RAID-based storage control board having fibre channel interface controller
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a (e.g., hybrid) redundant array of independent disks (RAID)-based storage control board having a fiber channel interface controller. Specifically, the present invention relates to a storage control board having a RAID controller with a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-e) interface and a fiber channel interface controller. In one embodiment, the RAID controller is coupled to an input/output (I/O) hub and a set (at least one) of PCI-e slots, which themselves can receive cards such as a fiber channel (FC) add-on card, a serial attached small component system interface (SAS) add-on card, or a PCI-e bridge add-on card. The I/O hub can be coupled to a set of processors, each of which can be coupled to a main memory module or the like.
1. A redundant array of independent disks (RAID)-based storage control board, comprising:
a RAID controller having a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-e) interface;
an input/output (I/O) hub coupled to the raid controller;
a fibre channel (FC) interface controller coupled to the I/O hub; and
a set of PCI-e slots coupled to the raid controller;
wherein the FC interface controller is configured to control a FC device coupled to the storage control board through the PCI-e interface.
2. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 1 , further comprising:
a set of processors coupled to the I/O hub; and
a main memory module coupled to each of the set of processors.
3. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 1 , further comprising a set of cards coupled to the set of PCI-e slots.
4. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 3 , the set of cards comprising at least one of the following: an FC add-on card, a serial attached small component system interface (SAS) add-on card, or a PCI-e bridge addon card.
5. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 1 , the RAID controller comprising:
a disk mount coupled to a set of SSD memory disk units, the set of SSD memory disk units comprising a set of volatile semiconductor memories;
a disk monitoring unit coupled to the disk mount for monitoring the set of SSD memory disk units;
a disk plug and play controller coupled to the disk monitoring unit and the disk mount for controlling the disk mount; and
a high-speed host interface coupled to the disk monitoring unit and the disk mount for providing high-speed host interface capabilities.
6. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 5 , further comprising a disk controller coupled to the high-speed host interface and the disk monitoring unit.
7. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 6 , further comprising a host interface coupled to the disk controller.
8. A redundant array of independent disks (RAID)-based storage control board, comprising:
a RAID controller having a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-e) interface, the RAID controller comprising:
a set of disk mounts coupled to a set of SSD memory disk units, the set of SSD memory disk units comprising a set of volatile semiconductor memories;
a set of disk monitoring units coupled to the set of disk mounts for monitoring the set of SSD memory disk units;
a set of disk plug and play controllers coupled to the set of disk monitoring units and the set of disk mounts for controlling the set of disk mounts;
a set of high-speed host interfaces coupled to the set of disk monitoring units and the set of disk mounts for providing high-speed host interface capabilities;
an input/output (I/O) hub coupled to the raid controller;
a fibre channel (FC) interface controller coupled to the I/O hub; and
a set of PCI-e slots coupled to the raid controller.
9. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 8 , further comprising:
a set of processors coupled to the I/O hub; and
a main memory module coupled to each of the set of processors.
10. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 8 , further comprising a set of cards coupled to the set of PCI-e slots, the set of cards comprising at least one of the following: an FC add-on card, a serial attached small component system interface (SAS) add-on card, or a PCI-e bridge add-on card.
11. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 8 , further comprising a set of disk controllers coupled to the set of high-speed host interfaces and the set of disk monitoring units.
12. The RAID-based storage control board of claim 11 , further comprising a set of host interfaces coupled to the set of disk controllers.
13. A method for producing a redundant array of independent disks (RAID)-based storage control board, comprising:
providing a RAID controller having a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-e) interface;
coupling an input/output (I/O) hub to the raid controller;
coupling a fibre channel (FC) interface controller to the I/O hub; and
coupling a set of PCI-e slots to the raid controller;
wherein the FC interface controller is configured to control a FC device coupled to the storage control board through the PCI-e interface.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
coupling a set of processors to the I/O hub; and
coupling a main memory module to each of the set of processors.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising coupling a set of cards to the set of PCI-e slots.
16. The method of claim 15 , the set of cards comprising at least one of the following: an FC add-on card, a serial attached small component system interface (SAS) add-on card, or a PCI-e bridge add-on card.
17. The method of claim 13 , the providing the RAID controller comprising:
coupling a disk mount to a set of SSD memory disk units, the set of SSD memory disk units comprising a set of volatile semiconductor memories;
coupling a disk monitoring unit to the disk mount for monitoring the set of SSD memory disk units;
coupling a disk plug and play controller to the disk monitoring unit and the disk mount for controlling the disk mount; and
coupling a high-speed host interface to the disk monitoring unit and the disk mount for providing high-speed host interface capabilities.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising coupling a disk controller to the high-speed host interface and the disk monitoring unit.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising coupling a host interface to the disk controller.
20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising producing the RAID-based storage control board according to the method of claim 13 .