Patent ID: 7839788
Filing Date: 2010-11-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a system having a computer system coupled to a storage system through multiple communication paths where the communication paths have non-homogeneous data transfer speeds, a method for load balancing data transfer over the multiple communication paths between the computer system and the storage system, the method comprising: determining the transfer speed of each communication path; and distributing exchanges between the computer system and the storage system over the multiple communication paths based on the transfer speed of each communication path, wherein the step of distributing further comprises: determining an estimated completion time for an exchange for each of the multiple communication paths that are presently operable wherein the estimated completion time is determined as a function of the transfer speed of each path and as a function of a volume of data presently queued for transmission on each path; and distributing the exchange to the path having the lowest estimated completion time for the exchange.