Patent ID: 6148349
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of communicating data in a multi-node computer system comprising a plurality of compute nodes, a plurality of input/output (I/O) nodes communicatively coupled to the compute nodes via at least one interconnecting fabric, each I/O node communicatively coupled to a plurality of storage devices, comprising the steps of:generating a globally unique identification (ID) for a data extent physically stored in at least one of the plurality of storage devices in the I/O node by reading a globally unique I/O node identifier from an administration node, generating a data extent identifier locally unique to the I/O node, and combining the globally unique I/O node identifier with the locally unique data extent identifier;binding the globally unique ID to the data extent;exporting the globally unique ID to the compute nodes via the interconnect fabric; andcreating a local entry point in the compute nodes for the data extent physically stored in the at least one of the plurality of storage devices.