Patent · US Active

LUN masking/mapping in a SR-IOV enabled SAS adapter

US8122225B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by

4References

17Claims

0Family size

Assignee

International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

Renato J. Recio · Austin, US
Aaron C. Brown · Austin, US
Douglas M. Freimuth · New York, US
James A. Pafumi · Leander, US
Steven M. Thurber · Austin, US

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 12, 2008
Grant date	Feb 21, 2012
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jun 16, 2030

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG06F9/45537
WIPO fieldComputer technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A “LUN Table” enables Logical Unit Number (LUN) mapping/masking within an Input/Output Virtualization IOV adapter included in a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (“SAS” or “Serial Attached SCSI”). A plurality of System Images (“SI”) share block storage through the SAS. The IOV adapter includes one or more Virtual Functions (VF), a Physical Function (PF), and a LUN Table within the PF. The VF allows each SI to communicate I/0 requests with a storage device through the PF. The LUN Table maps the I/0 requests to unique locations within the storage device. Each SI is isolated from all other SIs. Interference between each SI is avoided. A VIOS or a LUN mapping/masking SAN are not required. I/0 latency, processor overhead and storage cost are improved over prior LUN mapping/masking solutions.

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