Patent ID: 7424519
Filing Date: 2008-09-09
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A distributed storage system including: a network; a plurality of host computers; and a plurality of storage devices each connected to at least a respective one of the host computers, each of the storage devices being connected via the network to at least two other storage devices which are also connected via the network, distributedly backing-up a copy of replica data of data stored in said each storage device to the at least two other storage devices by dynamically changing an amount of data to-be-transferred from said each storage device to one of the at least two other storage devices depending upon a state of communication connection therebetween when said each storage device operates normally, and selecting at least one of the at least two other storage devices to access the replica data when said each storage device fails, wherein the respective host computer dynamically selects and accesses one of the storages according to a state of communication connections on the network, wherein each of the storage devices includes: a storage unit for recording data; a host interface connected to the respective host computer; a network interface connected to the network; a storage controller connected to the storage unit; and a bus for connecting the host interface, the network interface, and the storage controller to one another, and wherein the network interface of each of the storage devices includes: a processor for controlling a communication connection via the network to the at least two other storage devices as dynamically selected; a memory for keeping a local management table controlling data transferred therefrom to the at least two other storage devices and a remote management table controlling data transferred from said each storage device thereinto; a frame sender for sending replica data of data stored in said storage device to the at least two other storage devices to back-up the replica data in the at least two other storage devices; and a frame receiver for receiving the replica data back from the at least two other storage devices.