SAS domain management and SSP data handling over ethernet
A server application is executed on an active device within the SAS domain, the active device connected to a remote client via an Ethernet connection. At least one command is received from the remote client via the Ethernet connection. An Ethernet frame of the at least one command is converted to at least one SAS frame. The at least one SAS frame is routed via a SAS data path to a SAS target device connected to the active device, the SAS target device corresponding to a field of the command.
1. A method comprising;
designating a port number for communicating within a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) domain over an Ethernet connection;
receiving a command from a remote client via the Ethernet connection, wherein the command includes an Ethernet frame, and wherein the command utilizes the designated port number;
converting the Ethernet frame of the command to an SAS frame;
determining an SAS target device from a frame of the command; and
providing the SAS frame to the SAS target device.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing the command for management of the SAS target device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the command is an Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) command.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the command, the converting of the Ethernet frame, the determining of the SAS target device, and the providing of the SAS frame are performed by an SAS expander.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the SAS target device is external to the SAS expander.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the SAS target device is internal to the SAS expander.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing of the SAS frame to the SAS target device includes routing the SAS frame via an SAS data path to the SAS target device.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the SAS data path includes at least one of a Serial Management Protocol (SMP) Initiator and a Serial Small Computer System Interface Protocol (SSP) Initiator.
9. A Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) device comprising:
a network interface configured for connecting to an Ethernet network for communications with a remote client;
a memory containing machine readable medium comprising machine executable code having stored thereon instructions for performing a method of operating a server application; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the machine executable code to cause the processor to:
receive a data command from the remote client via the network interface, wherein the data command utilizes a port number designated for SAS communication over an Ethernet connection;
convert at least one Ethernet frame of the data command to at least one SAS frame based on the data command utilizing the port number; and
route the converted at least one SAS frame to an SAS target corresponding to a field of the data communication.
10. The SAS device of claim 9 , wherein the server application is further configured to utilize the routed at least one SAS frame to perform management of the SAS target.
11. The SAS device of claim 9 , wherein the data command is an Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) command.
12. The SAS device of claim 9 , wherein the server application is further configured to:
receive a response from the SAS target; and
route the response to the remote client via the network interface.
13. The SAS device of claim 9 , wherein the server application is further configured to route the converted at least one SAS frame to the SAS target via a data path including at least one of a Serial Management Protocol (SMP) Initiator and a Serial Small Computer System Interface Protocol (SSP) Initiator.
14. The SAS device of claim 9 , wherein the SAS target is external to the SAS device.
15. A method comprising:
connecting between an active device and a remote client via an Ethernet connection;
receiving a command at the active device from the remote client via the Ethernet connection, wherein the command uses a port number designated for communicating within a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) domain over an Ethernet connection;
converting a portion of the command to an SAS frame based on the command using the designated port number;
providing the SAS frame from the active device to an SAS target device specified by the command via an SAS data path; and
utilizing the command for management of the SAS target device.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the command is an Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) command.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the SAS target device is external to the active device.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the SAS target device is internal to the active device.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the SAS data path includes at least one of a Serial Management Protocol (SMP) Initiator and a Serial Small Computer System Interface Protocol (SSP) Initiator.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the active device is an SAS expander.