Abstract: A network-attached disk (NAD) system is disclosed that includes an NAD device for receiving a disk access command from a host through a network, and a device driver at the host for controlling the NAD device through the network, where the device driver creates a virtual host bus adapter so that the host recognizes the NAD device as if it is a local device to the host. The host may run the UNIX or Windows family of operating systems. The NAD device includes a disk for storing data, a disk controller for controlling the disk, and a network adapter for receiving a disk access command from the host through a network port.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a storage medium accessible across a network to a host. The storage medium's operation is generally controlled by a network disk controller. The network disk controller may receive a packet from a remote host, decapsulate the packet, and act on the packet to either transmit data from a storage medium or write data to a storage medium. Generally, the network disk controller does not execute any file system. Rather, the file system for communication between the host and controller is executed by the host. The performance of the network disk controller generally matches that of a local (i.e., non-network) disk controller in terms of data access and writing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing and retrieving data. The embodiment may maintain all previously-written data in a portion of a storage device, such as a hard disk, writable optical media, or memory, for an indefinite period. Old data is not overwritten unless the storage capacity of the storage device is exceeded. Accordingly, prior versions of data may be accessed by the embodiment as desired.

Abstract: A network-attached disk (NAD) system is disclosed that includes an NAD device for receiving a disk access command from a host through a network, and a device driver at the host for controlling the NAD device through the network, where the device driver creates a virtual host bus adapter so that the host recognizes the NAD device as if it is a local device to the host. The host may run the UNIX or Windows family of operating systems. The NAD device includes a disk for storing data, a disk controller for controlling the disk, and a network adapter for receiving a disk access command from the host through a network port.

Abstract: A network-attached disk (NAD) system is disclosed that includes an NAD device for receiving a disk access command from a host through a network, and a device driver at the host for controlling the NAD device through the network, where the device driver creates a virtual host bus adapter so that the host recognizes the NAD device as if it is a local device to the host. The host may run the UNIX or Windows family of operating systems. The NAD device includes a disk for storing data, a disk controller for controlling the disk, and a network adapter for receiving a disk access command from the host through a network port.

Abstract: A scheme for dynamically connecting I/O devices through a network is disclosed. It enables separating I/O devices from a host system unit and connecting them to the host system unit through a network. In one preferred embodiment, provided in the host side is a converter that encapsulates an I/O command into one or more data link frames so that the frames containing the I/O command are sent through the network. Also provided in the device side is a counter-converter that retrieves the I/O command from the data link frames received through LAN. The network may be either a wired or wireless network.

Abstract: An electronic device employing an efficient network protocol stack. The protocol stack comprises a network-level protocol layer configured to provide a transmission service for transferring data to and from a computer network, and a device-level protocol layer configured to send and receive information specific to an interface of the electronic device over the network via the transmission service of the network-level protocol layer. Alternately, each of the network-level protocol layer and the device-level protocol layer may be employed individually with other network protocol layers to construct a functioning network protocol stack.

Abstract: A network-attached disk (NAD) system is disclosed that includes an NAD device for receiving a disk access command from a host through a network, and a device driver at the host for controlling the NAD device through the network, where the device driver creates a virtual host bus adapter so that the host recognizes the NAD device as if it is a local device to the host. The host may run the UNIX or Windows family of operating systems. The NAD device includes a disk for storing data, a disk controller for controlling the disk, and a network adapter for receiving a disk access command from the host through a network port.

Abstract: System, device, method, computer, computer program and computer program product for computer booting devices not coupled to an internal local bus of the computer to be booted. Boot device may be network-attached device directly coupled to computer over network and not through another computer or server process. Method for redirecting booting process to look away from storage devices coupled to internal computer bus, and to look for external devices on network. Method of booting computer with operating system from storage device including executing a boot block loader program in the processor and memory of computer to be booted that before loading an operating system, loads device driver for accessing storage device; loading the operating system from storage device that is not directly coupled to internal local bus of computer using the device driver, to processor accessible memory; and booting computer from loaded operating system. Computer program and computer program product.

Abstract: Access by multiple hosts, such as computers, to a data storage device by way of a network while maintaining data integrity. In one embodiment, a method for accessing the storage device includes acquiring a resource “lock” that provides exclusive access to one of the hosts at a time. In another embodiment, the file systems of a first and second host provide file system attributes stored in a storage device to provide mutually exclusive access for each host to free blocks of the device. In another embodiment, a networked system contains a first host having exclusive direct access to a storage device over a digital network. A second host requiring access to the storage device communicates with the first host by way of the digital network. File access requests generated by the second host are transferred by a redirection filter driver within the second host to the first host.

Abstract: A server architecture based on asymmetric 3-way TCP (ATCP) is disclosed that can distribute the work among multiple processors. In particular, the server system has a front-end server receiving a service request from a client. The server system also has a back-end server that receives a command from the front-end server. The back-end server sends the result back directly to the client in a pseudo packet that looks like a packet sent from the front-end server. The pseudo packet has the IP address and the port number of the front-end server. A scalable system is achieved because the bottleneck through the front-end server is avoided.

Abstract: Access by multiple hosts, such as computers, to a data storage device by way of a network while maintaining data integrity. In one embodiment, a method for accessing the storage device includes acquiring a resource “lock” that provides exclusive access to one of the hosts at a time. In another embodiment, the file systems of a first and second host provide file system attributes stored in a storage device to provide mutually exclusive access for each host to free blocks of the device. In another embodiment, a networked system contains a first host having exclusive direct access to a storage device over a digital network. A second host requiring access to the storage device communicates with the first host by way of the digital network. File access requests generated by the second host are transferred by a redirection filter driver within the second host to the first host.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a storage medium accessible across a network to a host. The storage medium's operation is generally controlled by a network disk controller. The network disk controller may receive a packet from a remote host, decapsulate the packet, and act on the packet to either transmit data from a storage medium or write data to a storage medium. Generally, the network disk controller does not execute any file system. Rather, the file system for communication between the host and controller is executed by the host. The performance of the network disk controller generally matches that of a local (i.e., non-network) disk controller in terms of data access and writing.

Abstract: A server architecture based on asymmetric 3-way TCP (ATCP) is disclosed that can distribute the work among multiple processors. In particular, the server system has a front-end server receiving a service request from a client. The server system also has a back-end server that receives a command from the front-end server. The back-end server sends the result back directly to the client in a pseudo packet that looks like a packet sent from the front-end server. The pseudo packet has the IP address and the port number of the front-end server. A scalable system is achieved because the bottleneck through the front-end server is avoided.

Abstract: Network bridge circuit, logic, chip, and method that enables a host computer to access a storage device or a plurality of storage devices directly from the network. Hardware architecture includes protocol layer handler, DMA, storage device interface, command execution unit, and optional error handler. Bridge circuit logic implemented on a single chip in hard wired fashion without resorting to a programmable architecture. Generic command wrapper in which new commands added later time than the time of fabrication of the hardware chip can be executed without revising the hardware chip. Bridge apparatus enabling direct access by at least one host to a raw storage device over network, comprising: command execution unit, memory controller, network interface, device interface controller, and wherein bridge apparatus couples the raw storage device to network directly such that host accesses raw storage device as if local storage device even though only available over network.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a storage medium accessible across a network to a host. The storage medium's operation is generally controlled by a network disk controller. The network disk controller may receive a packet from a remote host, decapsulate the packet, and act on the packet to either transmit data from a storage medium or write data to a storage medium. Generally, the network disk controller does not execute any file system. Rather, the file system for communication between the host and controller is executed by the host. The performance of the network disk controller generally matches that of a local (i.e., non-network) disk controller in terms of data access and writing.

Abstract: An electronic device employing an efficient network protocol stack. The protocol stack comprises a network-level protocol layer configured to provide a transmission service for transferring data to and from a computer network, and a device-level protocol layer configured to send and receive information specific to an interface of the electronic device over the network via the transmission service of the network-level protocol layer. Alternately, each of the network-level protocol layer and the device-level protocol layer may be employed individually with other network protocol layers to construct a functioning network protocol stack.

Abstract: A network-attached disk (NAD) system is disklosed that includes an NAD device for receiving a disk access command from a host through a network, and a device driver at the host for controlling the NAD device through the network, where the device driver creates a virtual host bus adapter so that the host recognizes the NAD device as if it is a local device to the host. The host may run the UNIX or Windows family of operating systems. The NAD device includes a disk for storing data, a disk controller for controlling the disk, and a network adapter for receiving a disk access command from the host through a network port.

Abstract: Media content player that access content to be played from networked media content data storage source without storing on player. System and method for accessing and playing media content. Portable wireless multimedia player. Media player including control device for receiving user input, content access and performance module, wherein content access and performance module includes directory content search element, content player element, optional content decoder element, and optional network controller element. Method for accessing content for player where content is accessed from networked storage system or device, processed for playback on the device, and played without storing any appreciable amount of the content on the player, so that no content was stored before request or after completing playback.

Abstract: System, device, method, computer, computer program and computer program product for computer booting devices not coupled to an internal local bus of the computer to be booted. Boot device may be network-attached device directly coupled to computer over network and not through another computer or server process. Method for redirecting booting process to look away from storage devices coupled to internal computer bus, and to look for external devices on network. Method of booting computer with operating system from storage device including executing a boot block loader program in the processor and memory of computer to be booted that before loading an operating system, loads device driver for accessing storage device; loading the operating system from storage device that is not directly coupled to internal local bus of computer using the device driver, to processor accessible memory; and booting computer from loaded operating system. Computer program and computer program product.