Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for selective cross communications between autonomous storage modules. A RAID controller communicates through a first cascading communications loop comprising a first storage module. The first storage module includes a plurality of storage devices and is disposed in an enclosure. The RAID controller also communicates through a second cascading communications loop comprising a second storage module. The second storage module also includes a plurality of storage devices and is disposed in the enclosure. An interface module transmits messages of the first loop through the second storage module. In one embodiment, the RAID controller communicates a cross communications command to the interface module through the second storage module to enable the interface module to transmit the messages of the first loop through the second storage module in response to a failure of the first loop upstream of the first storage module.

Abstract: A method of configuring a blade enclosure is provided by the present invention in which, in a first step, slots are identified to whose SAS connectors SAS device blades are to be connected in a minimum capacity configuration. In a second step, slots are identified to whose SAS connectors SAS device blades are to be connected in a maximum capacity configuration. A path is then established from the SAS switch to the SAS connector of each slot identified in either the first step or the second step. Blade devices, such as RAID controller blades and disk enclosure blades are installed in the identified slots. Thus, the SAS switch within the enclosure selectively and efficiently interfaces with a predetermined number of blade slots rather than with all slots.

Abstract: A radio frequency identifier (RFID) active/passive tag is provided to identify failed sub-CRU and location within a higher level CRU. When an error occurs on the base blade or within one of the sub-CRUs, the embedded processor writes failure information to the RFID. RFID tags may also contain data identifying the locations, of the sub-CRUs of the blade. Thus, when there is a failure, the RFID may report the failed component as well as the location of a failed sub-CRU. Sub-CRUs may also include an embedded processor and RFID tag. When a service action is initiated to repair or replace a blade, the RFID tag may be read by a RFID reader. The RFID reader device may then present failure information, including the identification of the failed sub-CRU and other associated information to the operator. The RFID reader device may also request associated information from a server computer.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing a redundant array of inexpensive disks (“RAID”) storage subsystem within a processor blade enclosure. A first RAID controller blade is included and configured to fit in a processor blade enclosure. At least one processor in communication with the first RAID controller blade is included. A disk enclosure blade is provided that includes a plurality of hard disk drives. The disk enclosure blade is configured to fit in the processor blade enclosure and the hard disk drives are in communication with the first RAID controller blade.

Abstract: A high speed fabric is provided and is partitioned into sub-fabrics for host adapter traffic and device adapter traffic. A high-speed switch includes an expander for host adapter traffic and an expander for device adapter traffic. The high-speed switch also includes a plurality of connectors, where each connector is partitioned into dual interfaces. For each connector, one interface is connected to the host adapter traffic expander and the other interface is connected to the device adapter traffic expander. Blades are provided with one or more connectors, where each connector is partitioned into dual interfaces for host adapter traffic and device adapter traffic. The blades may be any combination of processor blades, boot drive enclosure blades, switched bunch of disks enclosure blades, and/or integrated RAID controller disk enclosure blades.

Abstract: A sector conversion device includes a small memory area that is used to save two sector's worth of data when power is lost during the sector conversion process. As part of the sector conversion process, the sector conversion device saves two sectors of data when a power loss event occurs. These two sectors of data are stored in the memory area within the sector conversion device itself. This sector memory within the sector conversion device is defined and partitioned separately from the main internal memory of the device. This sector memory is also powered by a separate voltage boundary from a hold up voltage source, which is connected to the sector conversion device via an independent set of voltage pins. The hold up voltage source enables the sector memory contents to be retained.

Abstract: The present invention increases the performance of storage subsystems having a single controller while keeping the cost lower than a dual controller storage subsystem. An interface card is positioned in an archetypal second storage controller position. The storage controller and the interface card are connected via a backend communication path which is configured as a data I/O path to facilitate communication between the two. Both the storage controller and the interface card can be connected to the same or different data trafficking devices. An expander chipset can be attached to the interface card to provide a second access port to a redundant array of independent disks. The addition of the interface card provides redundancy to at least one data trafficking device as well as the potential for dual ported access to the RAID. In this respect, the present invention enables dual controller capability at the cost of using only a single controller.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to store, retrieve, and search both analog data and digital data. The method encodes information comprising a plurality of analog datasets in a holographic data storage medium to form an encoded holographic data storage medium, and further encodes digital data abstracted from the plurality of analog datasets to one or more of a plurality of non-holographic data storage media. The method then selects an analog dataset, wherein digital data abstracted from that analog dataset is written to a digital storage address on the one or more non-holographic data storage media, and illuminates the encoded holographic data storage medium with an analog dataset beam comprising the analog dataset. The encoded holographic data storage medium emits a dataset reference beam that strikes the second optical detector at one or more dataset reference beam coordinates. The method then associates the analog dataset with the dataset reference beam coordinate and with the digital storage address.

Abstract: A method to store, retrieve, and search information is disclosed. The method encodes information comprising a plurality of datasets in a holographic data storage medium to form an encoded holographic data storage medium, and encodes that same information to one or more of a plurality of non-holographic data storage media. The method then selects a dataset comprising a portion of the information, where that dataset is written to a dataset storage address on the non-holographic data storage medium, and illuminates the encoded holographic data storage medium with a dataset beam comprising that dataset to produce a dataset reference beam, such that the dataset reference beam strikes the optical detector at one or more dataset reference beam coordinates. The method then associates the dataset with the one or more dataset reference beam coordinates and with the dataset storage address.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for limiting failures in redundant signals. A coordination module generates a power status signal for each of a plurality of power modules. An input module receives a source signal. A signal generation module generates a plurality of output signals from the source signal and at least one power status signal. The output signals are not asserted if at least one power supply is operational. If a device of the signal generation module malfunctions, no more than one output signal is erroneously asserted.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for integrating redundant array of independent disk (“RAID”) storage within a blade center. A plurality of mutually autonomous storage subsystems mount within the blade center through a switch. Each storage subsystem includes a storage module comprising a plurality of storage devices and a RAID controller. A server blade mounted within the blade center may access a first storage subsystem through a switch module. The switch module is a non-blocking, cross-point switch. In one embodiment, the switch module restricts the server blade's access to a second storage subsystem.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and computer readable medium are disclosed for booting a server from a shared storage system. The present invention teaches at least one server having at least one processor, a storage system having a plurality of storage drives and at least one boot volume corresponding to the at least one server, and a switch fabric having at least one switch; the switch fabric isolates boot traffic form storage traffic and enables communication between the server and the boot volume of the storage system. In some embodiments the switch fabric includes one or more partitionable switches that isolate boot traffic from storage traffic. The boot volumes may be a redundant array of storage devices. In certain embodiments, the present invention also includes devices external to the server, switch fabric, and storage system.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for unique identification of each endpoint in a storage area network interconnect that is bridged by a specialized cable. Each endpoint is capable of querying peer endpoints for a unique identification. Once a unique identifier is obtained for all peer connections to a given endpoint, the endpoint may perform a comparison to validate that the cable connection terminations are connected to valid endpoints. If all endpoints are valid, then the mechanism enables the ports connected to the cable.

Abstract: A blade enclosure is provided which may accommodate a first configuration which includes integrated drive enclosure blades (I-DEBs) or a second configuration which includes I-DEBs and non-integrated or switched DEBs (S-DEBs). Each I-DEB includes a pair of redundant RAID controllers, each having two configurable ports. In the first configuration, all four ports are configured as host adapter (HA) ports through which data is exchanged with server blades. In the second configuration, one port of each RAID controller is configured as an HA port, through which data is exchanged with server blades, and the other port of each RAID controller is configured as a device adapter (DA) port, through which data may be exchanged with the S-DEB. Zones may also be established to separate traffic between the servers and the I-DEB from traffic between the I-DES and the S-DEB.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for maximizing power system holdup time during loss of input power. An energy storage module is included to deliver energy from an output stage of a first power supply to a bus. A power loss module is included to detect loss of power transmitting capability from an input stage of the first power supply to the output stage of the first power supply. A set-point reduction module is included to reduce an output voltage of the first power supply in response to the power loss module detecting loss of power transmitting capability. An isolation module is included to prevent energy flow from the energy storage module to the bus when the output voltage of the first power supply is lower than a voltage on the bus sustained by a second power supply.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for securely providing power supply commands. A security feature is added to the remote management of power-on and power-off sequences. The feature allows for multiple controller nodes to receive a command to initiate a power sequence. Each controller node possesses a unique identifier. The nodes compare the received command with received commands of other nodes to confirm that each node received identical power commands. The security feature prevents inadvertent power commands from being received and executed by a single controller node. The unique identifier of each node must be provided before execution of the power command occurs.

Abstract: The method forms a plurality of DMA data payloads each comprising a plurality of first sectors, and sends to a sector format conversion device one or more of those DMA data payloads. The method then overlays the (i)th DMA data payload onto part or all of a plurality of second sectors to form the (i)th converted DMA data payload, enqueues that (i)th converted DMA data payload in a data queue, transmits that (i)th converted DMA data payload to a data storage device, and writes the (i)th converted DMA data payload to an information storage medium.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying integrity of data signals communicated from a data transmit device to a receive device over a communications channel of limited bandwidth. The method comprising steps of: a) detecting instances of idle data transmit activity at the transmit device; b) accumulating data integrity information for data transmitted over the communication channel between detected idle transmit instances, the accumulating being performed by data integrity verifier devices at both transmit and receive devices; c) communicating accumulated data integrity information for data transmitted since a last detected idle data transmit instance during a current detected idle data transmit instance; and, d) verifying accumulated data integrity information communicated over the channel at the receiver device.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying integrity of data signals communicated from a data transmit device to a receive device over a communications channel of limited bandwidth. The method comprising steps of: a) detecting instances of idle data transmit activity at the transmit device; b) accumulating data integrity information for data transmitted over the communication channel between detected idle transmit instances, the accumulating being performed by data integrity verifier devices at both transmit and receive devices; c) communicating accumulated data integrity information for data transmitted since a last detected idle data transmit instance during a current detected idle data transmit instance; and, d) verifying accumulated data integrity information communicated over the channel at the receiver device.

Abstract: An arbitration system and process is provided to arbitrate usage of a shared resource. The system and process dynamically adjust to changing workloads and includes artificial intelligence to learn from experience how to optimize system throughput. In system form, the present invention provides a resource arbitration system that includes an arbitration controller adapted to monitor a resource used by a plurality of agents and adapted to calculate an optimal usage of said resource for each agent. The controller also generates grant control signals to each agent to couple agents to the resource based on the calculated optimal usage for each agent.