Abstract: A multi-port data storage device to at least provide port-to-port communication between nodes. The multi-port storage device includes a first port, a second port and a bridge. The first port can be operatively coupled to a first node of a plurality of nodes. The second port can be operatively coupled to a second node of the plurality of nodes. The bridge can receive one or more data packets via the first or second ports to be transmitted to one of the plurality of nodes and to transmit one or more received data packets to another multi-port data storage device, to the first node, or to the second node.

Abstract: A multi-port data storage device to at least provide port-to-port communication between nodes. The multi-port storage device includes a first port, a second port and a bridge. The first port can be operatively coupled to a first node of a plurality of nodes. The second port can be operatively coupled to a second node of the plurality of nodes. The bridge can receive one or more data packets via the first or second ports to be transmitted to one of the plurality of nodes and to transmit one or more received data packets to another multi-port data storage device, to the first node, or to the second node.

Abstract: A multi-port data storage device to at least provide port-to-port communication between nodes. The multi-port storage device includes a first port, a second port and a bridge. The first port can be operatively coupled to a first node of a plurality of nodes. The second port can be operatively coupled to a second node of the plurality of nodes. The bridge can receive one or more data packets via the first or second ports to be transmitted to one of the plurality of nodes and to transmit one or more received data packets to another multi-port data storage device, to the first node, or to the second node.

Abstract: A multi-port data storage device to at least provide port-to-port communication between nodes. The multi-port storage device includes a first port, a second port and a bridge. The first port can be operatively coupled to a first node of a plurality of nodes. The second port can be operatively coupled to a second node of the plurality of nodes. The bridge can receive one or more data packets via the first or second ports to be transmitted to one of the plurality of nodes and to transmit one or more received data packets to another multi-port data storage device, to the first node, or to the second node.

Abstract: A first data storage device may be connected to first and second entities as part of a distributed network with each entity having direct block level access to logical block addresses of the first data storage device. The first data storage device can consist of a provisioning module and a staging buffer with the provisioning module configured to store and acknowledge non-volatile write data in the staging buffer in response to a write request to any logical block address of a range of logical block addresses in the first data storage device. The provisioning module may return previously committed data resident in the range of logical block addresses instead of the write data resident in the staging buffer until a commit signal is received from at least one entity for the write data.

Abstract: A first data storage device may be connected to first and second entities as part of a distributed network with each entity having direct block level access to logical block addresses of the first data storage device. The first data storage device can consist of a provisioning module and a staging buffer with the provisioning module configured to store and acknowledge non-volatile write data in the staging buffer in response to a write request to any logical block address of a range of logical block addresses in the first data storage device. The provisioning module may return previously committed data resident in the range of logical block addresses instead of the write data resident in the staging buffer until a commit signal is received from at least one entity for the write data.

Abstract: Systems and methods presented herein provide for data storage for a plurality of host systems. In one embodiment, a storage system comprises a storage unit, and a controller. The controller is operable to process a write I/O request from a first of the host systems, to determine an identity of the first host system from the write I/O request, to encrypt data of the write I/O request based on the identity of the first host system, to locate a storage space allocated to the first host system in the storage unit, to determine that a size of the data of the write I/O request requires more storage space than currently allocated to the first host system, to increase the storage space allocated to the first host system by the size of the data of the write I/O request, and to write the encrypted data to the storage unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for account creation without administrator interaction on a computer network is provided. Specifically, a continuously operating program on a file server creates accounts without the intervention of a system administrator. The continuously operating program on the file server monitors connection points on the file server for requests to create an account. Upon receiving a request from a client computer to create an account, the continuously operating program on the file server processes the request by authenticating a requestor on the client computer and an account identifier transmitted by the requester. After resolving the account identifier, the continuously operating program creates the account in a directory structure and configures software settings for accessing the account. Subsequently, the program notifies the requestor of the newly created account.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improved detection of multiple-bit errors which occur within a single memory circuits. In one embodiment, a computer system is described which includes a main computer and a memory system. The memory system includes a plurality of memory circuits, at least one of the plurality of memory circuits having a data interface more than two bits wide. Also included is a multiple-bit-error-detect (MBED) circuit, wherein bits from the plurality of memory circuits are coupled to the MBED circuit in an order which causes the MBED circuit to preferentially detect multiple-bit errors which occur on the data interface of any single one of the plurality of memory circuits.