Network Data Storage Devices having External Access Control

Abstract

A storage product manufactured as a computer component to facilitate network storage services. The storage product has no central processing unit. The storage product has a bus connector connectable to a computer bus. An external processor connected to the computer bus can operate as a central processing unit. The storage product has a random-access memory, a network interface, a processing device, and a storage device having a storage capacity accessible via the network interface. The bus connector provides the processor with access to the random-access memory. The processing device of the storage product can identify and separate, among messages received by the network interface, first messages for processing by the external processor and second messages for processing by the storage device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a first interface;   a memory configured to provide storage services through the first interface to one or more apparatuses that are external to the device;   a second interface configured to communicate with a processor that is external to the device; and   a logic circuit configured to communicate via the second interface with the processor to process a portion of storage access messages received in the first interface.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is manufactured as a computer component having no central processing unit. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first interface is a network interface; and the second interface is a computer bus interface to a central processing unit. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the memory is configured to be accessible to the processor via the computer bus. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the logic circuit is configured to identify, among the storage access messages received in the network interface, first messages and provide the first messages to the processor via the memory. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the logic circuit is configured to process, among the storage access messages received in the network interface, second messages without assistance from outside of the device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the device is configured as a solid-state drive operable on the computer bus. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the logic circuit is configured to convert packets received in the network interface into the first messages and the second messages based on a storage protocol according to:
 internet small computer systems interface;   fibre channel;   fibre channel over ethernet;   network file system; or   server message block.   
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, in a first interface of a device, storage access messages from one or more apparatuses that are external to the device;   communicating, by the device via a second interface of the device, with a processor that is external to the device to process at least a portion of the storage access messages received in the first interface; and   providing, by the device using a memory of the device, storage services to the one or more apparatuses that are external to the device in response to the storage access messages.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the device is manufactured as a computer component having no central processing unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first interface is a network interface; and the second interface is a computer bus interface to a central processing unit. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing, by the device, to the processor with access to the memory via the computer bus.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the device, among the storage access messages received in the network interface, first messages to provide, via the memory, the first messages to the processor.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 processing, by the device, among the storage access messages received in the network interface, second messages without assistance from outside of the device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first messages are control messages; and the second messages are data messages. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the device is configured as a solid-state drive operable on the computer bus. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 converting packets received in the network interface into the first messages and the second messages based on a storage protocol according to:
 internet small computer systems interface; 
 fibre channel; 
 fibre channel over ethernet; 
 network file system; or 
 server message block. 
   
     
     
         18 . A computing device, comprising:
 a computer bus;   a microprocessor connected to the computer bus as a central processing unit; and   a storage product connected to the computer bus, the storage product comprising:
 a memory; and 
 a network interface; 
   wherein the storage product is configured to provide storage services over the network interface.   
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 18 , wherein the storage product is configured to process a first portion of storage access messages received in the network interface without assistance from the microprocessor. 
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 19 , wherein the storage product is configured to process a second portion of the storage access messages received in the network interface without assistance from the microprocessor.