Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for abstracting write acceleration techniques and tape acceleration techniques away from transport providers (e.g., away from an FC or FCIP interlink between two storage area networks) and allowing acceleration to be provided as a service by nodes within the storage area network (SAN). Doing so allows the acceleration service to be provided anywhere in the SAN. Further, doing so allows users to scale the acceleration service as needed, without having to create awkward topologies of multiple VSANS. Further still, as the acceleration service is offered independently from the transport, compression, encryption, and other services may be offered as part of the transport between the FC/FCIP connection along with the acceleration service.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for redirecting fiber channel data that is transmitted between a first and a second node, such as a host and target, in a storage area network (SAN) to an intelligent node that facilitates implementation of a service on such redirected data. Such redirection is provided transparently with respect to the first and second nodes without significantly reconfiguring the existing infrastructure of the first and second nodes. In a specific Fiber Channel implementation, the redirection is accomplished without rewiring any of the nodes in the network fabric or reconfiguring zones or virtual storage area networks (VSANs). In general, such redirection is accomplished by rewriting the data as it traverses on a path between the first and second node towards an original destination (e.g., the first or second node) so that the data is redirected to an intelligent node.

Abstract: Efficient mechanisms are provided for transferring key objects associated with disk logical unit numbers and tape cartridges from one data center to another data center. A request is received to transfer a source data center key object from a source data center to a destination data center. The source data center key object corresponds to a data block, such as a disk logical unit number (LUN) or a tape cartridge, maintained in a storage area network (SAN) and includes a unique identifier, an encrypted key, and a wrapper unique identifier. The encrypted key is decrypted using a source data center key hierarchy. Key information is transmitted from the source data center to the destination data center. A destination data center key object is generated using a destination data center key hierarchy.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for redirecting fibre channel data that is transmitted between a first and a second node, such as a host and target, in a storage area network (SAN) to an intelligent node that facilitates implementation of a service on such redirected data. Such redirection is provided transparently with respect to the first and second nodes without significantly reconfiguring the existing infrastructure of the first and second nodes. In a specific Fibre Channel implementation, the redirection is accomplished without rewiring any of the nodes in the network fabric or reconfiguring zones or virtual storage area networks (VSANs). In general, such redirection is accomplished by rewriting the data as it traverses on a path between the first and second node towards an original destination (e.g., the first or second node) so that the data is redirected to an intelligent node.

Abstract: The present invention defines a new protocol for communicating with an offload engine that provides Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) termination over a Fibre Channel (“FC”) fabric. The offload engine terminates all protocols up to and including TCP and performs the processing associated with those layers. The offload protocol guarantees delivery and is encapsulated within FCP-formatted frames. Thus, the TCP streams are reliably passed to the host. Additionally, using this scheme, the offload engine can provide parsing of the TCP stream to further assist the host. The present invention also provides network devices (and components thereof) that are configured to perform the foregoing methods. The invention further defines how network attached storage (“NAS”) protocol data units (“PDUs”) are parsed and delivered.