled via a network, the storage cluster including at least a first target device and a second target device. The method includes receiving an input/output (I/O) at the first target device from the initiator via the network. The I/O includes a data request. The method further includes transmitting a SCSI I/O referral list to the initiator when data included in the data request is not stored on the first target device, but is stored on the second target device. The referral list includes first and second port identifiers for identifying first and second ports of the second target device respectively. The first and second ports of the target device are identified as access ports for accessing the data requested in the data request.