Patent ID: 8032686

Claim:
A data storage system comprising: an input/output server including a processor, memory, and a host channel adapter; a storage unit including a processor, memory, and a storage module; the storage module including a storage controller, and an interface block for connecting the storage module to a corresponding memory-mapped interface; the storage unit further including a host channel adaptor for connecting the storage unit to the input/output server, the storage unit host channel adapter being connected to a corresponding memory-mapped interface, the storage unit host channel adapter being capable of remote direct memory access to the input/output server; and protocol translation logic configured to intercept a memory access request from the storage controller, and initiate a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the storage unit host channel adapter and the input/output server host channel adapter; wherein the data storage system is configured to: establish a network connection between the host channel adapter of the input/output server and the host channel adapter of the storage unit; write a command header and associated command table to the memory of the input/output server; deliver the command header to the protocol translation logic, which stores the command header; read the command header, by the storage controller, from the protocol translation logic; request, from the storage controller, to read, from the memory of the input/output server, a command at the beginning of the command table pointed to by the command header; intercept the read request from the storage controller, with the protocol translation logic; and initiate, with the protocol translation logic, a corresponding remote direct memory access to the input/output server through the host channel adapter of the storage unit and the host channel adapter of the input/output server.