IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,523,272
Granted Patent B2
US 7,523,272 · App. 10/889,563 · Granted Apr 21, 2009

System and method for identifying a storage drive in a storage network

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,523,272
App. No.
10/889,563
Granted
Apr 21, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for identifying the storage drives of a computer network. An identifier associated with an element of the storage network is stored in nonvolatile memory and later retrieved. The identifier associates the elements of the storage network, allowing the storage drives of the storage enclosure to be associated with the storage enclosure itself.

Claims (44)

1. A method for correlating a storage enclosure with storage drives of the storage enclosure, comprising the steps of:

saving to a storage location an identifier associated with an enclosure interface controller, wherein the storage location is accessible by each expander;

issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location, wherein the step of issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location further comprises the step of issuing a command to an expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location, and wherein the step of issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location further comprises the step of populating an unused location on a data structure associated with an existing data management command;

identifying the expander based, at least in part, on the identifier;

issuing a command to associate the expander with the storage enclosure; and

issuing a command to associate the expander with the drives in communication with the expander.

2. The method for correlating a storage enclosure with the storage drives of the storage enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the storage location is nonvolatile memory associated with the storage enclosure.

3. The method for correlating a storage enclosure with the storage drives of the storage enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a serial number of the enclosure interface controller.

4. The method for correlating a storage enclosure with the storage drives of the storage enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the step of issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location further comprises the step of populating an unused location on a data structure associated with a Serial Management Protocol Report Manufacturer Information command.

5. The method for correlating a storage enclosure with the storage drives of the storage enclosure of claim 1 ,

wherein the storage location is a nonvolatile memory associated with the storage enclosure;

wherein the identifier is a serial number of the enclosure interface controller;

wherein the step of issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location further comprises the step of:

issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location; and

populating an unused location on a data structure associated with a Serial Management Protocol Report Manufacturer Information command.

6. The method for correlating a storage enclosure with the storage drives of the storage enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the expander is a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander.

7. A method for correlating the drives of a storage enclosure with the storage enclosure, comprising the steps of:

saving to a storage location an identifier for the storage enclosure, wherein the storage location is accessible by each expander;

issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location, wherein the step of issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location further comprises the step of issuing a command to an expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location, and wherein the step of issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location further comprises the step of populating an unused location on a data structure associated with an existing data management command;

identifying the expander based, at least in part, on the identifier;

issuing a command to associate the expander with the storage enclosure; and

issuing a command to associate the expander with the drives in communication with the expander.

8. A method for correlating the drives of a storage enclosure with the storage enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the storage location is a nonvolatile memory associated with the storage enclosure.

9. A method for correlating the drives of a storage enclosure with the storage enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the identifier is a serial number of the storage enclosure.

10. A method for correlating the drives of a storage enclosure with the storage enclosure of claim 7 ,

wherein the storage location is a nonvolatile memory associated with the storage enclosure;

wherein the step of issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location further comprises the step of:

issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve a identifier from the storage location; and

populating an unused location on a data structure associated with a Serial Management Protocol Report Manufacturer Information command.

11. A method for correlating the drives of a storage enclosure with the storage enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the identifier is a serial number of the storage enclosure.

12. A method for correlating an enclosure interface controller with storage drives of a storage enclosure, comprising the steps of:

saving to a storage location an identifier associated with an expander of the storage enclosure, wherein the storage location is accessible by the expander;

issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location, wherein the step of issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location further comprises the step of issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location, and wherein the step of issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location further comprises the step of populating an unused location on a data structure associated with an existing data management command;

identifying the expander based, at least in part, on the identifier;

issuing a command to associate the expander with the enclosure interface controller in communication with the expander; and

issuing a command to associate the expander with the drives in communication with the expander.

13. The method for correlating an enclosure interface controller with the storage drives of a storage enclosure of claim 12 , wherein the storage location is a nonvolatile memory associated with the storage enclosure.

14. The method for correlating an enclosure interface controller with storage drives of a storage enclosure of claim 12 , wherein the step of issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location further comprises the step of populating an unused location on a data structure associated with a Serial Management Protocol Report Manufacturer Information command.

15. The method for correlating an enclosure interface controller with the storage drives of a storage enclosure of claim 12 ,

wherein the storage location is a nonvolatile memory associated with the storage enclosure;

wherein the step of issuing a command to cause the identifier to be retrieved from the storage location further comprises the step of:

issuing a command to the expander to cause the expander to retrieve the identifier from the storage location; and

populating an unused location on a data structure associated with a Serial Management Protocol Report Manufacturer Information command.

16. The method for correlating an enclosure interface controller with the storage drives of a storage enclosure of claim 12 , wherein the expander is a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expander.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL USA L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0618 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040040/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031899/0261 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031898/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031897/0348 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2004
From: MARKS, KEVIN T.; KHOSROWPOUR, FARZAD; LOFFINK, JOHN S.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 015585/0784 →