Abstract: A data storage system includes an input/output server and a storage unit. The input/output server includes a processor, memory, and a host channel adapter. The storage unit includes a processor, memory, and a storage module. The storage module includes a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit further includes a host channel adaptor. The storage unit host channel adapter is connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit host channel adapter is capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server. Protocol translation logic is configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the storage unit host channel adapter and the input/output server host channel adapter.

Abstract: A data storage system includes an input/output server and a storage unit. The input/output server includes a processor, memory, and a host channel adapter. The storage unit includes a processor, memory, and a storage module. The storage module includes a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit further includes a host channel adaptor. The storage unit host channel adapter is connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface. The storage unit host channel adapter is capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server. Protocol translation logic is configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the storage unit host channel adapter and the input/output server host channel adapter.

Abstract: A computer system apparatus is disclosed for improved handling of requests by a peripheral device for data from memory. The apparatus serially receives multiple memory addresses from which data is requested by the peripheral device, and makes a determination that the received addresses form a sequence in memory. Upon this determination, the apparatus begins prefetching data from addresses anticipated to be received from the peripheral device, as an extension of the address sequence received. This prefetching of data, without waiting for an anticipated address to actually be received from the peripheral device, permits the apparatus of the invention to be simultaneously performing reads to memory and communication with the requesting peripheral device. This decreases the access time on the peripheral bus, providing increased bus rates and thereby improving computing throughput.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed for a computer system wherein a high speed peripheral device sends data words of a first length to a memory which operates with a word of a greater length, for example, twice the data word length. The improvement includes an apparatus for identifying pairs of data words which belong together in a single memory word. Then, a pair of the data words can be written to memory in a single operation, rather than two separate write operations.