1324734 九、發明說明： 【發明所屬之技術領域】 本發明係關於一種橋接（Bridge)裝置，特別是關於一種用 以橋接一主機（Host)至一儲存區域網路（Storage Area Network, SAN)之橋接裝置。 【先前技術】 除了已建置儲存區域網路的大型企業外，目前大多數的 儲存都是直接附加儲存設備（Direct Attached Storage，DAS) 設備為主。DAS泛指與主機（例如，伺服器或桌上型電腦） 係直接連接之儲存設備，其具有SCSI、SATA(Serial ΑΤΑ)、 eSATA(External SATA)、USB、SAS(Serial Attached SCSI) 等介面型態。 DAS為一般企業所使用之儲存架構，其儲存裝置與應用 伺服器直接連結時，DAS因先天架構之限制，而具有下列 缺點： 1. 儲存裝置非由多個伺服器共享。 2. DAS界面之連線長度較短，儲存系統不易擴充。 3. 不易遠端統一管理及備份。 因此，儲存區域網路（Storage Area Network，SAN)架構係 是針對以上DAS儲存系統的缺點所發展而成的新一代企業 儲存解決方案。 S AN主要應用在電子商務及企業網路上等需要大量且高 速儲存資料的環境中。SAN係指利用光纖通道（Fiber Channel)、伺服器、儲存設備、光纖交換器、以及集線器等 O:\107\107906.doc 1324734 元件。 SAN網路中的各儲存系統為各伺服器之共享資源。圖1為 一般應用SAN之系統架構，其中SAN中具有至少一伺服器 以作為一儲存啟動器（Initiator)。此外，複數個儲存裝置（例 如磁碟陣列，RAID)連接至SAN以提供儲存空間並作為一儲 存目標（Target)。1324734 IX. Description of the Invention: [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a bridge device, and more particularly to a method for bridging a host to a storage area network (SAN) Bridge device. [Prior Art] Except for large enterprises that have built storage area networks, most of the current storage is based on Direct Attached Storage (DAS) equipment. DAS refers to a storage device directly connected to a host (for example, a server or a desktop computer). It has interfaces such as SCSI, SATA (Serial ΑΤΑ), eSATA (External SATA), USB, and Serial Attached SCSI (SAS). state. DAS is a storage architecture used by general enterprises. When the storage device is directly connected to the application server, the DAS has the following disadvantages due to the limitations of the innate architecture: 1. The storage device is not shared by multiple servers. 2. The connection length of the DAS interface is short, and the storage system is not easy to expand. 3. It is not easy to remotely manage and back up. Therefore, the Storage Area Network (SAN) architecture is a new generation enterprise storage solution developed for the shortcomings of the above DAS storage systems. S AN is mainly used in environments such as e-commerce and enterprise networks that require large and high-speed storage of data. SAN refers to the use of Fibre Channel, servers, storage devices, fiber optic switches, and hubs such as O:\107\107906.doc 1324734 components. Each storage system in the SAN network is a shared resource of each server. Figure 1 shows the system architecture of a general SAN application in which the SAN has at least one server as a storage initiator. In addition, a plurality of storage devices (e.g., a disk array, RAID) are connected to the SAN to provide storage space and serve as a storage target.
雖然SAN具有易於擴充及統一管理等優點，但欲與SAN 連接之伺服器或電腦主機則必需裝配有SAN HBA(主機匯流 排配接器，Host Bus Adaptor)，用以附接伺服器或電腦主機 (Host)至S AN來作為所述之儲存啟動器，藉此存取SAN之磁 碟區（volume)。 然而，具有SAN HBA之伺服器成本非常高，光纖交換器 成本也非常高，因此圖1中的一般電腦，即不具有SAN HB A 之電腦，僅能透過乙太網路（Ethernet)間接地與SAN連接。Although the SAN has the advantages of easy expansion and unified management, the server or computer host to be connected to the SAN must be equipped with a SAN HBA (Host Bus Adaptor) to attach the server or host computer. (Host) to the S AN as the storage initiator, thereby accessing the volume of the SAN. However, the cost of a server with a SAN HBA is very high, and the cost of a fiber switch is very high. Therefore, the general computer in Figure 1, that is, a computer without SAN HB A, can only be indirectly connected via Ethernet (Ethernet). SAN connection.
目前亦有以iSCSI協定及乙太網路建構之IP SAN之較低 成本方案，因此SAN依介面型態可分為光纖通道介面之FC SAN或乙太網路介面之IP SAN。雖然乙太網路成本較低， 但是iSCSI HB A之成本仍非常高，且速度不及光纖通道，尚 未能取代光纖通道成為大型企業應用主流，目前較被看好 應用於中小型企業。 目前亦有以AoE(ATA over Ethernet)協定及乙太網路建構 之Ethernet S AN之更低成本方案，僅需使用一般乙太網路配 接器，但未被廣泛支持。 因為SAN成本比DAS高，故普遍用於多個伺服器及多個 O:\l07VI07906.doc 1324734 儲存裝置之環境’而DAS則普遍用於一般電腦之本地儲 存。右此將SAN連接至一般電腦，並使得S AN之磁碟機區 (volume)虛擬化為DAS之儲存裝置，將帶來建置容易、資料 安全、擴充容易及統一管理等優點，因此，一種快速且低 成本以橋接DAS至S AN之裝置及方法實有必要。本發明之 橋接裝置適用於FC SAN、IP SAN及Ethernet SAN。 【發明内容】 Φ 本發明係揭露一種用以橋接一主機至一儲存區域網路之 橋接裝置，此橋接裝置之功能係將配置於該儲存區域網路 上之一磁碟區虛擬化為一直接附加儲存設備，其構成包 ： 括：一第一主機匯流排配接器，用以連接一儲存區域網路； 一第一主機匯流排配接器，用以連接一具有直接附加健存 設備介面之終端主機；一橋接控制器，其分別連接至該第 一主機匯流排配接器及該第二主機匯流排配接器，用以將 該終端主機橋接至該儲存區域網路，藉此該終端主機可直 •接存取一經配置於該儲存區域網路上之磁碟區；及一儲存 單元’其連接至該橋接控制器用以儲存程式及資料。 本發明之橋接裝置具有隨插即用之優點，而不需安裝額 外的裝置驅動程式。There are also lower cost solutions for IP SANs built with iSCSI protocols and Ethernet networks. Therefore, SAN interfaces can be divided into FC SANs with Fibre Channel interfaces or IP SANs with Ethernet interfaces. Although the cost of Ethernet is low, the cost of iSCSI HB A is still very high, and the speed is not as high as that of Fibre Channel. It has not replaced Fibre Channel as the mainstream of large-scale enterprise applications, and is currently favored for small and medium-sized enterprises. There is also a lower cost solution for Ethernet S AN built on the AoE (ATA over Ethernet) protocol and Ethernet, which only requires the use of a general Ethernet adapter, but is not widely supported. Because SAN costs are higher than DAS, they are commonly used in multiple servers and multiple O:\l07VI07906.doc 1324734 storage devices' while DAS is commonly used for local storage on general computers. Right here, the SAN is connected to a general computer, and the disk of the S AN is virtualized into a storage device of the DAS, which brings advantages such as easy construction, data security, easy expansion, and unified management. Therefore, Fast and low cost devices and methods for bridging DAS to S AN are necessary. The bridge device of the present invention is suitable for FC SAN, IP SAN and Ethernet SAN. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention discloses a bridging device for bridging a host to a storage area network. The function of the bridging device virtualizes a disk area disposed on the storage area network into a direct attach. The storage device is composed of: a first host bus adapter for connecting to a storage area network; a first host bus adapter for connecting a device with a direct additional storage device An end host; a bridge controller respectively connected to the first host bus adapter and the second host bus adapter for bridging the terminal host to the storage area network, whereby the terminal The host can directly access a disk area configured on the storage area network; and a storage unit is connected to the bridge controller for storing programs and data. The bridging device of the present invention has the advantage of being plug and play without the need to install additional device drivers.
• 本發明之另一優點為連接至S AN之電腦主機可經由SAN 磁碟區直接進行開機作業。 本發明之又一優點為經連接至SAN之電腦主機可如同存 取本地磁碟般地直接存取經配置於SAN上之磁碟區。 本發明之又一優點為IT人員對配置給經連接至s an之電 O:\107\l 07906.doc 1324734 腦主機的磁碟空間可集中進行管理及配置。 【實施方式】 本發明的較佳實施例料細描述如下。然而，除了該等 實施例外，本發明還可以廣泛地騎在其他應用中，且本 發明的範圍不受該等實施例的限定，而以之後的申請專利 範圍為準。 本發明係揭露一種用以橋接一主機至—儲存區域網路之 橋接裝置’此橋接裝置之功能係將配置於該儲存區域網路 上之-磁碟區虛擬化為一直接附加儲存設備，其構成包 括：-第-主機匯流排配接器’用以連接一儲存區域網路； -第二主機匯流排配接器，用以連接—具有直接附加儲存 設備介面之終端主機；一橋接控制器，其分別連接至該第 一主機匯流排配接器及該第二主機匯流排配接器，用以將 該終端主機橋接至該储存區域網路，藉此該終端主機可直 接存取一經配置於該儲存區域網路上之磁碟區；及一儲存 單兀’其連接至該橋接控制器用α儲存程式及資料。 圖2顯示本發明之第一較佳實施例，橋接裝置1〇〇用以橋 接-虛擬DAS(直接附加儲存設備）至一議（儲存區域網 路）’其中該橋接裝置100包含一 iSCSI HBA(主機匯流排配 接器）15〇用以連接至IP SAN，—DAS ηβα ιι〇用以連接一 具有das介面之終端主機，及一橋接控制器13〇用以分別連 接至該is⑶職15G及該DASHBA11G。上述之终端主機 於本實施例中可以為—卫作站、—膝上型電腦、—飼服器、 一桌上型個人電腦或一工業電腦。 O：\l07\107906.doc 1324734 上述之該 DAS HBA 110 可與 SCSI、SATA(Serial ΑΤΑ)、 eSATA(External SATA) ' USB、SAS(Serial Attached SCSI) 等DAS介面實施態樣中之至少一者連接，但是熟悉該項技 藝人士須知，其可用以實施之態樣並不以此為限。 此外，該橋接裝置100包含一快閃記憶體140及一記憶體 120，分別連接至該橋接控制器130。該記憶體120係作為 SAN磁碟區（volume)之一快取記憶體，用以增加對SAN之存 取速度，而該快閃記憶體140則用以儲存該橋接控制器130 所需之程式及資料。 圖3顯示本發明之第二較佳實施例，其與圖2之不同處在 於，原本用以連接至SAN的iSCSI HBA 150可以一 Ethernet NIC 170(乙太網路介面卡）取代。該Ethernet NIC 170將利用 終端主機之資源以軟體計算的方式達到模擬iSCSI或 AoE(ATA over Ethernet)協定之目的。 圖4顯示本發明之第三較佳實施例。圖4所示架構與圖2 之不同處在於，原本用以連接至S AN的iSCSI HB A 150係以 一 FC HBA 1 80(光纖通道主機匯流排配接器）取代。換言 之，本發明之橋接裝置，可藉由光纖通道介面連接至FC SAN。 本發明之橋接裝置可用以簡化DAS至SAN之連接，並具 有下列優點：1)隨插即用，而不需安裝額外的裝置驅動器。 2)連接至SAN之電腦主機可經由SAN磁碟區進行開機作 業，而不需安裝額外的boot ROM »藉由配置SAN上之磁碟 區至經本發明之橋接裝置而連接至S AN之電腦主機。因此 O:\107V107906.doc• Another advantage of the present invention is that the host computer connected to the S AN can be directly booted via the SAN disk. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a computer host connected to the SAN can directly access the disk area configured on the SAN as if it were a local disk. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the IT staff can centrally manage and configure the disk space allocated to the brain host connected to the s an electric O:\107\l 07906.doc 1324734. [Embodiment] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below. However, the present invention may be widely practiced in other applications, except for the implementation of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the embodiments, and the scope of the following patent application shall prevail. The present invention discloses a bridging device for bridging a host to a storage area network. The function of the bridging device is to virtualize the disk area disposed on the storage area network into a direct attached storage device. Including: - a - host bus adapter - used to connect to a storage area network; - a second host bus adapter to connect - an end host with a direct attached storage device interface; a bridge controller, Connected to the first host bus adapter and the second host bus adapter, respectively, for bridging the terminal host to the storage area network, wherein the terminal host can be directly accessed and configured a storage area on the storage area network; and a storage unit that is connected to the bridge controller for storing the program and data. 2 shows a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bridging device 1 is used for bridging-virtual DAS (Direct Attached Storage Device) to a forum (storage area network) where the bridging device 100 includes an iSCSI HBA ( The host bus adapter is connected to the IP SAN, the DAS ηβα ιι〇 is used to connect to an end host having a das interface, and a bridge controller 13 is connected to the is(3) job 15G and the DASHBA11G. In the embodiment, the terminal host can be a security station, a laptop computer, a feeding device, a desktop personal computer or an industrial computer. O:\l07\107906.doc 1324734 The above-mentioned DAS HBA 110 can be implemented with at least one of DAS interface implementations such as SCSI, SATA (Serial), eSATA (External SATA) 'USB, SAS (Serial Attached SCSI). Connections, but familiar to those skilled in the art, the manner in which they can be implemented is not limited to this. In addition, the bridge device 100 includes a flash memory 140 and a memory 120 connected to the bridge controller 130, respectively. The memory 120 is used as a memory of the SAN disk to increase the access speed to the SAN, and the flash memory 140 is used to store the program required by the bridge controller 130. And information. 3 shows a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, which differs from FIG. 2 in that the iSCSI HBA 150 originally used to connect to the SAN can be replaced by an Ethernet NIC 170 (Ethernet interface card). The Ethernet NIC 170 will use the resources of the end host to implement the iSCSI or AoE (ATA over Ethernet) protocol in a software-based manner. Figure 4 shows a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The architecture shown in Figure 4 differs from Figure 2 in that the iSCSI HB A 150 originally used to connect to the S AN is replaced by a FC HBA 1 80 (Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter). In other words, the bridging device of the present invention can be connected to the FC SAN through a Fibre Channel interface. The bridging device of the present invention can be used to simplify the DAS-to-SAN connection and has the following advantages: 1) Plug and play without the need to install additional device drivers. 2) The host computer connected to the SAN can be booted via the SAN disk area without installing an additional boot ROM » by configuring the disk area on the SAN to connect to the computer host of the S AN via the bridge device of the present invention . Therefore O:\107V107906.doc
Sx電腦主機不需I有任何的本地磁碟（i〇cai disk)即可開 。事實上°亥電腦主機將視配置於s AN磁碟區上之磁碟 區為本地磁碟° 3)因此’經連接至SAN之該電腦主機可如 同存取本地磁碟般地直接存取配置於san之磁碟區。4)由 於藉由本發明之橋接裝置連接至san之電腦主機可不需 具有本地磁碟，而是直接將瞻中的儲存空間分派配置給 經連接之電腦主機。因& ’ Ιτ人員便可以集中地對經連接 電腦主機的磁碟空間進行管理及配置。5)此外，本發明之 橋接裝置係可達成跨平台的目的。 以上所述僅為本發明之較佳實施例而已，並非用以限定 本發明之申請專利範圍；凡其它未脫離本發明所揭示之精 神下所70成之等效改變或修飾，均應包含在下述之申請專 利範圍内。 【圖式簡單說明】 圖1為一應用SAN之系統架構。 圖2為本發明之一第一較佳實施例。 圖3為本發明之一第二較佳實施例。 圖4為本發明之一第三較佳實施例。 【主要元件符號說明】 100 橋接裝置 110 直接附加儲存設備主機匯流排配接器（DAS ΗΒΑ) 120 記憶體 130 橋接控制器 快閃記憶體 140 1324734 150 iSCSI主機匯流排配接器（iSCSI HBA) 170 乙太網路網路介面卡 （Ethernet NIC) 180 光纖通道主機匯流排配接器（FC HBA)The Sx computer host does not need to have any local disk (i〇cai disk) to open. In fact, the computer will be located on the s AN disk as the local disk. 3) Therefore, the computer connected to the SAN can directly access the configuration as if it were a local disk. In the disk area of san. 4) Since the host computer connected to the san device by the bridge device of the present invention does not need to have a local disk, the storage space can be directly allocated to the connected computer host. Because & Ι Ιτ personnel can centrally manage and configure the disk space of the connected computer host. 5) In addition, the bridging device of the present invention achieves cross-platform purposes. The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention; all other equivalent changes or modifications of the present invention, which are not departing from the spirit of the invention, should be included. Within the scope of the patent application. [Simple diagram of the diagram] Figure 1 shows the system architecture of an application SAN. Figure 2 is a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Main component symbol description] 100 Bridge device 110 Direct attached storage device Host bus adapter (DAS ΗΒΑ) 120 Memory 130 Bridge controller Flash memory 140 1324734 150 iSCSI host bus adapter (iSCSI HBA) 170 Ethernet Network Interface Card (Ethernet NIC) 180 Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter (FC HBA)
O:\107\I 07906.docO:\107\I 07906.doc