Patent ID: 7373546

Claim:
A cluster network, comprising: a first server node; a second server node, wherein each of the first server node and the second server node includes a storage controller; a first set of storage enclosures; a second set of storage enclosures, wherein each of the first set of storage enclosures and the second set of storage enclosures comprises; a gateway storage enclosure that includes first and second interface controllers, wherein the first interface controller is directly coupled to the first server node and the second interface controller is directly coupled to the second server node; and a terminal storage enclosure that includes first and second interface controllers, wherein the first interface controller is directly coupled to the first interface controller of the gateway storage enclosure and the second interface controller is directly coupled to the second interface controller of the gateway storage enclosure, and wherein the first interface controller of the terminal storage enclosure is directly coupled to the second interface controller of the terminal storage enclosures; whereby a communications pathway exists between the server nodes through the first and second interface controllers of the storage enclosures in the first set of storage enclosures despite a failure of a storage enclosure in the second set of storage enclosures.