Patent ID: 7010575
Filing Date: 2006-03-07
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 having a cache memory 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 cache memory of the data transfer section, such method comprising: preparing in a transmitting one of the directors, one of the messages to be sent to a receiving one, or ones, of the directors; transmitting such one of the messages to said receiving one, or ones, of the directors through the messaging network with such one of the messages by-passing the cache memory of the data transfer section; receiving in one of the receiving one or ones of the directors the transmitted one of the messages; determining in such receiving one, or ones, the receiving directors whether the received one of the messages is from a proper, or an improper transmitting one of the directors; rejecting the one of the messages if it is from an improper transmitting one of the directors and further processing such one of the messages if it is from a proper one of the transmitting directors.