Patent ID: 8086775

Claim:
A storage system configured for receiving an input/output (I/O) request transmitted from an upper level device, comprising: a plurality of storage device units including a first storage device unit, a second storage device unit, and a third storage device unit coupled to the first storage device unit and the second storage device unit, wherein each of the plurality of storage device units includes a switch device and a plurality of storage devices; and a controller configured to access the plurality of storage devices in response to receiving the I/O request from the upper level device, the controller comprising a processor, an upstream communication port electronically coupled to the upper level device, a first downstream port electronically coupled to the first storage device unit via a first switch in the first storage device unit, and a second downstream port electronically coupled to the second storage device unit via a second switch in the second storage device unit, wherein the first switch of the first storage device unit has a plurality of first switch communication ports, wherein each of a plurality of respective storage devices in the first storage device unit is connected to a different respective one of the first switch communication ports, wherein the second switch of the second storage device unit has a plurality of second switch communication ports, wherein each of a plurality of respective storage devices in the second storage device unit is connected to a different respective one of the second switch communication ports, wherein a third switch of the third storage device unit has a plurality of third switch communication ports, wherein each of a plurality of respective storage devices in the third storage device unit is connected to a different respective one of the third switch communication ports, wherein the controller, the first storage device unit, the second storage unit, and the third storage unit are coupled to each other via the first downstream port, the second downstream port, at least one of the first switch communication ports, at least one of the second switch communication ports, and at least one of the third switch communication ports, so that they are physically configured as one loop, wherein the loop is logically disconnected at a first point between the third storage device unit and the second storage device unit until at least one failure occurs in the loop to avoid the controller accessing one storage device not only via the first downstream port but also via the second downstream port, and wherein if a failure occurs at a second point in the loop, the controller logically disconnects the loop at the second point and logically connects the disconnected first point so that the controller can access each of the plurality of storage devices in the storage system via either the first downstream port or the second downstream port.