Abstract: Disclosed is a host bus adapter (HBA) that to receives an input/output (I/O) command from an operating system I/O driver. Firmware stored on the host bus adapter includes primary firmware and secondary firmware to process the I/O command. The HBA is to respond to the I/O command under the control of one of the primary firmware or secondary firmware. The selected one of said primary firmware and secondary firmware may be used to certify a hardware driver for either the current generation (primary firmware) or a future generation (secondary firmware).

Abstract: Systems and techniques for continuously writing to a secondary storage cache are described. A data storage region of a secondary storage cache is divided into a first cache region and a second cache region. A data storage threshold for the first cache region is determined. Data is stored in the first cache region until the data storage threshold is met. Then, additional data is stored in the second cache region while the data stored in the first cache region is written back to a primary storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system that includes a physical disk and a storage controller. The storage controller is configured to use a first physical link and a second physical link of a serial attached SCSI (SAS) wide port to communicate with the physical disk. Based on a dynamic system property, the storage controller is re-configured to use at least a third physical link of the SAS wide port to communicate with physical disk. Examples of the dynamic system property include load on the SAS wide port, a failure condition, or premium feature enablement.

Abstract: A data storage system includes at least one host device configured to initiate a data request, at least one target device configured to store data, and a serial attached SCSI (SAS) switch coupled between the at least one host device and the at least one target device. The SAS switch includes a cache memory and includes control programming configured to determine whether data of the data request is stored in the cache is at least one of data stored in the cache memory of the SAS switch or data to be written in the cache memory of the SAS switch. The cache memory of the SAS switch is a shared cache that is shared across each of the at least one host device and the at least one target device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a storage enclosure having a plurality of servers each having a storage controller. A second storage controller that is not part of any of the plurality of servers is embedded in the storage enclosure. The second storage controller is configured to process I/O commands directed to one of the server's storage controllers when a storage controller fails. In this manner, the storage controllers that are part of the servers may be fully utilized and still have a failover capability to the enclosure storage controller instead of another server storage controller that may also be fully utilized.

Abstract: Disclosed are storage controllers that can share resources (e.g., memory, CPU cycles, I/O bandwidth, etc.). The storage controllers are coupled via a resource sharing cable. When one storage controller determines a resource constraint exists that would prevent completion of a command by the storage controller, the storage controller queries or determines an availability of the resource on a second storage controller. If the resource is available, and can be shared, the storage controller uses the resource on the second storage controller to complete the command.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for installing operating system files on logical unit numbers (LUNs). At a SAS switch, a command to initiate an operating system installation on a LUN)associated with a SAS host bus adapter (HBA) connected to said SAS switch is received. In response to the command, a PXE session with a PXE server is established. Using the PXE session, operating system files are transferred to the LUN via the SAS switch thereby installing the operating system on said LUN.

Abstract: Disclosed is a host bus adapter (HBA) that to receives an input/output (I/O) command from an operating system I/O driver. Firmware stored on the host bus adapter includes primary firmware and secondary firmware to process the I/O command. The HBA is to respond to the I/O command under the control of one of the primary firmware or secondary firmware. The selected one of said primary firmware and secondary firmware may be used to certify a hardware driver for either the current generation (primary firmware) or a future generation (secondary firmware).

Abstract: A data storage system includes at least one host device configured to initiate a data request, at least one target device configured to store data, and a serial attached SCSI (SAS) switch coupled between the at least one host device and the at least one target device. The SAS switch includes a cache memory and includes control programming configured to determine whether data of the data request is stored in the cache is at least one of data stored in the cache memory of the SAS switch or data to be written in the cache memory of the SAS switch. The cache memory of the SAS switch is a shared cache that is shared across each of the at least one host device and the at least one target device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and mechanism for virtualizing the resources of multiple physical storage controller cards/HBAs available to a host computer system into a single virtual controller. An Advanced Storage Driver (ASD) may be inserted in a layer above the base device drivers of the storage controllers/HBAs and act as a single virtual controller for access to the end target devices connected to the multiple physical storage controllers/HBAs so that at any point in time the resources of each of the controllers/HBAs may be dynamically allocated to the various requested operations. The ASD may have bi-directional communication with each controller/HBA firmware directly and/or with the base device driver associated with each controller/HBA in order to permit both direct and base device driver controlled communication with each of the physical controllers/HBAs.