Abstract: A system and method for discrete mapping of parity blocks in a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the one or more data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. File system metadata includes information to describe the data blocks in one or more parity groups.

Abstract: A programmable data path accelerator is described. The programmable data path accelerator operates on a file server that includes a network interface for communicating with one or more clients. The network interface includes a network transaction queue. A metafile processor is configured to communicate with the network interface across a first memory-mapped bus and is configured to communicate with the storage interface across a second memory-mapped bus. A data engine configured to communicate with the network interface across the first memory-mapped bus and to communicate with the storage interface across the second memory-mapped bus.

Abstract: A data interface architecture is described. The data interface architecture includes a network-side interface for communicating with a first bus and a storage-side interface for communicating with a second bus. The data interface architecture further includes a first data cache and a second data cache. The data interface architecture further includes a first parity engine, which is configured to perform parity operations for data transactions between the network-side interface and the first data cache, and a second parity engine, which is configured to perform parity operations for data transactions between the storage-side interface and the first data cache.