Patent Application
20060206632
The description herein relates generally to information handling systems (“IHSs”) and more particularly to storage enclosures including storage devices.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (“IHS”). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
A storage enclosure includes one or more storage devices (e.g., serial attached small computer systems interface (“SAS”) storage devices or serial advanced technology attachment (“SATA”) storage devices). The storage enclosure is capable of being coupled to multiple storage device controllers (e.g., controllers included in one or multiple IHSs) so that one or more of the storage devices are capable of communicating with the multiple controllers.
Some storage devices, such as a SATA storage device, include a single interface (e.g., A port) so that such devices are capable of being coupled to only a single controller. With a conventional technique, such storage devices are capable of being coupled to multiple controllers via a switch (e.g., a port selector). However, implementing such switch causes various problems including increased cost and complexity associated with including such switch in a storage device.
What is needed is a method and a storage enclosure including a storage device capable of communicating with multiple controllers, without the disadvantages discussed above.
Accordingly, a storage enclosure including a first expander coupled to a first controller is provided. The storage enclosure also includes a second expander coupled to a second controller and the first expander. The storage enclosure further includes a storage device, including a single interface, coupled to the first expander via the single interface. With the storage enclosure provided, the first controller is capable of communicating with the storage device via the first expander, and the second controller is capable of communicating with the storage device via the first expander and the second expander.
For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system (“IHS”) may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, an IHS may be a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a network server or storage device, a switch router or other network communication device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The IHS may include memory, one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (“CPU”) or hardware or software control logic. Additional components of the IHS may include one or more storage devices, one or more communications ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The IHS may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
The input devices 210 include, for example, a conventional keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., a “mouse”, a roller ball, or a light pen). A user operates the keyboard to input alphanumeric text information to the processor 205, and the processor receives such information from the keyboard. A user also operates the pointing device to input cursor-control information to the processor 205, and the processor 105 receives such cursor-control information from the pointing device.
In the illustrative embodiment, the IHS 200 is a server. For providing the IHS 200 with access to a storage device (e.g., a storage device included by a storage enclosure), the IHS 200 includes a storage device controller (e.g., a SAS controller) 220. Via the controller 220, the IHS 200 is coupled to a storage enclosure as discussed in more detail below in connection with
As discussed in more detail below, an expander (e.g., the expanders 305 and 310) is capable of being coupled to one or more IHSs (e.g., via one or more controllers), one or more storage devices, and/or one or more other expanders. Via such expander, each of the IHSs is capable of communicating with such storage devices and/or other expanders.
The storage enclosure 105 also includes storage devices (e.g., disk drives) 315 and 320. In one example, the storage device 315 is a SAS storage device, which is capable of including a plurality of interfaces (e.g., ports). Accordingly, the storage device 315 includes interfaces 325 and 330 so that the storage device 315 is capable of communicating with (e.g., outputting information to and receiving information from) a plurality of IHSs or controllers included in such IHSs.
In the example, the storage device 320 is a SATA storage device. Accordingly, the storage device 320 includes a single interface 335. As discussed above, with a conventional technique, multiple IHSs (or multiple controller included in such IHSs) are capable of communicating with the storage device 320 if a switch such as a SAS port selector is coupled between the storage device 320 and such multiple IHSs. However, in the illustrative embodiment, multiple IHSs are capable of communicating with the storage device 320 even if a port selector is not coupled between the storage device 320 and the multiple IHSs as discussed below.
For clarity, the following discussion references the storage device 315 as a SAS storage device 315. Also for clarity, the discussion references the storage device 320 as a SATA storage device 320.
As shown in
The expander 305 is also coupled to the SATA storage device 320 via the single interface 335 so that the first IHS is capable of communicating with the SATA storage device 320 via the expander 305. Moreover, the expander 305 and the expander 310 are coupled to one another via a communications link 340 so that the second IHS is capable of communicating with the SATA storage device 320 via the expander 310 and the expander 305 as discussed in more detail below in connection with
Accordingly,
At the step 410, the controller determines the SATA storage device 320's address. In one example, the controller determines such address in response to a routing table and/or a memory map stored in the expander 310. After the step 410, the operation continues to a step 415.
At the step 415, the controller communicates with the SATA storage device 320 at the address determined in the step 410. As discussed above, the controller communicates with the SATA storage device 320 via the expander 310 and the expander 305. After the step 415, the operation ends as shown.
The above discussions (in connection with
Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure. Also, in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be constructed broadly and in manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.
