Patent ID: 6516385
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer system comprising at least one first information processing system having one or more central processing units (CPUs), a main memory and a communication unit for communicating with other information processing systems, and a second information processing system having one or more central processing units (CPUs), a main memory, a communication unit for communicating with other information processing systems, an interface for connecting one or more external storage devices for storing data conforming to a fixed length block format, and a control unit for said storage device, said computer system comprising:a communication line for interconnecting said first and second information processing systems; an interface for connecting said control unit in said second information processing system to said external storage device; and wherein said control unit manages access requests to said external storage devices from said CPUs of said first and second information processing systems, and converts a read/write request, issued from said CPUs of said first information processing system to said storage device conforming to a variable length block format, from said variable length block format to a fixed length block format.