Network block services for client access of network-attached data storage in an IP network
US7475124B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 25, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jan 6, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 6, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/329
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The SCSI and iSCSI layers over the TCP/IP layers of the protocol stack in an IP network client and in an IP network-attached storage server are replaced with a thin network block services layer. The network block services layer 71 implements a network block services protocol having a very reduced set of commands transmitted between the client and the storage server. The network block services protocol is used in a configuration process in which logical volumes of the network-attached storage are exported to the client and become local pseudo-disk instances. The client's operating system and application programs access the local pseudo-disk instances with what appears to be a standard device driver for a local disk device. The device driver maintains a TCP connection to each open device, and responds to connection failure by re-connecting with an alternative server IP port.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.