Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for communication between an initiator system and a block storage cluster. The method may comprise initiating an input/output (I/O) request from the initiator system to a first storage system included in a plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster, each of the plurality of storage systems comprising a plurality of data segments; receiving a referral response from the first storage system, the referral response providing information describing a layout of data requested in the I/O request; obtaining a virtual disk count, a segment size, and at least one indexed port identifier based on the referral response; and directing the I/O request from the initiator system to the block storage cluster based on the virtual disk count, the segment size, and the at least one indexed port identifier.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for communication between an initiator system and a block storage cluster. The method may comprise receiving an initial data request from the initiator system to a first storage system, a portion of the data requested in the initial data request is not stored by the first storage system, but is stored by a second storage system; retrieving the portion of the data that is stored by the second storage system; forwarding the portion of the data to the initiator system; and transmitting a referral list comprising at least one referral from the first storage system to the initiator system, wherein the initiator system is configured for maintaining a referral cache based on the referral list, and a subsequent data request initiated by the initiator system is directed to the block storage cluster based on the referral cache.

Abstract: A data volume rebuilder reduces the time required to reconstruct lost data in a RAID protected data volume operating with a failed physical disk drive. A data volume rebuilder uses the remaining functioning physical disk drives in the RAID protected data volume operating with the failed disk to regenerate the lost data and populate a virtual hot spare store allocated in a separate RAID protected data volume. The recovered data is distributed across the physical disk drives supporting the virtual hot spare store. Once the virtual hot spare store is populated, the data volume can recover from a subsequent failure of a second physical disk drive in either RAID group. After replacement of the failed physical disk drive, the data volume rebuilder moves the recovered data from the virtual hot spare store to the new physical disk drive.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for communication between an initiator system and a block storage cluster. The method may comprise receiving a first referral response from a first storage system included in a plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster, the first referral response providing information for directing the initiator system to a second storage system included in the plurality of storage systems of the block storage cluster; obtaining a starting logical block address (LBA) and a corresponding port identifier based on the first referral response; storing the starting LBA and the corresponding port identifier in a referral cache accessible to the initiator system; and directing an input/output (I/O) request from the initiator system to the block storage cluster based on the starting LBA and the corresponding port identifier stored in the referral cache.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for communication between an initiator system and a block storage cluster. The method includes receiving a command at a first storage system of a block storage cluster. The command is transmitted by the initiator system to the first storage system via a network and includes a request for data. The method further includes transferring the stored data from the first storage system to the initiator system via the network when data requested in the data request is stored by the first storage system. The method further includes transmitting a referral response from the first storage system to the initiator system when a portion of the data requested in the data request is not stored by the first storage system, but is stored by a second storage system of the block storage cluster. The referral response indicates to the initiator system that: a) not all of the requested data was transferred; and b) that the second storage system stores the portion of the requested data.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for providing multi-pathing via Small Computer System Interface Input/Output (SCSI I/O) referral between an initiator and a storage cluster which are communicatively coupled via a network, the storage cluster including at least a first target device and a second target device. The method includes receiving an input/output (I/O) at the first target device from the initiator via the network. The I/O includes a data request. The method further includes transmitting a SCSI I/O referral list to the initiator when data included in the data request is not stored on the first target device, but is stored on the second target device. The referral list includes first and second port identifiers for identifying first and second ports of the second target device respectively. The first and second port identifiers are SCSI relative port identifiers. The first and second ports of the target device are identified as access ports for accessing the data requested in the data request.

Abstract: A command is issued to a first data storage system for addressing a set of data and at least one of a first referral response including a referral to at least a second data storage system or at least a first subset of the set of data and the first referral response including the referral to the at least the second data storage system. The at least one of a first referral response including a referral to at least a second data storage system or at least a first subset of the set of data and the first referral response including the referral to the at least the second data storage system is accessed. A command is issued to the second data storage system for addressing the set of data and a second referral response including a referral to at least one of the first data storage system and a third data storage system, the second data storage system including at least a second subset of the set of data.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for providing multi-pathing via Small Computer System Interface Input/Output (SCSI I/O) referral between an initiator and a storage cluster which are communicatively coupled via a network, the storage cluster including at least a first target device and a second target device. The method includes receiving an input/output (I/O) at the first target device from the initiator via the network. The I/O includes a data request. The method further includes transmitting a SCSI I/O referral list to the initiator when data included in the data request is not stored on the first target device, but is stored on the second target device. The referral list includes first and second port identifiers for identifying first and second ports of the second target device respectively. The first and second ports of the target device are identified as access ports for accessing the data requested in the data request.