High speed fault tolerant mass storage network information server

Abstract

The information server system incorporates a high speed, microcomputer based server running industry standard operating system software enhanced to include functionality directed to operation of a new disk array controller, which controls the physically independent or integral disk storage device array, and communications interface. The disk array controller subsystem controls and communicates with the disk storage device array with a Fibre Channel protocol. The disk storage device array incorporates a plurality of disk storage devices with a corresponding number of bypass interface cards configured to facilitate the on-line addition, removal and replacement of disk storage devices. In additional to incorporating the above described buses and Fibre Channel capability, the disk array further incorporates a physically independent Fibre Channel compatible optical bus for high speed, communication between disk storage device array subsystem components, including the internal disk storage devices, independent from the information server. A wide array of user reconfigurable options are available as well as a scalable expansion capability.

1 - 26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . An information server system with a scalable, modular, fault tolerant, multi loop, hot swappable architecture, comprising: 
 a central processing unit including a digital processor, a user interface, and onboard flash memory for storage of an operating system;    at least one storage device array connected to said central processing unit;    a storage array controller subsystem connected to the central processing unit for controlling said at least one storage device array; and    a communications interface subsystem connected to the central processing unit for communicating with other subsystems of the information server and for controlling said storage device array controller subsystem.    
   
   
       28 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein said onboard flash memory permanently stores non-reconfigurable portions of the operating system.  
   
   
       29 . The information server system of  claim 28 , wherein said onboard flash memory permanently storing non-reconfigurable portions of the operating system is write-protected.  
   
   
       30 . The information server system of  claim 28 , wherein said onboard flash memory permanently storing non-reconfigurable portions of the operating system is non-rewritable.  
   
   
       31 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein said onboard flash memory provides read/writeable storage of reconfigurable portions of the operating system.  
   
   
       32 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein said onboard flash memory comprises a removable flash memory.  
   
   
       33 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein each said storage device array comprises a plurality of storage devices and a corresponding number of bypass interface cards, all of which communicate with one another and the information server.  
   
   
       34 . The information server system of  claim 33 , further comprising a midplane connector for connecting interface cards for components.  
   
   
       35 . The information server system of  claim 34 , wherein each said storage device array comprises a predetermined number of bypass interface cards which populate the entire information server system whether or not the entire information server system is fully populated with a corresponding number of storage devices.  
   
   
       36 . The information server system of  claim 33 , wherein each said storage device is hot-swappable.  
   
   
       37 . The information server system of  claim 34 , wherein each said storage device is mounted on a bypass interface card that connects to the midplane connector.  
   
   
       38 . The information server system of  claim 33 , wherein said storage array controller subsystem controls and communicates with said at least one storage device array with an arbitrated dual channel Fibre Channel system.  
   
   
       39 . The information server system of  claim 38 , wherein each of said storage devices is connected to said arbitrated dual channel Fibre Channel architecture whereby each storage device may perform simultaneous reads and writes of data in response to any requests from the outside world through the information server.  
   
   
       40 . The information server system of  claim 33 , wherein said storage devices are selected from the group consisting of optical, magnetic disk, magnetic tape, magneto-optical media, flash and bubble memory devices, compact, read-only disk, and digital video disk storage devices.  
   
   
       41 . The information server system of  claim 33 , wherein said storage devices are selected from the group consisting of a magnetic disk array, an optical disk array, and solid state memory.  
   
   
       42 . The information server system of  claim 33 , wherein said storage devices are selected from the group consisting of optical disks, solid state memories, and magnetic storage media.  
   
   
       43 . The information server system of  claim 33 , wherein said storage devices include electronic device registration devices.  
   
   
       44 . The information server system of  claim 43 , wherein said storage array controller subsystem monitors identification numbers of said electronic device registration devices.  
   
   
       45 . The information server system of  claim 43 , wherein said storage array controller subsystem monitors when a component in said information server system is removed or added.  
   
   
       46 . The information server system of  claim 43 , wherein said electronic device registration devices include a 64-bit ROM with a factory specified, unique 48-bit serial number.  
   
   
       47 . The information server system of  claim 43 , wherein said electronic device registration devices are integrated into an electronic circuitry of each of the storage devices such that engagement or disengagement of each storage device with the storage device array causes a triggering of the electronic device registration devices to generate and transmit a unique identifying serial number signal unique to each storage device to said storage array controller subsystem.  
   
   
       48 . The information server system of  claim 43 , wherein a triggering of said electronic device registration devices causes said electronic device registration devices to generate and transmit a unique identifying serial number signal unique to each storage device to said storage array controller subsystem, and upon receiving the signal, said storage array controller subsystem then immediately either initiates logical connection or disconnection of the storage device to or from the array, depending on whether the storage device has been engaged or disengaged, respectively.  
   
   
       49 . The information server system of  claim 43 , wherein said storage array controller subsystem accomplishes the electrical and logical connection and disconnection of the storage device by control of said bypass interface cards.  
   
   
       50 . The information server system of  claim 38 , wherein said bypass interface cards comprise an independent but logically integrated optical bus for communication within the Fibre Channel topology and protocol between said storage devices.  
   
   
       51 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein said storage array controller subsystem is adapted to configure said at least one storage device for fault tolerant, data redundancy protocols.  
   
   
       52 . The information server system of  claim 51 , wherein said storage array controller subsystem is adapted to configure said at least one storage device for a configuration selected from the group consisting of RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 3, RAID 5, RAID 10 and an XOR RAID configuration.  
   
   
       53 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein said communications interface subsystem comprises a digital subscriber unit framer.  
   
   
       54 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein said communications interface subsystem comprises an onboard buffer memory and a high speed, Fibre Channel compatible, optical bus for intra-server-component high speed data communications.  
   
   
       55 . The information server system of  claim 27 , wherein said communications interface subsystem comprises a bit error rate tester chip set.  
   
   
       56 . The information server system of  claim 27 , further comprising an operator controllable input device which disables the ability of the system to write new data on the storage devices of the storage device array.  
   
   
       57 . A method of operation for an information server comprising: 
 establishing high speed communication with a fault tolerant, hot swappable storage device array; sensing the status of each storage device of said array from information provided by a hot swap interface card associated with each storage device;    analyzing information regarding the status of the storage device in a computer to assess operating characteristics of the storage device and overall operation of the information server;    deriving signals for control of the storage devices to maintain system operation; communicating control signals to a service device controller for control of individual storage devices; and    transmitting the control signals over a high speed interface to individual hot swap interface cards to thereby control the operation of individual storage devices.    
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising the steps of: 
 generating a display of system status to a display panel; and    providing a user interface to supply inputs to the computer.    
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing a touch screen display to both display status and accept inputs from a system user.