초록 ▼

A system for hierarchical data storage management and transparent data backup in a high speed, high volume Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop environment comprising first and second Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loops, each coupling a Transaction Server and backup HSM server to high speed disk drives and mirr

A system for hierarchical data storage management and transparent data backup in a high speed, high volume Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop environment comprising first and second Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loops, each coupling a Transaction Server and backup HSM server to high speed disk drives and mirrored high speed disk drives respectively. The two loops are coupled by a Bridge compatible with the Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop protocol which forwards write transactions directed to the mirrored disk drives from the first loop the second but keeps read transaction from the Transaction Server to the high speed disk drives on the first loop isolated from backup and HSM transactions occurring on the second loop between the backup HSM server, the mirrored disk drives and backup storage devices coupled to the backup HSM server.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [3.] An apparatus comprising:a primary memory which is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FCAL) Node;a mirrored memory which is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop Node;a backup/archival storage device which is a node for a SCSI bus;a primary local area network (LAN) which is a Fibr

[ What is claimed is:] [3.] An apparatus comprising:a primary memory which is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FCAL) Node;a mirrored memory which is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop Node;a backup/archival storage device which is a node for a SCSI bus;a primary local area network (LAN) which is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop and is coupled to said primary memory:a secondary local area network which is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop and is coupled to said mirrored memory;said SCSI bus coupled to said backup/archival storage device;an FCAL bridge selectively coupling said primary and secondary FCAL local area networks as one larger FCAL LAN when an npan (OPN) primitive arrives from one FCAL LAN which is addressed to a node on said other FCAL LAN or vice versa, and which includes one or more state machines structured, or microprocessors programmed, to implement necessary switching rules to perform bridging and to resolve conflicting OPN situations;a backup and hierarchical storage management processor coupled to said FCAL bridge via said secondary local area network, and coupled to said backup/archival storage device via said SCSI bus and coupled to said mirrored memory via said secondary local area network, and including a computer or microprocessor programmed to carry out backup and/or hierarchical storage management read and write transactions between said mirrored memory and said backup/archival storage device via said secondary FCAL local area network and said SCSI bus without involving said primary FCAL local area network such that said primary memory is free to carry out read and write transactions during said backup and/or hierarchical storage management operations by virtue of said primary FCAL local area network being isolated by said FCAL bridge from loop tenancies on said secondary FCAL local area network necessary to carry out said backup and/or hierarchical storage management functions;a transaction processor which is an FCAL node coupled by said primary FCAL local area network to said primary memory and coupled to said backup and hierarchical storage management processor and said mirrored memory via said FCAL bridge and said secondary FCAL local area network, and programmed to carry out read and write transactions with said primary memory over said primary FCAL local area network and, for every write transaction to said primary memory, said transaction processor is programmed to carry out a mirrored write transaction of the same data to said mirrored memory by sending the same data written on said primary memory to said backup and hierarchical storage management processor via said FCAL bridge and said secondary FCAL local area network if said secondary FCAL local area network is available, and, if not available, to try the write transaction one or more times again later until the write transaction to said mirrored memory is completed; andwherein said backup and heirarchical storage management processor is programmed to receive data transmissions of said mirrored write transactions and write said data to said mirrored memory via said secondary FCAL local area network.