Patent · US Expired

Systems and methods for providing a storage virtualization environment

US7236987B1 · kind B1 · utility

87Cited by
65References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 27, 2004
Grant dateJun 26, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 5, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99948
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A storage virtualization environment is provided that includes a system for providing one or more virtual volumes. The system may include a host system and a set of storage devices, each of which includes physical block addresses that stores data. Further, the system includes a network switch system connecting the host system and the set of storage devices and is configured to define and manage a virtual volume associated with data distributed across the physical block addresses. The network switch system includes a first virtualization layer that maintains first tier objects including information reflecting a relationship between the physical block addresses and one or more logical partitions of virtual volume data. Moreover, the network switch system includes a second virtualization layer that maintains second tier objects including information reflecting a logical configuration of the virtual volume. The network switch system manages the virtual volume for the host system using the first and second tier objects.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.