Abstract: A system and method for checking a current load on at least one virtual endpoint of a path assigned to a virtual connection that represents communication between a client and server over a fiber channel network using Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) communication. The method further includes selecting an alternate path between the client and serve over the fiber channel network, migrating a virtual connection to the selected alternate path, and messaging the client to utilize the selected alternate path using SCSI over the fiber channel network.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring computer and networking performance. The method includes receiving a request for a tracked statistical item over a specified interval, calculating a result value for the request by adding accrued values recorded within specified interval with interpolated value between last value in the specified interval and most recent value outside the interval using available recorded data for the statistical item organized in ranges with varied granularity, and returning the result value to a requestor.

Abstract: A system and method executed by a server for connecting with a client over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method includes receiving, from the client over the FC network, a first Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) request to establish a virtual connection, assigning an identifier to the virtual connection, responding to the first SCSI request by sending a first SCSI response, including the virtual connection identifier to the client over the FC network, receiving, from the client, a second SCSI request including the virtual connection identifier and a descriptor for a server process at the server, and associating the virtual connection with a server process at the server corresponding to the server process descriptor.

Abstract: A method and system configured for detecting availability of destination port associated with a virtual connection between a client and server communicating using SCSI over a fiber channel network by a server fiber channel adapter, reading data from a head of a singly linked list of a data stream storing data to be forwarded by the virtual connection engine executing the virtual connection without a lock by a consumer process thread while a producer process thread has access to the linked list of the data stream, and forwarding the data read from the head of the linked list to the destination port.

Abstract: A method and system that is configured for receiving a connection request at a server over a fiber channel network from a client using SCSI, generating a virtual connection to service the connection request by the server, determining a load of each one of a set of virtual connection engines executed by the server, set of virtual connection engines to manage resources of a locality domain, and assigning the virtual connection to a virtual connection engine with a minimum load amongst the set of virtual connection engines.

Abstract: A method and system configured for receiving data associated with a virtual connection between a client and server communicating using SCSI over a fiber channel network by a server fiber channel adapter, identifying a data stream for the virtual connection, and writing the data to a tail of a singly linked list of the data stream without a lock by a producer process thread while a consumer process thread has access to the linked list of the data stream.

Abstract: A system and method executed by a client for communicating between the client and a server over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method creates a first Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) request, including a virtual connection identifier and a call message for a server process at the server, sends the first SCSI request to the server over the FC network, creates a second SCSI request, including the virtual connection identifier, sends the second SCSI request to the server over the FC network, and receives, from the server over the FC network, a second SCSI response responsive to the second SCSI request, wherein the SCSI response includes a reply message from the server process.

Abstract: A system and method executed by a server for communicating between the server and a client over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method includes receiving, from the client over the FC network, a first Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) request including a client call message and a virtual connection identifier. A server process is identified that is associated with the virtual connection identifier. The client call message is extracted from first SCSI request and provides the client call message to the identified server process.

Abstract: A system and method executed by a client for connecting with a server over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method including creating a first Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) request to establish a virtual connection, sending the first SCSI request to the server over the FC network, receiving, from the server over the FC network, a first SCSI response responsive to the first SCSI request, wherein the first SCSI response includes an identifier for the virtual connection, creating a second SCSI request, including the virtual connection identifier and a descriptor for a server process at the server, and sending the second SCSI request to the server over the FC network.

Abstract: A system and method for executed by a server for reliably communicating between the server and a client over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method includes receiving, from the client over the FC network, a first Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) request, including a virtual connection identifier in a logical block address field of a command descriptor block of the first SCSI request, validating the first SCSI request using the virtual connection identifier included in the first SCSI request, and responding to the first SCSI request by sending a first SCSI response, based on the validity of the first SCSI request, to the client over the FC network.

Abstract: A system and method executed by a client for reliably communicating between the client and a server over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method creating a first Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) request, including a virtual connection identifier, sending the first SCSI request to the server over the FC network, determining an action based on a status of the first SCSI request, creating a second SCSI request, including the virtual connection identifier, wherein the second SCSI request is based on the determined action, and sending the second SCSI request to the server over the FC network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage service daemons using a unified small computer system interface (SCSI) target management daemon. SCSI target management daemon SCSI target management daemon manages each service daemon operating in a SCSI target device with consideration and knowledge of each other service daemon. This unified system eliminates potential conflicts during service daemon setup and shutdown as SCSI target management daemon is aware of these potential conflicts.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that manage service daemons using a unified small computer system interface (SCSI) target management daemon. SCSI target management daemon SCSI target management daemon manages each service daemon operating in a SCSI target device with consideration and knowledge of each other service daemon. This unified system eliminates potential conflicts during service daemon setup and shutdown as SCSI target management daemon is aware of these potential conflicts.

Abstract: A system and method for executed by a server for communicating between the server and a client over a Fiber Channel (FC) network. The method includes receiving, from the client, a first SCSI request including an identifier for a virtual connection and a descriptor for a server process at the server, creating a socket to the server process using the process descriptor, associating the socket with the virtual connection, receiving, from the client, a second SCSI request, including the virtual connection identifier and a call message, and writing the call message to the socket associated with the virtual connection.

Abstract: A method and system for load balancing for virtual connections over a fiber channel network, the virtual connections using SCSI. The method including finding a one-way reassignment of a virtual connection (VC) from busiest VCE or locality domain to least busy VCE or locality domain placing the busiest VCE or locality domain and least busy VCE or locality domain in a target load range without reversing a load order, and executing the reassignment by a server fiber channel adapter.

Abstract: A method and system for balancing load across a set of target endpoints available on a server, and initiator endpoints accessing the server. The method including starting rebalancing of target endpoints at a defined interval, receiving monitored load data for a set of target endpoints, disqualifying target endpoints in the set of target endpoints that have a low load, selecting a next most busy target endpoint, marking the selected target endpoint as disqualified, classifying alternate paths of virtual connections assigned to the selected target endpoint according to busyness of endpoints of the alternate paths, load order and load imbalance, examining a load reduction offered by the alternate paths in order of classification, and returning an alternate path that has a highest load reduction for target endpoint.

Abstract: A system and method provides a unified iSCSI target using a plurality of loosely coupled iSCSI front ends. A cluster comprising a number of network elements and disk elements exports one or more logical units to iSCSI initiators. Each of the network elements is operatively interconnected with a replicated database which is utilized to share initiator data structures and lun mapping information. An iSCSI initiator may communicate with any of the network elements to access any of the logical units exported by the cluster.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system and method for zero copy block protocol write operations obviates the need to copy the contents of memory buffers (mbufs) at a storage system. A storage operating system of the storage system receives data from a network and stores the data in chains of mbufs having various lengths. An iSCSI driver processes (interprets) the received mbufs and passes the appropriate data and interpreted command to a SCSI target module of the storage operating system. The SCSI target module utilizes the mbufs and the data contained therein to perform appropriate write operations in response to write requests received from clients.

Abstract: A system and method for the failover of iSCSI target portal groups (TPGs) is provided. Each network portal within a storage system is associated with a network portal data structure identifying a destination storage system in the event of failover/takeover operation. A management module ensures that all network portals associated with a target portal group have the same destination as a failover storage system. During a failover operation, all network portals within a TPG failover to the same destination storage system.