Patent ID: 7181577
Filing Date: 2007-02-20
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage to be connected to a network, comprising: a host interface which is arranged to be connected to a host computer and the network and to receive file access from the host computer; a plurality of disk drives; and a control unit which translates data of the file access into block data and controls the plurality of disk drives on the basis of the block data, the control unit including a first processor which translates the data of the file access into the block data, a second processor which controls the plurality of disk drives on the basis of the block data, a cache memory temporarily storing the block data sent from the second processor, and a disk interface which connects the cache memory and the plurality of disk drives and sends the block data temporarily stored in the cache memory to the plurality of disk drives; wherein the control unit logically partitions into units the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, the cache memory, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives, allocating a logically-partitioned portion of each of the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, the cache memory, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives to each of the units, and causes the units to operate as a plurality of virtual storages independently.