Abstract: A data storage system architecture for accessing data, having a plurality of data storage subsystems coupling to a host for receiving an I/O request from the host, is provided. Each of the plurality of the data storage subsystems has: a redundant array of independent disks layer (RAID layer) for generating a plurality of media extents; a virtualization module for generating one or more virtual volumes (VVs); an on-board load balance (OBLB) module for offering a data access interface between the host and the data storage system architecture to parse the I/O request into at least one sub-I/O request; and a media extent server (ME server) module to receive the at least one sub-I/O request and to determine the validity of the at least one sub-I/O request. Accordingly, the host is able to issue I/O requests to any one of the data storage subsystems.

Abstract: A storage virtualization computer system. The storage virtualization computer system comprises a host entity for issuing an IO request, a SAS storage virtualization controller coupled to the host entity for executing IO operations in response to the IO request, and at least one physical storage device, each coupled to the storage virtualization controller through a SAS interconnect, for providing data storage space to the storage virtualization computer system through the SAS storage virtualization controller.

Abstract: A data storage system architecture for accessing data, having a plurality of data storage subsystems coupling to a host for receiving an I/O request from the host, is provided. Each of the plurality of the data storage subsystems has: a redundant array of independent disks layer (RAID layer) for generating a plurality of media extents; a virtualization module for generating one or more virtual volumes (VVs); an on-board load balance (OBLB) module for offering a data access interface between the host and the data storage system architecture to parse the I/O request into at least one sub-I/O request; and a media extent server (ME server) module to receive the at least one sub-I/O request and to determine the validity of the at least one sub-I/O request. Accordingly, the host is able to issue I/O requests to any one of the data storage subsystems.

Abstract: A storage virtualization computer system. The storage virtualization computer system comprises a host entity for issuing an IO request, a storage virtualization controller coupled to the host entity for executing IO operations in response to the IO request, and a at least one physical storage device, each coupled to the storage virtualization controller through a point-to-point serial-signal interconnect, for providing storage to the storage virtualization computer system through the storage virtualization controller. As an example, the point-to-point serial-signal interconnect can be a Serial ATA IO device interconnect.

Abstract: A method for remote asynchronous volume replication and apparatus therefor. Asynchronous replication is applied to handle data changes on the source volume on the local site incurred by Host IO requests. In coordination with the “point-in-time differential backup” technology, the original data in the block to be written by a host IO request will be backuped to Source BAS on the local site (backup-on-write operation) only when the original data being written into the block of the source volume is different from the data of the corresponding block of the destination volume on the remote site. As a result, once a new data is written into the source volume completely, the host will be responded that its Host IO request is completed. Therefore, the data necessarily transmitted to the destination volume can be minimized, and the problem of remote data transmission limited by network bandwidth can be prevented effectively.

Abstract: A redundant external storage virtualization computer system. The redundant storage virtualization computer system includes a host entity for issuing an IO request, a redundant external SAS storage virtualization controller pair coupled to the host entity for performing an IO operation in response to the IO request issued by the host entity, and a plurality of physical storage devices for providing storage to the computer system. Each of the physical storage devices is coupled to the redundant storage virtualization controller pair through a SAS interconnect. The redundant storage virtualization controller pair includes a first and a second SAS storage virtualization controller both coupled to the host entity. In the redundant SAS storage virtualization controller pair, when the second storage virtualization controller is not on line, the first storage virtualization controller will take over the functionality originally performed by the second storage virtualization controller.

Abstract: A method for generating a virtual volume (VV) in a storage system architecture. The architecture comprises a host and one or more disk array subsystems. Each subsystem comprises a storage controller. One or more of the subsystems comprises a physical storage device (PSD) array. The method comprises the following steps: mapping the PSD array into a plurality of media extents (MEs), each of the MEs comprises a plurality of sections; providing a virtual pool (VP) to implement a section cross-referencing function, wherein a section index (SI) of each of the sections contained in the VP is defined by the VP to cross-reference VP sections to physical ME locations; providing a conversion method or procedure or function for mapping VP capacity into to a VV; and presenting the VV to the host. A storage subsystem and a storage system architecture performing the method are also provided.

Abstract: A method for dispatching of service requests in a redundant storage virtualization subsystem including a plurality of storage virtualization controllers is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of the host entity issuing a first service request to a first one of the SVCs; the first SVC handling the first service request, acquiring a first result of servicing the first service request, and returning the first result to the host entity the result; and, the host entity issuing a second service request to a second one of the SVCs; and, the second SVC handling the second service request, acquiring a second result of servicing the second service request, and returning the second result to the host entity the result. A storage virtualization subsystem implementing the method, a computer system comprising such storage virtualization subsystem, and a storage media having machine-executable codes stored therein for performing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for generating a virtual volume (VV) in a storage system architecture. The architecture comprises a host and one or more disk array subsystems. Each subsystem comprises a storage controller. One or more of the subsystems comprises a physical storage device (PSD) array. The method comprises the following steps: mapping the PSD array into a plurality of media extents (MEs), each of the MEs comprises a plurality of sections; providing a virtual pool (VP) to implement a section cross-referencing function, wherein a section index (SI) of each of the sections contained in the VP is defined by the VP to cross-reference VP sections to physical ME locations; providing a conversion method or procedure or funtion for mapping VP capacity into to a VV; and presenting the VV to the host. A storage subsystem and a storage system architecture performing the method are also provided.

Abstract: A method for remote asynchronous volume replication and apparatus therefor. Asynchronous replication is applied to handle data changes on the source volume on the local site incurred by Host IO requests. In coordination with the “point-in-time differential backup” technology, the original data in the block to be written by a host IO request will be backuped to Source BAS on the local site (backup-on-write operation) only when the original data being written into the block of the source volume is different from the data of the corresponding block of the destination volume on the remote site. As a result, once a new data is written into the source volume completely, the host will be responded that its Host IO request is completed. Therefore, the data necessarily transmitted to the destination volume can be minimized, and the problem of remote data transmission limited by network bandwidth can be prevented effectively.

Abstract: A JBOD subsystem for providing storage to a host entity. The JBOD subsystem contains at least one external JBOD emulation controller coupled to the host entity for emulating IO operations in response to the IO requests and a set of at least one physical storage device coupled to the JBOD emulation controller for providing storage to the host entity through the JBOD emulation controller. The JBOD emulation controller defines at least one logical media unit (LMU) consisting of sections of the set of physical storage device (PSD) and communicates with the PSD through a point-to-point serial-signal interconnect. As an example, the point-to-point serial-signal interconnect can be a Serial ATA IO device interconnect.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method and controller for processing data multiplication in a RAID system. Map tables are generated for all values in a field, respectively. The length of an XOR operation unit is chosen to be appropriate w bits (e.g., 32 bits or 64 bits). One or several XOR operation units form a multiplication unit of a data sector. When computing on-line, data in a disk drive of a disk array are performed with XOR operations in accordance with one of the map tables using an XOR operation unit as one unit while computing on the multiplication unit to obtain a product of multiplication. Making use of the RAID system established according to the disclosed method, only XOR operations are required to compute parity data or recover damaged user data. Moreover, several calculations can be performed simultaneously. Therefore, the efficiency of the RAID system can be effectively improved.

Abstract: A method for generating a virtual volume (VV) in a storage system architecture. The architecture comprises a host and one or more disk array subsystems. Each subsystem comprises a storage controller. One or more of the subsystems comprises a physical storage device (PSD) array. The method comprises the following steps: mapping the PSD array into a plurality of media extents (MEs), each of the MEs comprises a plurality of sections; providing a virtual pool (VP) to implement a section cross-referencing function, wherein a section index (SI) of each of the sections contained in the VP is defined by the VP to cross-reference VP sections to physical ME locations; providing a conversion method or procedure or function for mapping VP capacity into to a VV; and presenting the VV to the host. A storage subsystem and a storage system architecture performing the method are also provided.

Abstract: A method for remote asynchronous volume replication and apparatus therefore are disclosed. Asynchronous replication is applied to deal with data changes on the source volume on the local site incurred by Host IO requests. In coordination with the “point-in-time differential backup” technology, the data is subjected to be backuped to Source BAS on the local site (backup-on-write operation) only when the original data being written into the block of the source volume is different from the data of the corresponding block of the destination volume on the remote site. As a result, once a new data is written into the source volume completely, the host will be responded that its Host IO request is completed. Therefore, the data necessarily transmitted to the destination volume on the remote site can be minimized, and the problem of remote data transmission limited by network bandwidth can be prevented effectively, thereby keeping the operation performance of the storage system at a better level.

Abstract: A redundant external storage virtualization computer system. The redundant storage virtualization computer system includes a host entity for issuing an IO request, a redundant external SAS storage virtualization controller pair coupled to the host entity for performing an IO operation in response to the IO request issued by the host entity, and a plurality of physical storage devices for providing storage to the computer system. Each of the physical storage devices is coupled to the redundant storage virtualization controller pair through a SAS interconnect. The redundant storage virtualization controller pair includes a first and a second SAS storage virtualization controller both coupled to the host entity. In the redundant SAS storage virtualization controller pair, when the second storage virtualization controller is not on line, the first storage virtualization controller will take over the functionality originally performed by the second storage virtualization controller.

Abstract: A redundant external storage virtualization computer system. The redundant storage virtualization computer system includes a host entity for issuing an IO request, a redundant external SAS storage virtualization controller pair coupled to the host entity for performing an IO operation in response to the IO request issued by the host entity, and a plurality of physical storage devices for providing storage to the computer system. Each of the physical storage devices is coupled to the redundant storage virtualization controller pair through a SAS interconnect. The redundant storage virtualization controller pair includes a first and a second SAS storage virtualization controller both coupled to the host entity. In the redundant SAS storage virtualization controller pair, when the second storage virtualization controller is not on line, the first storage virtualization controller will take over the functionality originally performed by the second storage virtualization controller.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for performing volume replication using a unified architecture are provided. Each volume has an exclusive volume log table (VLT) and an exclusive volume block update table (VBUT). The VLT is mainly used for recording the relationship between two volumes of a mirroring pair, and the VBUT is used for tracking the state of each data block of the volume itself. By means of the cross operations and applications between the VLT and the VBUT, various volume replication processes such as volume copying and volume mirroring can be enabled under a unified architecture. For each volume, different replication relationships with other volumes can be handled merely by administering its two exclusive tables. The method and the apparatus provided by the present invention can simplify the architecture for synchronization replication and reduce the burdens of administrating tables, thereby making the operation of a storage system more efficient.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a data accessing method and an apparatus for performing the method. Through a newly-defined host logical unit (HLUN), a unique HLUN number is given to each LUN-to-LD/Partition mapping relationship, and the HLUN is present to external hosts. Therefore, all of the hosts in the same storage system may recognize different logical units (i.e., HLUN). Hence, when processing an Input/Output (IO) request issued from any one host, a storage virtualization controller (SVC) can correctly find the corresponding LD/Partition for accessing data without identifying the identity of the host.

Abstract: A data storage virtualization subsystem (SVS) for providing storage to a host entity is disclosed. The SVS comprises a storage virtualization controller for connecting to the host entity, at least one physical storage device (PSD) pool, and at least one PSD is designated to be a pool spare PSD to the at least one PSD pool. The at least one PSD pool comprises at least one PSD to store user data or associated redundant information and is given a pool ID for identifying the PSD pool.

Abstract: A method for dispatching of service requests in a redundant storage virtualization subsystem including a plurality of storage virtualization controllers is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of the host entity issuing a first service request to a first one of the SVCS; the first SVC handling the first service request, acquiring a first result of servicing the first service request, and returning the first result to the host entity the result; and, the host entity issuing a second service request to a second one of the SVCS; and, the second SVC handling the second service request, acquiring a second result of servicing the second service request, and returning the second result to the host entity the result. A storage virtualization subsystem implementing the method, a computer system comprising such storage virtualization subsystem, and a storage media having machine-executable codes stored therein for performing the method are also disclosed.