IP Library Granted Patent US 10,831,684
Granted Patent B1
US 10,831,684 · App. 16/527,263 · Granted Nov 10, 2020

Kernal driver extension system and method

Inventors: Lior Kamran (Rishon LeZion, IL); Amitai Alkalay (Kadima, IL); Eldad Zinger (Raanana, IL); Alexander Barabash (Rehovot, IL); Leonid Ravich (Raanana, IL)
Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company, LLC
G06F13/1673G06F8/60G06F12/10G06F13/102G06F2212/657
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,831,684
App. No.
16/527,263
Granted
Nov 10, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method, computer program product, and computing system for deploying a kernel driver extension in a kernel of a storage processor communicatively coupled to one or more non-volatile memory express (NVMe) devices. The kernel driver extension may be communicatively coupled with a standard NVMe kernel driver deployed in the kernel of the storage processor. One or more input/output (I/O) operations may be performed on the one or more NVMe devices via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension.

Claims (50)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

deploying, via a computing device, a kernel driver extension in a kernel of a storage processor communicatively coupled to one or more non-volatile memory express (NVMe) devices, wherein the kernel driver extension is configured to communicate with one or more processes via a driver extension interface;

communicatively and directly coupling the kernel driver extension with a standard NVMe kernel driver deployed in the kernel of the storage processor, wherein the standard NVME kernel driver is configured to communicate with the one or more processes via a block interface that is separate from the driver extension interface; and

performing one or more input/output (I/O) operations on the one or more NVMe devices via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension, wherein performing one or more I/O operations on the storage array via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension includes one or more of:

providing, via the kernel driver extension, the one or more I/O operations from the one or more processes to a I/O submission queue of the standard NVMe kernel driver; and

providing, via the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O completions corresponding to the one or more I/O operations from an I/O completion queue of the standard NVMe kernel driver to the one or more processes.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

registering, via the kernel driver extension, one or more buffers of the one or more processes once; and

mapping, via the kernel driver extension, one or more virtual addresses corresponding to one or more physical addresses associated with the one or more registered buffers of the one or more processes once.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O queue creation commands from the one or more processes; and

creating, in the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O submission queues and one or more I/O completion queues in response to the one or more I/O queue creation commands from the one or more processes.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

allocating, via the kernel driver extension, the one or more I/O submission queues and the one or more I/O completion queues per process of the one or more processes.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein performing one or more I/O operations on the storage array via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension includes:

performing, via the standard NVMe kernel driver, one or more management operations on the one or more NVMe devices.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more I/O queues of the kernel are isolated from the one or more processes via the kernel driver extension.

7. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

deploying a kernel driver extension in a kernel of a storage processor communicatively coupled to one or more non-volatile memory express (NVMe) devices, wherein the kernel driver extension is configured to communicate with one or more processes via a driver extension interface;

communicatively and directly coupling the kernel driver extension with a standard NVMe kernel driver deployed in the kernel of the storage processor, wherein the standard NVME kernel driver is configured to communicate with the one or more processes via a block interface that is separate from the driver extension interface; and

performing one or more input/output (I/O) operations on the one or more NVMe devices via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension, wherein performing one or more I/O operations on the storage array via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension includes one or more of:

providing, via the kernel driver extension, the one or more I/O operations from the one or more processes to a I/O submission queue of the standard NVMe kernel driver; and

providing, via the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O completions corresponding to the one or more I/O operations from an I/O completion queue of the standard NVMe kernel driver to the one or more processes.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:

registering, via the kernel driver extension, one or more buffers of the one or more processes once; and

mapping, via the kernel driver extension, one or more virtual addresses corresponding to one or more physical addresses associated with the one or more registered buffers of the one or more processes once.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, at the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O queue creation commands from the one or more processes; and

creating, in the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O submission queues and one or more I/O completion queues in response to the one or more I/O queue creation commands from the one or more processes.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

allocating, via the kernel driver extension, the one or more I/O submission queues and the one or more I/O completion queues per process of the one or more processes.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein performing one or more I/O operations on the storage array via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension includes:

performing, via the standard NVMe kernel driver, one or more management operations on the one or more NVMe devices.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the one or more I/O queues of the kernel are isolated from the one or more processes via the kernel driver extension.

13. A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:

deploying a kernel driver extension in a kernel of a storage processor communicatively coupled to one or more non-volatile memory express (NVMe) devices, wherein the kernel driver extension is configured to communicate with one or more processes via a driver extension interface;

communicatively and directly coupling the kernel driver extension with a standard NVMe kernel driver deployed in the kernel of the storage processor, wherein the standard NVME kernel driver is configured to communicate with the one or more processes via a block interface that is separate from the driver extension interface; and

performing one or more input/output (I/O) operations on the storage array via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension, wherein performing one or more I/O operations on the storage array via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension includes one or more of:

providing, via the kernel driver extension, the one or more I/O operations from the one or more processes to a I/O submission queue of the standard NVMe kernel driver; and

providing, via the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O completions corresponding to the one or more I/O operations from an I/O completion queue of the standard NVMe kernel driver to the one or more processes.

14. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:

registering, via the kernel driver extension, one or more buffers of the one or more processes once; and

mapping, via the kernel driver extension, one or more virtual addresses corresponding to one or more physical addresses associated with the one or more registered buffers of the one or more processes once.

15. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O queue creation commands from the one or more processes; and

creating, in the kernel driver extension, one or more I/O submission queues and one or more I/O completion queues in response to the one or more I/O queue creation commands from the one or more processes.

16. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:

allocating, via the kernel driver extension, the one or more I/O submission queues and the one or more I/O completion queues per process of the one or more processes.

17. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein performing one or more I/O operations on the storage array via the standard NVMe kernel driver and the kernel driver extension includes:

performing, via the standard NVMe kernel driver, one or more management operations on the one or more NVMe devices.

Assignments (9)
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 (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (050724/0571) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060436/0088 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 050406 FRAME 421 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058213/0825 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
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 053546/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Oct 15, 2019
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050724/0571 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 17, 2019
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 050406/0421 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2019
From: KAMRAN, LIOR; ALKALAY, AMITAI; ZINGER, ELDAD; BARABASH, ALEXANDER; RAVICH, LEONID
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 049913/0248 →