IP Library Granted Patent US 11,327,655
Granted Patent B2
US 11,327,655 · App. 16/862,197 · Granted May 10, 2022

Efficient resource upgrade

Inventor: Peter E. Kirkpatrick (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
G06F3/0607G06F16/1837G06F16/1847G06F3/067
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,327,655
App. No.
16/862,197
Granted
May 10, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one implementation, a method includes establishing a connection between a new frontend system resource and an existing frontend system resource for a client network. The method further includes transferring, by a processing device, a frontend system resource role from the existing frontend system resource to the new frontend system resource to enable the existing frontend system resource to operate as a backend system resource.

Claims (33)

1. A method comprising:

establishing a connection between an added frontend system resource and an existing frontend system resource for a client network, the existing frontend system resource comprising a server; and

transferring, by a processing device in the existing front end system resource, a frontend system controller role from the existing frontend system resource to the added frontend system resource to enable the existing frontend system resource comprising the server to operate as a backend system resource to the added frontend system resource with a direct connection between the existing system resource comprising the server and the client network removed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the direct connection between the existing system resource and the client network upon establishing a connection between the new system resource and the client network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising offloading a system task from the new system resource to the existing system resource.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing a connection between the new system resource and an external system resource of the existing system resource.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subsuming an external system resource of the existing system resource into the existing system resource.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising terminating a client protocol associated with the existing system resource and establishing the client protocol on the new system resource.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the client protocol is a Non-Volatile Memory Express over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) protocol.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the existing frontend system resource operates as a storage system array controller and wherein the frontend system controller role is a system controller role of the storage system array controller.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new system resource and the existing system resource are high-availability (HA) server pairs.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new system resource is a modular platform.

11. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of storage devices in a storage array; and

a storage array controller, in an existing front end system resource, operatively coupled to the plurality of storage devices, to:

establish a connection between an added frontend system resource and the existing frontend system resource for a client network; and

transfer a frontend system controller role from the existing frontend resource to the added frontend system resource to enable the existing frontend system resource, including the storage array controller, to operate as a backend system resource to the added frontend system resource with a direct connection between the existing system resource comprising the server and the client network removed.

12. The storage system of claim 11 , the storage array controller further to:

remove the direct connection between the existing system resource and the client network upon establishing a connection between the new system resource and the client network.

13. The storage system of claim 11 , the storage array controller further to offload a system task from the new system resource to the existing system resource.

14. The storage system of claim 11 , the storage array controller further to establish a connection between the new system resource and an external system resource of the existing system resource.

15. The storage system of claim 11 , the storage array controller further to:

establish a client protocol on the new system resource upon terminating the client protocol associated with the existing system resource.

16. The storage system of claim 11 , the storage array controller further to:

establish a new client protocol on the new system resource, wherein the new client protocol is a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) protocol upon terminating a client protocol associated with the existing system resource.

17. The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the new system resource and the existing system resource are modular platforms, wherein the new system resource and the existing system resource have incompatible physical form factors.

18. A system controller to:

establish a connection between an added frontend system resource and an existing frontend system resource for a client network, wherein the system controller is in the existing front end system resource; and

transfer a frontend system controller role from the existing frontend system resource to the added frontend system resource to enable the existing frontend system resource, including the system controller, to operate as a backend system resource to the added frontend system resource with a direct connection between the existing system resource comprising the server and the client network removed.

19. The system controller of claim 18 , the system controller further to:

remove the direct connection between the existing system resource and the client network upon establishing a connection between the new system resource and the client network.

20. The system controller of claim 18 , the system controller further to establish a connection between the new system resource and an external system resource of the existing system resource.

Assignments (3)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Jun 11, 2025
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: PURE STORAGE, INC.
Reel/Frame 071558/0523 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2020
From: PURE STORAGE, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053867/0581 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2020
From: KIRKPATRICK, PETER E.
To: PURE STORAGE, INC.
Reel/Frame 052529/0854 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,367,115