Storage router and method for providing virtual local storage
A storage router ( 56 ) and storage network ( 50 ) provide virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices ( 60, 62, 64 ) to Fibre Channel devices. A plurality of Fibre Channel devices, such as workstations ( 58 ), are connected to a Fibre Channel transport medium ( 52 ), and a plurality of SCSI storage devices ( 60, 62, 64 ) are connected to a SCSI bus transport medium ( 54 ). The storage router ( 56 ) interfaces between the Fibre Channel transport medium ( 52 ) and the SCSI bus transport medium ( 54 ). The storage router ( 56 ) maps between the workstations ( 58 ) and the SCSI storage devices ( 60, 62, 64 ) and implements access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices ( 60, 62, 64 ). The storage router ( 56 ) then allows access from the workstations ( 58 ) to the SCSI storage devices ( 60, 62, 64 ) using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and the access controls.
1 - 14 . (canceled)
15 . A routing device for providing virtual local storage on a SCSI storage device to a Fibre Channel initiator device, comprising:
a first controller to connect to a Fibre Channel transport medium connected to the Fibre Channel initiator device;
a second controller to connect to a SCSI transport medium connected to the SCSI storage device; and
a supervisor unit coupled to the first and second controllers, the supervisor unit operable:
to maintain a map between the Fibre Channel initiator device and the SCSI storage device; and
to allow access from the Fibre Channel initiator device to the SCSI storage device using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the map to implement access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage device.
16 . The routing device of claim 15 , wherein the map is implemented through one or more tables.
17 . The routing device of claim 15 , wherein the map that allocates subsets of storage space on the SCSI storage device to the Fibre Channel initiator device, wherein the subset is only accessible by the Fibre. Channel initiator device.
18 . The routing device of claim 15 , wherein the SCSI storage device is located in excess of 1000 meters from the Fibre Channel initiator device.
19 . The routing device of claim 15 , wherein the Fibre Channel initiator device comprises a workstation.
20 . The routing device of claim 15 , wherein the SCSI storage device comprises a hard disk drive.
21 . A routing device for providing virtual local storage on a Fibre Channel storage device to a Fibre Channel initiator device, comprising:
a first controller to connect to a first Fibre Channel transport medium connected to the Fibre Channel initiator device;
a second controller to connect to a second Fibre Channel transport medium connected to the Fibre Channel storage device; and
a supervisor unit coupled to the first and second controllers, the supervisor unit operable:
to maintain a map between the Fibre Channel initiator device and the Fibre Channel storage device; and
to allow access from the Fibre Channel initiator device to the Fibre Channel storage device using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the map to implement access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage device.
22 . The routing device of claim 21 , wherein the map is implemented through one or more tables.
23 . The routing device of claim 21 , wherein the map that allocates subsets of storage space on the Fibre Channel storage device to the Fibre Channel initiator device, wherein the subset is only accessible by the Fibre Channel initiator device.
24 . The routing device of claim 21 , wherein the Fibre Channel storage device is located in excess of 1000 meters from the Fibre Channel initiator device.
25 . The routing device of claim 21 , wherein the Fibre Channel initiator device comprises a workstation.
26 . The routing device of claim 15 , wherein the Fibre Channel storage device comprises a hard disk drive.