초록 ▼

A multi-protocol storage appliance serves file and block protocol access to information stored on storage devices in an integrated manner for both network attached storage (NAS) and storage area network (SAN) deployments. A storage operating system of the appliance implements a file system that coop

A multi-protocol storage appliance serves file and block protocol access to information stored on storage devices in an integrated manner for both network attached storage (NAS) and storage area network (SAN) deployments. A storage operating system of the appliance implements a file system that cooperates with novel virtualization modules to provide a virtualization system that “virtualizes” the storage space provided by the devices. Notably, the file system provides volume management capabilities for use in block-based access to the information stored on the devices. The virtualization system allows the file system to logically organize the information as named file, directory and virtual disk (vdisk) storage objects to thereby provide an integrated NAS and SAN appliance approach to storage by enabling file-based access to the files and directories, while further enabling block-based access to the vdisks.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A storage operating system executed by a processor of a storage system configured to provide storage service relating to information stored on storage devices coupled to the storage system, comprising:a network protocol stack of the storage system that provides data paths to a

What is claimed is: 1. A storage operating system executed by a processor of a storage system configured to provide storage service relating to information stored on storage devices coupled to the storage system, comprising:a network protocol stack of the storage system that provides data paths to access the information using block and file access protocols;a file system of the storage operating system configured to cooperate with virtualization modules to virtualize a storage space provided by the storage devices, wherein the virtualization modules comprise a virtual disk module and a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) target module, and wherein the block and file access protocols access files, directories, and virtual disks on the storage devices are both processed by the file system of the storage operating system;the SCSI target module configured to provide a mapping procedure that translates storage area network (SAN) requests received at the network protocol stack into access requests for a virtual disk stored within the virtual storage space, wherein the virtual disk is a file type that emulates a disk;the virtual disk module to provide a data path from the SCSI target module to blocks managed by the file system;a uniform naming scheme for file-based and block-based storage configured to provide name-based management of the files and virtual disks stored on the storage system; andthe file system further configured to provide a hierarchical structure of the files and virtual disks on the storage devices.