Software Enabled Network Storage Accelerator (SENSA) - Network Server With Dedicated Co-processor Hardware Implementation of Storage Target Application

摘要

A server receives requests as events from a client via a network. Each event includes a respective task that requires access to disk storage. The server includes one or more processors that process the tasks in a run-to-completion manner and two or more hardware engines to which the processor(s) offload(s) at least some of the processing of the tasks. The hardware engines perform computation-intensive operations such as table lookups and hashes. Preferably, if there are more than one processor, the processors are identical RISC-core event processing elements, all configured with identical instruction code for execution. Preferably, the server also includes a network interface card; the processor(s) and the hardware engines may be part of either the network interface card or a separate co-processor.

主权项

1. A server for serving requests received as events from a client via a network, each event including a respective task, each task requiring access to disk storage, the server comprising:
(a) at least one processor for processing each task in a run-to-completion manner; and (b) a plurality of hardware engines to which each said at least one processor offloads at least a portion of said processing of at least one respective said task.