Patent ID: 7073020
Filing Date: 2006-07-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for transferring data between a host computer/server and a bank of disk drives through a system interface, such system interface comprising: a plurality of first directors coupled to the host computer/server; a plurality of second directors coupled to the bank of disk drives; a data transfer section coupled to the plurality of first directors and second directors; and a messaging network coupled to the plurality of first directors and the plurality of second directors, such first and second directors controlling data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives in response to messages passing between the directors through the messaging network as such data passes through the data transfer section, such method comprising: passing messages through the message network with such passing messages by-passing the cache memory; operating the first and second directors to control data transfer between the host computer and the bank of disk drives in response to the messages passing between the directors through the messaging network as such data passes through the data transfer section, such message passing comprising: preparing in a transmitting one of the directors, a message to be sent to a receiving one, or ones, of the directors; building in such transmitting one of the directors, a descriptor, such descriptor comprising a command field indicating the receiving one, or ones, of directors to receive the built message; encapsulating the message payload of the descriptor into a packet, such packet comprising: transmitting such packet to said receiving one, or ones, of the directors through the messaging network; decoding the destination portion of the packet to route such packet to such receiving one, or ones of the directors.