Patent ID: 7676628
Filing Date: 2010-03-09
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for providing access to shared storage by a plurality of nodes, the method comprising: at a client node of a plurality of nodes separate from and sharing access to a disk array: (a) detecting a first application input/output (I/O) operation; (b) detecting whether sufficient space in the disk array has been mapped at the node for the first application I/O operation; (c) in response to detecting that sufficient space in the disk array has not been mapped at the client node for the first application I/O operation, requesting, from a server, and obtaining, from the server, a map including physical disk access information for the first application I/O operation, wherein the physical disk access information includes a physical address of a location within a disk of the disk array; and (d) performing the first application I/O operation by accessing the disk array without intervention by the server using the physical disk access information included within the map for the application I/O operation obtained from the server, wherein the client node maintains the map and uses the map for subsequent application I/O operations including accessing physical disks of the disk array directly without interaction with the server.