Patent ID: 7970965
Filing Date: 2011-06-28
Classification: G06F,G11B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a compression system operatively coupled between at least one computer and one or more storage devices configured as at least one storage logical unit accommodating data compressed by the compression system, the computer, wherein the storage devices and the compression system are configured as separate network elements and form a storage network, said method comprising: a) configuring the compression system to hold a virtual logical unit, said virtual logical unit configured to virtually represent in non-compressed form compressed data stored in said at least one storage logical unit, wherein a size of the virtual logical unit corresponds to an estimated size of raw data which, being compressed, would substantially amount to an actual size of said storage logical unit if uncompressed; b) receiving, at said storage network, one or more data access-related requests from said at least one computer, said data access-related requests addressed to said storage logical unit; c) intercepting, by said compression system, said data access-related requests prior to the data access-related requests reaching said storage logical unit; d) addressing, by said compression system, said data access-related requests to the virtual logical unit; e) compressing, by said compression system, said data access-related requests to create compressed data; f) transmitting the compressed data to said storage logical unit; and g) mapping the compressed data in said storage logical unit to the virtual representation of the compressed data in the virtual logical unit,