Smart discovery model in a serial attached small computer system topology
View Patent ↗Methods, systems and processor-readable media are disclosed for implementing a “smart” discovery process in a data transfer regime having one or more expanders and one or more initiators. Data traffic associated with such a discovery process can be reduced and one or more of the initiators can be prevented from blocking input/output to particular components in communication with the data transfer regime, thereby improving and completing the discovery process in an optimal time frame while enhancing the performance of the initiator(s).
1. A method for discovery in a data transfer regime, the method comprising:
reducing data traffic associated with discovery of a SAS disk in a data transfer regime having at least one expander and at least one initiator;
preventing the at least one initiator from blocking input/output not related to the SAS disk in communication with the data transfer regime, thereby improving and completing the discovery while enhancing the performance of the at least one initiator; and
configuring an expander associated with the data transfer regime so that a dependence of the expander on an associated controller is over ruled during the discovery of the SAS disk in the data transfer regime.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
reducing data traffic associated with the discovery comprises generating, via at least one expander associated with the data transfer regime, a vendor unique Serial Management Protocol (SMP) frame that indicates an updated device topology.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring the at least one expander to self-manage SAS disks being added or removed with respect to the data transfer regime.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically updating the at least one expander and the at least one initiator associated with the data transfer regime in real time.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data transfer regime comprises a SAS topology.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising configuring the SAS topology to include the SAS disk that communicates with the at least one expander.
7. The method of claim 5 further comprising configuring the SAS topology to include a SAS initiator that updates a device table in response to receipt of a frame.
8. The method of claim 7 providing at least one of the following in the frame:
a SAS address of a SAS disk added or removed with respect to the SAS topology;
a SAS address of the at least one expander; and
a physical layer of the at least one expander.
9. A system for discovery in a data transfer regime, said the system comprising:
a data transfer regime having at least one expander and at least one initiator, wherein data traffic associated with discovery of an SAS disk in the data transfer regime is reduced;
at least one initiator that is prevented from blocking input/output not related to the SAS disk in communication with said data transfer regime, thereby improving and completing the discovery while enhancing the performance of the at least one initiator; and
a controller, wherein an expander associated with the data transfer regime is configured such that a dependence of the expander on the controller is over ruled during the discovery of the SAS disk in the data transfer regime.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein at least one expander associated with the data transfer regime is operable to reduce data traffic associated with the discovery by generating a vendor unique Serial Management Protocol (SMP) frame that indicates an updated device topology.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein said at least one expander is configured to self-manage SAS disks being added or removed with respect to the data transfer regime.
12. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one expander and the at least one initiator associated with the data transfer regime are automatically updated in real time.
13. The system of claim 9 wherein the data transfer regime comprises a SAS topology.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the SAS topology includes the SAS disk that communicates with the at least one expander.
15. The system of claim 13 wherein the SAS topology includes a SAS initiator that updates a device table in response to receipt of a frame.
16. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one of the following in the frame:
a SAS address of a SAS disk added or removed with respect to the SAS topology;
a SAS address of the at least one expander; and
a physical layer of the at least one expander.
17. A system for discovery in a SAS topology, the system comprising:
a SAS topology having at least one expander and at least one initiator, wherein data traffic associated with discovery of a SAS disk in the data transfer regime is reduced;
at least one initiator that is prevented from blocking input/output not associated with the SAS disk in communication with the SAS topology thereby improving and completing the discovery while enhancing the performance of said at least one initiator; and
a controller, wherein the at least one expander of the SAS topology is configured such that a dependence of the at least one expander on the controller is over ruled during the discovery of the SAS disk in the SAS topology.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein the SAS topology includes the SAS disk that communicates with the at least one expander.
19. The system of claim 17 wherein the SAS topology includes a SAS initiator that updates a device table in response to receipt of a frame.
20. The system of claim 19 further comprising at least one of the following in the frame:
a SAS address of a SAS disk added or removed with respect to the SAS topology;
a SAS address of the at least one expander; and
a physical layer of the at least one expander.