Patent ID: 6718428
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A storage system, comprising:a plurality of nodes, wherein different ones of said plurality of nodes perform different functions in the storage system; and path-redundant torus interconnection fabric coupled to said plurality of nodes; wherein said torus interconnection fabric is configured to connect said plurality of nodes in an array including N rows and M columns, wherein N and M are positive integers; wherein first node in a first row of said N rows is connected to a second node in said first row and a first node in a first column of said M columns is connected to a second node in said first column; wherein an ending node in said first row is connected to said first node in said first row and an ending node in said first column is connected to said first node in said first column; wherein a first portion of said plurality of nodes are storage nodes each comprising one or more mass storage services; and wherein a second portion of said plurality of nodes are one or more host interface nodes each configured to provide an interface for the storage system to a host computer.