HOST-BASED DEVICE DRIVER SPLITTING OF INPUT/OUT FOR REDUNDANT ARRAY OF INDEPENDENT DISKS SYSTEMS

摘要

Methods and structure for splitting Input/Output (I/O) for Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) systems. One embodiment is a system that includes a processor of a host, and a memory of the host. The processor and the memory implement a device driver for communicating with a physically distinct RAID controller. The device driver is able to receive an I/O request, from an Operating System of the host, that is directed to a RAID volume. The device driver is further able to determine that the controller includes dedicated circuitry for handling I/O requests directed to a single RAID strip. Responsive to determining that the controller includes such dedicated circuitry, the device driver is able to identify RAID strip boundaries within the received request, and to generate multiple child I/O requests that are each directed to a single strip of the volume and correspond to the identified strip boundaries.

主权项

1. A system, comprising:
a processor of a host; and a memory of the host, wherein the processor and the memory of the host implement a device driver for communicating with a physically distinct Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) controller, wherein the device driver is operable to receive an Input/Output (I/O) request, from an Operating System of the host, that is directed to a RAID volume, wherein the device driver is further operable to determine that the controller includes dedicated circuitry for handling I/O requests directed to a single RAID strip, and wherein the device driver is further operable, responsive to determining that the controller includes such dedicated circuitry, to identify RAID strip boundaries within the received request, and to generate multiple child I/O requests that are each directed to a single strip of the volume and correspond to the identified strip boundaries.