System and method for simple scale-out storage clusters

摘要

Systems and associated methods for flexible scalability of storage systems. In one aspect, a storage controller may include an interface to a fabric adapted to permit each storage controller coupled to the fabric to directly access memory mapped components of all other storage controllers coupled to the fabric. The CPU and other master device circuits within a storage controller may directly address memory an I/O devices directly coupled thereto within the same storage controller and may use RDMA features to directly address memory an I/O devices of other storage controllers through the fabric interface.

主权项

1. An apparatus within a storage controller for communication among a plurality of storage controllers in a clustered storage system, the apparatus comprising:
an Input/Output (I/O) request processor; a local access memory map, accessible by the I/O request processor, providing access to local cache memory of the storage controller by other components within the storage controller; a fabric communication interface, in communicating with the I/O request processor, for inter-controller communication between the storage controller and other storage controllers of the plurality of storage controllers; and a remote access memory map, accessible by the I/O request processor, providing access to the local cache memory of the storage controller by the other storage controllers, wherein the I/O request processor uses the fabric communication interface to permit Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) access by the storage controller to local cache memories of the other storage controllers and is further adapted to permit RDMA access to the local cache memory of the storage controller by the other storage controllers.